The Collect

I went to a great class at Resurrection tonight about how to pray out loud. I'm completely comfortable with private prayer throughout my days and evenings, engaging in a one-on-one dialog with God. In fact, my favorite time of each day is at nighttime, when I go to bed, turn out the light, and turn to God in prayer - when I'm alone, but not alone at all. I love that. I especially love when I'm done saying my part of the prayer and I silence my mind to listen to and feel God's presence, sometimes drifting off to sleep peacefully, other times lying awake, listening, searching. I can't think of a better way to end my day.

But when it comes to praying out loud, in front of others? Not so much. I pretty much suck at it. Once, at the end of a group discussion, I got the courage up to say the closing prayer. This is how I started it: "So, hey, God. Hi. Yeah. Whazzup?" Followed by some incoherent ramblings out of my mouth that I've since blocked from my memory. It's the thought that counts, right?

At tonight's class, I was reminded of a type of prayer called The Collect. Pastor Nicole, who led the class, had us write some collects as a group. Then we wrote a couple on our own. This was one of those full-circle moments for me because it reminded me of a service at FirstLight last Fall, when we each wrote a Collect and handed them in during the Eucharist. Those congregational Collects are actually online here, which is pretty cool.

As well as utilizing the collect for out-loud prayers, which I will definitely do from now on, I really like the idea of writing collects to put into a spiritual journal I keep as part of my nightly ritual. Tonight, at the class, I wrote a couple of Collects - one for times of fear, the other for times of heartache. Here they are:

Loving God, who guides and comforts completely, calm our worries and multiply our faith so that we may fully trust in You without fear, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Dear Lord, who heals our pain, comfort and hold us so that our hearts may mend, in Your holy name, Amen.