Customer Reviews

The Pattern of Our Days: Worship in the Celtic Tradition from the Iona Community

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Pattern of Our Days is the 4th book I've purchased from the Iona Community/Wild Goose Publications. In fact, I've purchased Cloth for the Cradle 4 times alone, because I keep giving it away.
If you are responsible in any way for worship/worship planning, any of the Wild Goose books are crucial resources for sign acts and responsive liturgies. These are "book[s] of bits", not whole liturgies, yet each of the books, with a different thematic thrust, brings the Good News into human terms that will help bring your congregation closer to God.
I was especially impressed with some of the healing liturgies in The Pattern of Our Days. Less formal, more immediate than we are normally accustomed to. Perhaps that is why they are so effective.

This is a well written and documented work on the Celtic pattern of worship. I have found it useful for my personal research on Celtic Christianity.

The Pattern of Our Days: Worship in the Celtic Tradition from the Iona CommunityI was disappointed with this book because I was expecting to learn about Celtic Christianity and worship as practised at Iona by the early monastic community; rather, this works arises in a contemporary community at Iona. This community is Protestant and (somewhat) New Age, not that I am unsympathetic to such practices as acceptance, even embrace, of other religious traditions, or a view of creation and humanity as innately good. Some of the practises or prayers strike me as simple-minded rather than simple (unadorned) and self-conscious rather than humble. These might be minor quibbles and if one is seeking a prayers and practices based upon a modern interpretation of Christianity with some reference to earlier Celtic beliefs, this is a worthwhile book. But, if one interested in the growth of Celtic Christianity from the indigenous religion, in the worldview of the Celts, in the differences between Celtic and Roman Catholicism, and in how reference to Celtic Christianity might give us a more metaphorical, less legalistic view of Christianity, then I would recommend other works, such as Celtic Christianity: A Sacred Tradition, A Vision of Hope by Timothy Joyce. My one star evaluation is based on the above; were I looking for such a work I would probably give it four stars.

This is a wonderful collection of prayers from the Iona Community.The book offers a few pastoral liturgies, but is predominately a collection of prayers that can be included in worship services. I found the book a creative resource to include in Iona liturgies that can be purchased from the Community as well as various worship services written by J. Philip Newell. Combining "Celtic Prayers" from Iona by J.Philip Newell with "The Pattern of Our Days" provides creative daily prayer services.

Inspired by worship on Iona, this little book is filled with powerful prayers and reminders of a lives lived in faith. It is wonderful for private meditation and shared worship.

I have found this prayerbook useful in focusing my personal prayer time. I have also found the prayer insights useful in leading communal worship. I cannot speak to its value in using the complete services included in the resource.

I am pleased the book arrived well within the time frame expected and that it was in excellent condition as described. Thank you!