Certainly in my old church!
"As I was growing up in the Episcopal Church it was a common notion that the Psalms were the “Prayer book of the Bible."
Ahhh, that is one of the things I have a problem with. I am in no way stating I am correct (we won't know until I'm standing in front of the Lord). Back to using the Book of Psalms as a prayer book, that is what bugs me. I think a lot of churches do that (which is why I don't like any of them).
I watch a few evangelicals on tv. I always seem to "feel it", like I am part of the congregation and am truly worshiping. I feel the Lord with me. One thing I have noticed is they don't do repetitive prayer and most of the "talking" is coming straight from the Bible. I can follow along too! And the congregation takes notes!!
It just feels less fake to me. If that was offensive, I apologize, but it's the only way I can describe my feelings (I'm pretty bad at it).
I think a lot of churches and organizations have lost their way. I can't point my finger at just one, because I think, well, they kinda all suck.
There is SO MUCH dissent between each religion within itself (how many sects do the Catholics have, the Lutherans, the Protestants, etc...)I can't trust any of them!
Please, that is NOT offensive. Clearly I have a different feeling -- and even different thoughts about how seriously to take one's feelings! But I am not offended when you honestly report your reaction.
I am a little confused about talk of "sects" within the Catholic Church. I know there is some disagreement but when the "old Catholics" or the "Polish National Catholics" leave communion with the Holy See, there is, I think, some dishonesty in their calling themselves "Catholic." But that's minor.
I think a "full, rich" prayer life will include all sorts of prayer, some "free" or spontaneous, and other "set prayers."
The advantage of set prayers as PART of our prayer life is that they make communal prayer possible. The "Common Prayer Book" made possible by printing and cheap paper, means that the people can follow along, either aloud or silently, and that they can take the book home and study it. It also "covers a multitude of sins," and other inadequacies on the part of the leader of the congregation. Not all are eloquent, and very many very holy people are not given to much wordiness.
In the Catholic Church we give up a lot of spontaneity in our formal worship, but what we get in exchange is a lot of shared experience. The "set" words for the weeks before Christmas, the days during "Christmastide", and the days following point out new or forgotten aspects of the Coming of Christ in the past, in the future, and in our hearts right now, and remind us of the many ways that God has revealed and continues to reveal Himself.
For me this provides a kind of course of prayer which, as I age and go through the years again and again, deepens my wonder and joy at God's love AND means that I can talk about it with my fellow parishioners.
This is not to say that spontaneous or free prayer either alone or in small groups is not immensely important.
There is an undeniable difference between what a lot of Protestants and a lot of Catholics do in Church on Sunday. When we have "classes" we have them outside of our worship. And when you consider that at an average Sunday service there are 500 or so people of different interests and capacities, it's hard to imagine a Bible class that would appeal to all of them. In our congregation we have several small groups that are pretty much self-running and they meet during the week. Some are Bible studies, others have other directions.
I talk too much. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me.
A local church is a congregation of sinners just like us all. We don't trust in a church, but in God, but we miss out on the fellowship and human touch by forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. Ask the Lord to lead you to a home church - you will know it is when you get there. You may be cheating others out of the joy of knowing you and your testimony! :o)