Speaking to Silence: New Rites for Christian Worship and Healing

Relying on more than twenty years of parish experience, Janet Peterman present a variety of healing and comforting rituals that can be used in situations that are likely to be encountered in congregations but yet are not typically treated in standard liturgies. Peterman offers her reflections on the significances of rituals and discusses new rituals as well as rituals in new contexts. She includes a broad spectrum of rituals for personal use, for life in the home or at church, for us in the wider community, for marking an event in the life cycle, or for help in leading to transformation. She concludes by describing a seven-step process for creating new rituals and suggests ways to adapt existing worship materials for use in new settings. This much-needed resource will help pastors and lay leaders develop their own skills and insights for creating liturgies and rituals that provide relief, healing and support for those in congregations who are faced with critical and life-altering situations.

Janet S. Peterman served as pastor of St Micheals Lutheran Church in Philadelphia for more than 20 years. She holds an MDiv degree from Harvard Divinity School.