Walking Ancient Paths - Resources to Fuel Your Daily PrayersAndy Freeman - 16 Jan 2013

Inspirational Figures, Healthy Rhythms and Daily Prayers - It's all in the 'new' section of the website.

About 12 years ago I learnt a valuable lesson .... that we never come up with new ideas, just old ones in a new form.

In October 2001 we were just about to open our first Boiler Room in an old pub.  New Idea  I thought !!  But then I found out about nearly 2000 years of church history - of Desert Fathers and Mothers, of people of prayer throughout the ages, and of Monastics, like the Benedictines of my home town of Reading.  These people had blazed a trail long before I had. 

“You learn from a conglomeration of the incredible past - whatever experience gotten in any way whatsoever.” Bob Dylan

This week we open a new area of the website called ‘Ancient Paths’.  This area is all about ancient spirituality - about learning with and walking with those who’ve gone before us.  Pioneers of meditative prayer like Ignatious.  Monastic trailblazers like Francis.  Devoted lives like Catherine of Siena.  These lives each bring us closer to God as we realise how He met with them, and how they prayed and lived. 

As you embark on a prayer room or build a community in 2013 think about these incredible lives.  Every lit candle, or written prayer, every piece of art or new song - somewhere these incredible new things have an ancient root. 

The Ancient Paths sub-site is split into a number of sections.  You can learn more about a lifestyle of prayer in the Rhythms section.  There are stories of Heroes and Heroines of the Faith.  The Journeys section gives you resources for your church or community.  We hope all these resources and more that are contained in these pages will deepen your own faith and give you a new insight into things you take for granted.

Jeremiah once said:

“Stand at the crossroads and look;
    ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
    and you will find rest for your souls.”
    Jeremiah 6:16

Lets take this journey together and learn from those who’ve gone before us.