Wednesday, December 1st. Nicholas Ferrar Day, Deacon of the Church

NICHOLAS FERRAR

DEACON, MAN OF PRAYER (1 DEC 1637)

Nicholas Ferrar, born in 1592, was the founder of a religious community that lasted from 1626 to 1646.
After Nicholas had been ordained as a deacon, he and his family and a few friends retired to Little Gidding, Huntingdonshire, England, to devote themselves to a life of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving (Matthew 6:2,5,16). They restored the abandoned church building, and became responsible for regular services there. They taught the neighborhood children, and looked after the health and well-being of the people of the district. They read the regular daily offices of the Book of Common Prayer, including the recital every day of the complete Psalter. (Day and night, there was always at least one member of the community kneeling in prayer before the altar, that they might keep the word, "Pray without ceasing.") They wrote books and stories dealing with various aspects of Christian faith and practice. They fasted with great rigor, and in other ways embraced voluntary poverty, so that they might have as much money as possible for the relief of the poor.
The community was founded in 1626 (when Nicholas was 34). He died in 1637 (aged 45), and in 1646 the community was forcibly broken up by the Puritans of Cromwell's army. The memory of the community survived to inspire and influence later undertakings in Christian communal living, and one of T.S. Eliot's Four Quartets is called "Little Gidding."

by James Kiefer   

Galatians 6:7-10

7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. ⁸If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. ⁹So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. ¹⁰So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.

Terry's Thoughts:

What would the world be like if it weren't for people praying at all times?  I'm not sure I'd ever want to know a world like that.  Nowadays, it seems that prayer is something that people just don't want to do.  It's a practice reserved for time in corporate worship, meals, and just before bed.  I know of many people who just can't pray in front of others.  But as we know of Ferrar's community, praying without ceasing took on a literal meaning. 

Many of my friends who are Protestant, particularly those who come from a more Calvinistic branch, dislike greatly the idea of monastic living.  They make good arguments as to why this is not proper, but I usually have to disagree with them.  Monastics are in prayer no less than seven times per day, and there are monastaries scattered all over the world.  That means, at every hour, somewhere in the world, someone is praying for everything under the sun, including you, me, and those who do not have a relationship with Christ.  They are praying for peace, justice, and the whole lot.  I praise God for this. 

Thank you, God, for leaders like Nicholas, who stepped out in obedience to you to see that the whole world is under the influence of prayer.  May his memory be an everlasting tribute to your goodness and faithfulness towards us. 

In XP,

Terry W. Gatwood

PRAYER (contemporary language)
   Lord God, make us so reflect your perfect love; that, with your deacon Nicholas Ferrar and his household, we may rule ourselves according to your Word, and serve you with our whole heart; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.