The Night Offices: Prayers for the Hours from Sunset to Sunrise

I work early shifts sometimes at my plastics factory job, and this book comes in handy when I am up at 1:30 am, and want to pray. This book lists all the Offices of prayer from 10:30 pm through to Dawn. I recommend it to all night shift workers who love to pray, and to all people who are awake at night, and need the Lord.

This is a book of prayers that are meant to be used from the hours between sunset and sunrise. It's more or less a compilation of scripture and prayers that have been prayed and recited throughout our common history. In a time in my life when I'm feeling like I have less and less to "tell God" and more and more to "listen to" . . . this book of prayers was like a deep well of treasures. In a Christian culture where a "good prayer life" seems to focus on "individualistic" wants rather than global needs, having a vast collection of well-worn prayers that have been repeated over and over for centuries is a nice change of pace. I'm not sure if some of my more Protestant friends will be comfortable with praying something that is not "theirs", but I think that's where the beauty lies. Praying something that is the community's yet uniquely individual. It's the best of both world. The community gives the gift that the individual can enjoy for the benefit of the community. Which I have a hunch is what is so powerful about the liturgies. My only complaint was that I got it from the library and only had it for 3 weeks. It's definitely on my early Christmas list.

I know some other reviewers mention it doesn't really follow the bcp, but it is still a really great collection to have in your library. The readings, morning, noon, night, and compline are short enough so that even the busies people can make time to pray. My only complaint is the language, I would have liked to have seen a more inclusive text, especially in some areas where it would have really been helpful. I think Mrs. Tickle would have a better following if the language was updated. It is this way in all 4 of her books (Divine Hours - 3 books, and then the Evening Prayers). If you are sensitive to the male dominated text of the bcp, you probably will not like this.

Phyllis Tickle knows prayer as only a prayerful woman can. The bedtime prayers are our favorites because they often acknowledge the jangling events of the day but then conclude with the comforts God offers. We also recommend The Devine Hours, Tickle's varied seasonal prayers for the more active times of the day. Revs. Micahel+ and Beverly.

I admit that I am a fan of Phyllis Tickle. I own her 3-volume set, The Divine Hours, and it is one of the finest multi-volume prayer books available. Her newest book, The Night Offices, follows in the same tradition of her earlier work. Excellently bound and inclusive of a single, sewn-in marker ribbon, this volume proudly joins the others in her series. Notwithstanding its subtitle, "Prayers for the Hours from Sunset to Sunrise," this volume covers three "offices" -- The Office of Midnight (10:30 PM to 1:30 AM); The Office of the Night Watch (1:30 to 4:30 AM); and, The Office of Dawn (4:30 to 7:30 AM). If you like The Divine Hours, you'll want to get this volume to complete the set.