Books of prayers have fascinated me for some years. On my shelves are – inevitably perhaps – Frank Colquhoun’s Parish Prayers and New Parish Prayers, but also the much older A Chain of Prayer Across the Ages compiled by Selina F Fox during the First World War. Rupert Bristow’s latest contribution to this tradition – Prayers for Parishes – should prove equally long lasting for it is comprehensive in its scope and flexible in its use. Divided into five sections there are a wealth of prayer resources here covering The Church, The world and the community, Health and pastoral, Beginnings and Endings and Festivals, seasons and saints. There is also advice on prayer and prayer resources and a useful section on ‘arrow prayers’. Stylistically this collection of prayers is closest in construction to ‘collect’ prayers rather than the traditional Eucharistic format of prayer and response. Yet – as the author states in his introduction – his purpose is to challenge the pray-er to reflect on these words and use them in part or in whole or be stimulated to find more appropriate words of their own. This is a resource to be explored and adapted. Many hard-pressed ministers though will dip in and use these prayers off the shelf; and I intend to do precisely that at this evening’s PCC meeting!