Liturgies for Hope

“It’s hard to put into words just how much this book means to me. I found these prayers (or perhaps they found me) at the time I needed them the most. Like the friends of the poor soul who lay crippled on his mat, they have faithfully and delicately carried me, cared for me, and lowered me into the presence of the Healer. Audrey and Elizabeth have done incredible work here; they have spoken into the chaos with words of peace, poetically crafted and pastorally given. I am so grateful for these prayers.” – Joshua Luke Smith, poet, pastor, and author of Something You Once Knew“As someone who has spent many hours praying, here’s what I’ve come to realize: it’s still very hard to do. One of the best gifts that has helped me develop my life with God is the prayers and liturgies of others. I often need the words of others to help me form my own words. This is what Audrey Elledge and Elizabeth Moore do for us in this needed book. They offer beautiful words to help us access the longings of our souls and bring them to God. If you’re looking for a jumpstart to your spiritual life, start here.” – Rich Villodas, lead pastor of New Life Fellowship and author of Good and Beautiful and Kind“This is a marvelous book. I am not surprised it emerged from one of the urban epicenters of our global pandemic - of course this fierce hope would grow in such a place and such a season. Audrey Elledge and Elizabeth Moore weave rich Scriptural imagery into powerful, prayerful poetry covering topics that are at once universal but also timely in their particularity. The liturgical pronouns shift between we, you, and I in a way that is spacious and welcoming. Best of all, this book compelled even this solitary reader to reach out to her friends; these are liturgies that simply must be prayed in the company of others.” – Christie Purifoy, author of Placemaker“Liturgies for Hope will be a trusted companion for those who struggle to find words for the cry of their hearts. In this book, Audrey and Elizabeth encourage us to lay our deepest requests before the Lord as a humble act of worship. This collection of prayers stirred my heart’s a ection for Christ by reminding me of the strong hope we have in Him.” – Hunter Beless, founder and host of the Journeywomen podcast and author of Read It, See It, Say It, Sing It!

Audrey Elledge is a graduate of Baylor University and Vanderbilt University and now lives in New York, where she co-leads the Church of the City New York Creative team. Audrey works as a SparkNotes editor and has won the Academy of American Poets Prize and the Virginia Beall Poetry Prize. She has been published in Fathom.

Elizabeth Moore is a graduate of Mississippi College and the Columbia Publishing Course at Oxford University. Born and raised in Louisiana, she now lives in New York where she works at Penguin Random House and serves with the Church of the City New York creative team. Elizabeth has contributed articles to Timshel, Transformed, Windrose, Belong, and Porticomagazine.