This call for submissions welcomes original contributions for a collection of prayers, tentatively referred to as Conversations with the Sacred to be published by Skinner House Books. Intended for a religiously liberal/progressive audience, Conversations with the Sacred will serve as a resource for personal spiritual prayer and reflection. At present, few resources on prayer are intentionally pluralistic in scope, and it is envisioned that Conversations with the Sacred will help broaden and deepen the field.

The concept of Conversations with the Sacred is meant to inspire readers towards a spiritual practice of prayer as a form of relationship with the Universe/God/the Divine/the Sacred, as understood by the individual. Foundational to this understanding, is that concept that conversation is relational, and that we can have a relationship with our broader existence—that which we consider holy, sacred, or transcendent—of which we are a part. Through prayer we share our thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams, and/or fears as a way to connect more deeply with ourselves and, ultimately, all that we are more broadly connected to and are a part of. Authors may be of any theological or spiritual perspective and submissions are expected to reflect the author’s personal sense of their relationship with the Holy, with God, and/or with the universe. We anticipate receiving submissions from authors who have a variety of understandings regarding the nature and purpose of prayer as well as a variety of understandings regarding to whom or what prayer is addressed. Given this, you are encouraged to speak from a place of authentic personal grounding in your prayer(s). We ask that you also try to accommodate (both conceptually and in terms of language chosen) as wide a theological/spiritual range as possible while not compromising your sense of authenticity.

Authors may wish to use the voice of “I, you, we” etc. in their prayers, with the understanding that the content of their prayers must be open enough for any reader to step into the prayer and potentially find themselves in it. (For example, a prayer that is very specific in nature may hold deep meaning for the author, but may be harder for others to enter into.) Please keep in mind that Conversations with the Sacred is intended for personal (individual) prayer and reflection.

Submissions may be of any length, however written prayers are typically 100-400 words in length, with 100 words being on the shorter side and 400 words being on the longer side. Authors may submit up to 5 pieces for consideration, however it is anticipated that no one author will have more than 3 pieces included in this volume.

We particularly invite the submission of original prayers that speak to the following:

• Relationship with the Holy Within (Prayers of Personal Needs or Desire)
  • Prayers of Longing for Relationship, Hope, and/or Inspiration
  • Prayers of Gratitude and Appreciation
  • Prayers for Personal Grief, Loss, or Uncertainty
  • Prayers Expressing the Need for Personal Support, Restoration, or Assistance
  • Prayers of Acceptance
• Relationship with Others (Prayers for Those We Love)
  • Prayers for Others During Illness or Uncertainty
  • Prayers for the Deceased
  • Prayers for Connection, Partnership, Family, Marriage, and/or Children
  • Prayers for Healing and Reconciliation
• Relationship with our Communities (Prayers for Our Neighbors, Our Local Secular and Spiritual Communities, and the Wider World)
  • Prayers for Times of Joy, Celebration, and/or Accomplishment
  • Prayers for Challenging/Difficult Times in Community
  • Longing for Peace and Justice in the World
  • Prayers for Times of Change
  • Prayers in Times of Crisis
• Relationship with Existence (Prayers for the Earth on which we Live and the Universe in which we Exist)
  • Prayers for the Environment and Animals
  • Prayers Expressing Beauty, Wonder, Awe, and/or Love
  • Prayers exploring Connection to the Holy/Sacred/Universe

Conversations with the Sacred: A Collection of Prayers will be edited by the Revs. Manish Mishra-Marzetti and Jennifer Kelleher.

If you are interested in contributing one or more prayers, please contact the editors with confirmation of your intent to do so. The submission guidelines are as follows.

Submission Guidelines

• Prayers may be of any length, however please keep in mind that most written prayers are 100 — 400 words in length.
• Authors may submit up to 5 prayers for consideration, however it is anticipated that no more than 3 prayers will be published from any one author.
• Authors are encouraged to speak authentically in their prayers, and to accommodate as wide a theological range as possible when doing so will not compromise authenticity.
• Only original writings will be accepted. Submissions must not have been previously published or be part of another anthology.
• By submitting your work, you give us your permission to publish your writing both on-line and in print.
• Submitting a contribution does not guarantee that it will be published. All submissions may be edited.
• Submissions are due December 15, 2018.

Authors whose prayers are published will receive one complimentary copy of the book; however, there is no compensation.

Please address all correspondence and submissions to: Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti at email address: MMishra@aol.com and/or Rev. Jennifer Kelleher at email address: jenni4kelleher@gmail.com. Please email your submissions as a Word document and include in the text of that document your full name, title(s), if any, and contact information, including your physical address, email address, and cell phone number.