Download or read book A Gracious Rain written by Richard H. Schmidt and published by Church Publishing, Inc.. This book was released on 2008-08-01 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using the Collects (opening prayers) for each Sunday and major feast day of the church year (including Christmas, Epiphany, and the days of Holy Week and Easter Week), the author offers a brief (one-page), anecdotal meditation on the relationship of the prayer's and season's theme to the realities of life. Beginning with the First Sunday of Advent, Richard Schmidt takes the reader on a journey through the church year as he reflects on the mystery and challenge of our human pilgrimage.