Sistertech is very pleased to announce the publication of The Book of Uncommon Prayer. The 120 prayers, Essential Readme Texts from The Document, Faith FAQ and tech glossary, are sure to provide solace and encouragement for every techie. I have posted a few of the Essential Readme Texts and some sample prayers. Below, I’d like to share with you my Introduction to the book.
Introduction
Not long ago The One In Charge approached me with a proposition. Naturally, I dropped everything and flew in for face time.
The One In Charge explained that one of the chief gifts given to humanity is the gift of freedom and creativity and that these gifts are carefully monitored for ROI. Sometimes these gifts blossom during the pressures of necessity and other times during periods of playful fun. While technological innovation in the computer and social media communities remains quite high, spiritual satisfaction metrics are distressing low. The SWAT (Spirituality While Alive Taskforce) team found few workplace opportunities for freedom and creativity on the spiritual side of things.
And so it was shortly after I started my second tour of duty as Spiritual Intelligence Systems Technology Evaluation Representative for Theology, Evangelization, Compassion, and Humor, or Sistertech, that The One In Charged reached out to me to take on a special assignment. I am glad I had practiced on the flight up, because my wings dipped nicely as I said, “I will, with your help.”
It does not take an angel to notice that “religion”, as you all call it, is one of the most rule-bound of human institutions. Yet even there some light manages to penetrate the dusty clouds of heated debate about principles, procedures, and pronouns.
Sistertech, of course, is both literally and figuratively above such needlessly divisive and insignificantly obtuse matters. No doubt it was her keen insights into the behaviors and needs of computer users and equipment that led to the special assignment: find a way to connect computer users to their spiritual lives. The Book of Uncommon Prayer is the result.
After some market research and consumer testing, Sistertech found the perfect vehicle for increasing 24/7 spiritual input within the target group. It was obvious that the community needed its own book of prayers. But not any kind or collection would do. They needed a self-contained, easy to individualize guide to incorporating spiritual encouragement and nourishment suitable for personal and group use at the job site, at home, and everywhere in between.
And thus it was that Sistertech suggested to The One In Charge that we produce The Book of Uncommon Prayer and model it on the The Book of Common Prayer. The first Book of Common Prayer was published in 1549 in Great Britain for use in the Anglican Church. Fortunately, a less stodgy, far less imperial version of the prayer book was produced for use in America by the Episcopal Church. Sistertech relied on the most recent edition of the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer as a guide.
The One In Charge granted Sistertech the liberty “to alter, abridge, enlarge, amend, or otherwise adapt forms and usages of the prior prayer books as may seem most convenient for the edification of this community according to the various exigency of times and occasions.”
Sistertech is honored to have been associated with this project. And of course, such a project was not done alone. In addition to the heavenly hosts, I wish to thank the clients who trusted me with their hardware and their hearts, the baristas everywhere, especially those at my local earthly Peet’s on Camden in San Jose. And, last, but not least, I thank Sr. St. George and the American Beguine Community for providing many soul-satisfying meals, as angels do not live on Angel Food Cake alone, and for many hours of lively conversation, and fruitful technical discussion. Any errors in The Book of Uncommon Prayer are mine alone and The One In Charge already knows about them. So don’t call me.
May the Book of Uncommon Prayer be a blessing to all who use it.
Sistertech