Logos 5 requirements: reading plans, lectionaries and prayer lists

MJ. Smith

Just thought I might add my bit on a feature that I think can easily be improved.

Lectionaries and reading plans are really the same thing - plans for reading things based on a calendar. They need the folowing characteristics:

1. They can be of any length e.g. there are 2 week, 4 week, monthly, annual, 2 year, 3 year, 4 year lectionaries. Reading plans are just as varied - some are just a list of readings that may be read daily or weekly (think topical reading plans)
2. They may use fixed secular dates, days/weeks or liturgical dates i.e. the dates may be given as Jan 23 or Monday of the First Week or Monday in the third week of Lent. Note that most lectionaries combine multiple date options e.g. the sanctoral cycle of a lectionary is by secular date, the Psalter is by days/weeks, and the main body is by liturgical date.
3. Logos should provide a calendar template rather than an actual calendar.
   • One can supply start date and frequency for topical reading plans or the auto-division of a book to create a reading plan
   • One can supply a start date and whether or not the plan repeats.
   • One can select a liturgical calendar (a template should be tied to each lectionary) as a template and modify it to fit your location, denomination and options.
4. Logos should allow users to create lectionaries especially historical lectionaries that do not need to be attached to a contemporary calendar AND additional options for days and readings that are not universal AND reading plans that the user wishes to define completely rather than having Logos generate.
5. Calendar templates and user generated reading plans/lectionaries should be shareable - this would permit Jewish calendars, Orthodox calendars, etc. without putting the maintenance burden on Logos.
6. Prayer lists should be designed to support liturgical prayer - allowing the importing of Scripture and text from Logos resources (including PB's) as well as supporting the petition style prayer currently available. The current way to repeating or completing prayers works well except one should be able to enter notes in the answer field without the petition being marked as completed. Last I knew God can answer partially and over time.

Examples to test any design:

1. Daily Bible Reading Schedules
2. Chronological Reading Plan
3. Zondervan Bible Reading Plan
4. The Missio Dei Breviary (Anabaptist) 
5. Take Our Moments and Our Days (Anabaptist)
6. Psalter schemas
7. 
   In God's Hands: The Ecumenical Prayer Cycle

Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :)

Wonder about Logos User Voice suggestion ? possibly "Lectionaries and Reading Plan Improvements"

Keep Smiling [:)]