The practice of prayer is a source of strength and comfort at all times but especially so in times like we are experiencing now. Prayer is how we present to God our praise and concerns. Prayer is talking to God. Prayer is the channel of healing. Just as we need to exercise our muscles to grow strong, the more we pray the stronger becomes our relationship with God and each other. Sometimes it helps if we have assistance in formulating our conversation with God. These are some time-honored prayer resources for these times.
The Prayer Course by 24/7 Prayer
Mission is not an activity we do, it’s a way of life. When we connect with God in prayer we are propelled out, into the world, fueled with a desire to see transformation and live counter-culturally. Prayer is always the birthplace of mission: a calling to live as Christ followers to the world around us, shining our light beyond the prayer room. The 24/7 prayer community provides many wonderful resources to help anyone who wants to grow in their relationship with God.
The Prayer Course: https://prayercourse.org/
Lectio 365: A daily morning and evening app that can be downloaded to your iPhone or Android device. https://www.24-7prayer.com/resource/lectio-365/
Noonday Prayer
Our diocese encourages all to participate in the worldwide practice of praying the Our Father at noon.
Compline or Night Prayer
The final Church service office of the day. This can be a very calming practice to observe before turning in at night. Turn your worries and cares over to God and rest.
St. James Episcopal School Compline Service: https://youtu.be/YWdt8i65VIY?si=es88GJdX9TriKZ9I
New Zealand Night Prayer: This service is a deeply calming experience. It comes from the Anglican Church of New Zealand, version os traditional night prayer translated into the context of their culture. The General Thanksgiving prayer is especially soothing. https://files.constantcontact.com/777ce2b0301/f45ea126-7c37-4edf-813d-d4c41d6ccf48.pdf
An abbreviated version of New Zealand Night Prayer: https://files.constantcontact.com/777ce2b0301/8dfbe02f-7a5b-4fd6-ad76-74500ab183c3.pdf
Another excellent resource for daily prayer is provided by the Mission of St Clare. The Mission of St Clare is an ecumenical website offering Morning and Evening Prayer using the order set out in The Book of Common Prayer. Both Rite I and Rite II versions of daily prayer are provided. You may access their resources at: https://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.html
Other Resources
Of course, there are many and varied ways to pray. Handouts from some of these sessions are provided here:
Centering Prayer: https://files.constantcontact.com/777ce2b0301/d698db83-9f34-48a7-bf69-b1de48bd5247.pdf
Praying in Motion: https://files.constantcontact.com/777ce2b0301/aae432ae-88f1-42f9-b91e-2a14df9d0512.pdf
Lectio Divina: https://files.constantcontact.com/777ce2b0301/032ad726-a780-46f5-8763-ec6689dfada0.pdf