Spirituality: Prayer
Christian Meditation
Our meditation group meets Wednesdays at 10:30 AM (except August)
Why meditate?
Meditation assists participants as they grow in God's spirit and develop relationships of love and trust within community. It is a discipline that gradually and surely allows Christ to stretch our minds and hearts from within. As we grow in the Spirit, we find we are propelled outward to live God's compassion, peace, and justice in the world.
Meditation is universal spiritual wisdom and a practice that we find at the core of all the great religious traditions. Meditation leads us from the mind to the heart. It is a way of simplicity, silence and stillness. It can be practiced by anyone from any point on your life’s journey.
Be still and know that I am God – Psalm 46:10
How can I learn to meditate?
Sit down. Sit still and upright. Close your eyes lightly. Sit relaxed but alert. Silently, interiorly, begin to say a single word. The World Community for Christian Meditation recommends the prayer-phrase “Maranatha," but you may prefer to choose a word or short phrase of your own. Choose a word or phrase and stay with it. Listen to it as you say it, gently, but continuously.
Do not think or imagine anything - spiritual or otherwise. Thoughts and images will likely come, but let them pass. Just keep returning your attention - with humility and simplicity - to saying your word in faith from the beginning to the end of your meditation.
Meditate each morning and evening for between twenty and thirty minutes.
For more information, please contact Merryn Rutledge.
Why meditate?
Meditation assists participants as they grow in God's spirit and develop relationships of love and trust within community. It is a discipline that gradually and surely allows Christ to stretch our minds and hearts from within. As we grow in the Spirit, we find we are propelled outward to live God's compassion, peace, and justice in the world.
Meditation is universal spiritual wisdom and a practice that we find at the core of all the great religious traditions. Meditation leads us from the mind to the heart. It is a way of simplicity, silence and stillness. It can be practiced by anyone from any point on your life’s journey.
Be still and know that I am God – Psalm 46:10
How can I learn to meditate?
Sit down. Sit still and upright. Close your eyes lightly. Sit relaxed but alert. Silently, interiorly, begin to say a single word. The World Community for Christian Meditation recommends the prayer-phrase “Maranatha," but you may prefer to choose a word or short phrase of your own. Choose a word or phrase and stay with it. Listen to it as you say it, gently, but continuously.
Do not think or imagine anything - spiritual or otherwise. Thoughts and images will likely come, but let them pass. Just keep returning your attention - with humility and simplicity - to saying your word in faith from the beginning to the end of your meditation.
Meditate each morning and evening for between twenty and thirty minutes.
For more information, please contact Merryn Rutledge.
Cycle of Prayer
The members of the Cycle of Prayer group offer daily prayers for the ill and those with special needs, intercessions for the parish, the diocese, the community and the world. We meet once a month at noon on the first Tuesday of the month to update the prayer list and to join in prayer and meditation. The usual format of the meeting is to open with noonday prayer and another prayer or two, updating our prayer list, giving our reflections on something we have read, most recently we have been using the readings from forward Day by Day, sharing some event from the past month and closing with prayer. Through this sharing we have not only greater understanding of each other and the way we think, but also of the unique ways God is made known in our lives. We are always open to new membership. If you are unable to attend the actual meeting, but would like to participate in this intercessory prayer, we will provide you with a list each month. Names of people or concerns to be prayed for can be left in the church office.
For more information, please contact the Ven. Catherine Cooke.
For more information, please contact the Ven. Catherine Cooke.
