Centering Prayer

In-person - Sid Smith Prayer Room
By Zoom - Contact Marina Walne

Centering Prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive God’s presence and action in our lives. It is an ancient form of Christian meditation updated in the 1970s. The essence of Centering Prayer is summed up in Psalm 46:10 — “Be still and know that I am God.” It is "being with the Lord"

Centering prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer. Rather, it adds depth of meaning to all prayer and emphasizes prayer as a personal relationship with God and as a movement beyond conversation with Christ to communion with him. This spiritual practice yields fruits of the Spirit including compassion, increased faith, and the ability to experience solitude and live fully in the present moment.

Lectio Divina, or "divine reading", is an ancient practice of praying the scriptures. It is "listening to the Lord".

During Lectio Divina, each practitioner listens to a Bible passage, usually taken from the Psalms, with the “ear of the heart.” Each practitioner identifies a word or phrase from the passage that has personal meaning. Upon further listening, the practitioner finds additional meaning in the chosen word or phrase and a possible action for the day or week ahead. Practitioners – whom we refer to as contemplatives – share deeply through this experience, uplifting and supporting each other.