Daily Prayer
The Prayer Book tradition that emerged out of the English Reformation envisioned all Christians engaging in Daily Prayer and therefore included the Daily Offices as well as the Eucharist. So alongside the weekly rhythm of breaking bread together at the Lord's Table on Sunday, we are invited to partake the daily rhythm of Morning, Noonday, and Evening Prayer as well as compline. Many Christians also find other devotions such as the Rosary, praying with icons, centering prayer, and Ignatian Prayer an important part of their spiritual lives.
The following resources offer you an opportunity to explore this rich prayer tradition and find out what best fits you at this point in your spiritual journey. If you know of an online prayer resource you think should be included here, please let us know.
Forward Movement, based in downtown Cincinnati, has been a ministry of the Episcopal Church since 1935. One of their ministries to to make the Daily Offices easily accessible in this digital world. On this page of their website, I would like to call your attention to the following links:
Pray the Office: This link will take you to the Daily Office that is appropriate for your time of day. The prayers presented to you will conform to the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and will allow you choose options like Rite I or II and if you wish to pray the Contemporary or Traditional Lord's Prayer. If you decide to use this site on a regular basis on the same device, you may want to set your preferences.
Daily Devotions: The 1979 Book of Common Prayer realized that some individuals and families were looking for shorter prayers that followed the basic structure of the Daily Office. This link will take you to the Daily Devotion that is appropriate for your time of day.
Forward Day by Day: Many Episcopalians are familiar with the daily meditations found in the printed version of Forward Day by Day. This link will take you to the an online version of the same meditation.
Daily Readings: The 1979 Book of Common Prayer includes an ordered system for reading Scripture at the Eucharist and during the Daily Office. The Daily Office version, used on this website, has a two-year cycle. Over the course of this two-year cycle, nearly the entire Bible is read.
If you prefer podcast versions of the Daily Offices and the Forward Day by Day meditations, you can find them here.
These daily meditations are between 10 and 13 minutes long adn include a mis of music, scripture, and short reflective questions. They incorporate an Ignatian spirituality of engaging your imagination and all your senses, allowing for a creatively deep moment with Jesus through scriptures.
If this resource is helpful to you, consider downloading the app (Google Play, Apple Store) for you phone and/or tablet. I also encourage to explore the Discover section of their website which offers a rich array of prayer resources.
World in Prayer
The World in Prayer was started by a member of the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist, in Lodi, CA, USA, in August 2001. Although it is still a ministry of this church, a 15 member team takes turns writing and posting the weekly prayers. They live in three countries and represent a half dozen different denominations.
If you find these prayers becoming a part of your prayer life, you may want to subscribe to their weekly emails.