Church continues though our building is closed. We’ve made a prayer book and diary for these times here: St Leonard’s Prayer Book and If you would like to request a prayer, please email: [email protected].
Let’s get praying wherever we are! We’re keeping a pattern of morning prayer at 9.00am and evening prayer at 5.00pm, with Eucharists on Wednesday at 9.00am and Sunday at 9.45am. You can find the words we use for morning and evening prayer here: https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer
Prayer is central to the Christian faith. It’s the way we develop our relationship with God – it’s the way we meet God and the way we listen to him. It is the most natural thing in the world – and it can be the hardest thing in the world.
Prayer is actually intensely personal and there are many, many ways of doing it. We use set, communal prayers at church, but we will all have our preferred way of praying. It depends on our personality, our upbringing, what is happening in our lives and sometimes even where we are on our spiritual journey (because we are all on a journey with God).
Sometimes it will just be a conversation with God (and as informal as a conversation with a good friend), sometimes it will be silence, sometimes it will be done through music, through praying with someone else, through using well-known written prayers, through walking, singing – or simply lighting a candle. But whenever we talk to God or listen to him, heart to heart, this is prayer.
It feeds us and calms us, strengthens us and supports us. We say at St Leonard’s – pray as you can, not as you can’t. Which means that however you do it is fine – so long as you do it!
If you have any questions or would like to have a talk with someone about praying please fill in the contact form below. There’s a lot of information about prayer on the Church of England website too.
If you have a particular prayer request contact Rev’d Matt Simpkins using the contact form below or email [email protected] and we will pray for you during our daily and weekly services. It’s fine not to use names if you are requesting prayer for a particular person or situation. After all, God knows who you are concerned about.
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Some well known prayers
Some well known prayers: The Lord’s Prayer; The Prayer of St Francis; Prayer for peace of mind
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power,
and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Prayer of St Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen
Prayer for peace of mind
Calm me, Lord, as you calmed the storm;
Still me, Lord, keep me from harm,
Let all the tumult within me cease,
Lord, enfold me in your peace. Amen
(© David Adam)
Join us in Daily Prayer
The Church of England website provides details of daily prayers.