Daily Prayer
Daily Prayer Gatherings
One of the unexpected gifts of moving online was the discovery that our geographically scattered congregation could gather for prayer on weekdays too. We have long had resources for daily prayer, but gathering to use them had seldom been possible outside our annual church camp. Now, anything from three to twelve people gather online three times each day, Monday to Saturday — and we should have begun doing this years earlier.
Each prayer time (traditionally called a prayer “office”) weaves together shared prayers, psalms, and canticles with space for free prayer in which we bring before God whatever is pressing on our hearts and in our world. The prayers we share together are drawn from a wide range of sources — contemporary and traditional, local and universal — united by a commitment to language that is honest, earthy, and alive. The rhythm of shared prayer, practised together day after day, gradually impresses a deeper pattern of attentiveness into our lives; the free prayers give us somewhere to put what we are actually carrying — for ourselves, for others, and
for the world.
The Rhythms of Prayer
The three offices have distinct characters that suit the different moments of the day (Melbourne time):
Matins (8:00 – 8:30am)
Opens the day with praise, scripture, and intercession that looks outward — for the earth, for those who suffer, for reconciliation wherever it is needed.
Vespers (5:00-5:30pm)
Gathers at the hinge of the day, making space for reflection on what the day has held, and bringing its weight before God.
Compline (9:30 – 9:50am)
Releases the day into God’s keeping — with a reading from one of the saints, brief intercession, and prayers of entrusting that accompany us into sleep.
At the end of each office, there is a chance to check in with one another and share whatever we wish with one another. People can stay and talk as long as they wish. And they do.
Recordings of the Offices
Recordings of each of the three offices are below. The unscripted personal prayers have been removed from the recordings, both for the privacy of participants and so that the recording can serve as a guide for your own time of prayer if you wish.
Join Us
We are always delighted to have new people joining us for these times of daily prayer, but because they are smaller and more intimate gatherings, we prefer to know in advance if newcomers are planning to be present. So, if you’d like to join any of these offices live, get in touch and we’ll send you the connection details.