Pray With Us

In keeping with the monastic tradition, we aim to have a regular pattern of prayer through the day, as far as possible, given our life situations! There are no fixed prayers and members from different traditions may well follow their own prayer patterns. However, below you can find some of the examples of the simple formats we tend to use in our meetings. They can be adapted for use by group or personal prayer. You might find helpful. You can download a similar set of prayers translated into German here.

Morning     Midday      Evening     Night

If your life situation does not offer you these opportunities, try to simply offer up the things you are doing as prayer, remembering that God is in all things, and is very much with you in the ordinary activities of the day.

Morning Prayer

Shafts of morning sunshine light up the breaking waves between Holy Island and Bamburgh

 

Introduction

  • Shine on us, Lord like the sun that lights up day
  • Chase away the dark and all shadow of sin.
  • May we wake eager to hear your Word;
  • As day follows night may we be bathed in your glory.

A Psalm

You could read from any psalm but this section from Psalm 63 is a good way to start the day:

O God, I long for you from early morning; my whole being desires you.   Like a dry, worn-out and waterless land my soul is thirsty for you. Let me see you in the place of prayer; let me see how glorious you are. Your constant love is better than life itself, and so I will praise you. I will give thanks as long as I live. I will raise my hands to you in prayer. My soul will feast and be satisfied, and I will sing glad songs of praise to you.

There may be singing here

Illumine our hearts, O Lord; implant in us a desire for your truth. May all that is false within us flee.

Bible reading(s)

This may be followed by silence, singing, or perhaps a meditation from ‘Celtic Daily Light’ or another inpirational source.

Prayers

  • Lord, we offer you all we are, all we have, all we do, and all whom we shall meet this day that you will be given the glory.
  • We offer you our homes and work, our schools and leisure, and everyone in our Community today; may all be done as unto you.
  • We offer you the broken and hungry ...   
    May the wealth and work of the world be available to all and for the exploitation of none.   May your presence be known to all.
  • Circle us, Lord
  • Keep strife without, keep peace within
  • Keep fear without, keep hope within
  • Keep pride without, keep trust within
  • Keep evil out, keep good within
  • May we walk in the hope of your kingdom
  • Fill us with your light and love
  • Be with us all through this day
  • Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Midday Prayer

Calm waters, with the Farne Islands in the distance

Introduction

  • We come into the presence of the creating Father
  • We come into the presence of the workaday Son
  • We come into the presence of the renewing Spirit
  • We come into the presence of the Three in One.

Psalm 127: 1,2

Unless the Lord builds the house, the work of the builders is useless.   Unless the Lord builds the city, the security guards keep watch in vain. It is useless to get up early and go to bed late; for the Lord provides for those he loves.

A Prayer

  • As the press of work pauses at noon
  • may God's rest be upon us
  • As the sun rides high at noon,
  • may the Sun of Righteousness shine upon us.
  • As the rain refreshes the stained, stale streets,
  • may the Spirit bring rain upon our dry ground.

Silence or sharing

A Bible verse

Read and meditate on this verse from Ephesians 6: 6,7 or another verse from the Bible.

Whatever the work you do, do it to the Lord, with a sense of respect and responsibility to those for whom you work.

Prayers

The Lord’s Prayer may be said.

  • Lead me from death to life,
  • from falsehood to truth.
  • Lead me from despair to hope,
  • from fear to trust.
  • Lead me from hate to love,
  • from war to peace.
  • Deep peace of the Son of peace
  • fill our hearts, our workplace, our world.
  • Bless us now Lord, in the middle of the day
  • Be with us and all who are dear to us
  • Keep us in the beautiful attitudes,
  • joyful, simple and gentle.
  • May the Three of limitless love
  • be in the eye of each one we shall meet,
  • and pour upon us more and more generously hour by hour.

Evening Prayer

A summer sunset across the Slakes, from the Heugh

Introduction

Spirit of the Risen Christ, as lamps light up the evening, shine into our hearts and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Candles may be lit.

All say or sing: The light of Christ has come into the world!

We give you thanks that you led our forbears in the Faith through a cloud by day and a fire by night; we give you thanks, kindly Light, that the torch of faith was brought to this land, and that you ever lead your people on. Light up our dark hearts by the light of your Christ; may his Word illumine our way, for you pour forth loving kindness upon your whole creation, Father, Son and radiant Spirit.

  • May the Light of lights come to my dark heart;
  • May the Spirit's wisdom come to me from my Saviour.
  • May the peace of the Spirit be mine this night,
  • The peace of the Son be mine this night,
  • The peace of the Father be mine this night,
  • The peace of all peace be mine this night,
  • Each morning and evening of my life.   

A Psalm

We offer to You, Lord, the troubles of this day; we lay down our burdens at your feet.   Forgive us our sins, give us your peace, and help us to receive your Word.

A Bible Reading - choose one

  • Lord, You are my island, in your bosom I rest.
  • You are the calm of the sea, in that peace I stay.
  • You are the deep waves of the shining ocean,
  • With their eternal sound I sing.
  • You are the song of the birds, in that tune is my joy.
  • You are the smooth white sand of the shore,
  • In you is no gloom.
  • You are the breaking of the waves on the rock,
  • Your praise is echoed in the swell.  
  • You are the Lord of my life; in you I dwell.
  • Thanks

We give you thanks that you are always present, in all things, each day and each night.   We give you thanks for your gifts of creation, life and friendship. We give you thanks for the blessings of this day

These may be named ....

There may be singing.

Prayers

  • Into your hands, O Lord, we place our families, our neighbours, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and all whom we have met today; enfold them in your will.
  • Into your hands, O Lord, we place all who are victims of prejudice, oppression or neglect; the unwanted, the frail; May everyone be cherished from conception to the grave.
  • Into your hands, O Lord, we place all who are restless, sick, or prey to the powers of evil. Watch over them and watch over us this night.
  • Into your hands, O Lord, we place these members of our Community (use the names for the day in The Prayer Diary) and others on our hearts.
  • The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.
  • Amen.

Night Prayer

Nightfall over Saint cuthbert's Island, with the Cheviot in the distance

Examen

At this time we may look back at our day and reflect on times of consolation, where were found ourselves feeling close to God, and offer thanks. We should also pick out any times of desolation, where we feel we drifted away from God, ask for help and try to learn from our experiences.

Introduction

  • In the name of the restful Father,
  • In the name of the calming Son,
  • In the name of the peaceful Spirit.
  • May we and God be one.  
  • I place my soul and body
  • Under your guarding this night, O God,
  • O Father of help to frail pilgrims,
  • Protector of heaven and earth.
  • I place my soul and body
  • Under your guiding this night, O Christ,
  • O Son of the tears and the woundings,
  • May your cross this night be my shield.
  • I place my soul and body
  • Under your glowing this night, O Spirit,
  • O gentle Companion, and Soul Friend,
  • My heart's eternal Warmth.   

A Psalm

Say or sing Psalm 134 or another psalm

  • Come bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
  • Who stand by night in the house of the Lord;
  • Lift up your hands in the holy place,
  • Come bless the Lord, come bless the Lord.
  • May that part of me that did not grow at morning,
  • Grow at nightfall (there may be a brief pause)
  • You are our Saviour and Lord
  • In our stumbling be our shield.
  • In our tiredness be our Rest.
  • In our darkness be our Light.
  • O Christ, Son of the living God
  • May your holy angels guard our sleep
  • May they watch over us as we rest
  • And hover around our beds.
  • Let them to reveal to us in our dreams
  • Visions of your glorious truth
  • May no fears or worries delay
  • Our willing, prompt repose.

Bible Reading

Read these or other words of Christ:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 11: 28, 29.

This may be followed by silence during which other words from God may be spoken spontaneously.

Prayers

  • Our dear ones bless, O God, and keep in every place where they are (dear ones and those in the Prayer Diary for today may be named...)
  • May the great and strong heavenly army encircle us all with their outstretched arms.
  • To protect us from the hostile powers.
  • To put balm into our dreams.
  • To give us contented, sweet repose.
  • I lie down this night with God, and God will lie down with me
  • I lie down this night with Christ, and Christ will lie down with me
  • I lie down this night with the Spirit, and the Spirit will lie down with me
  • God and Christ and the Spirit, lying down with me.
  • I make the sign of the Cross of Christ  +
  • My Christ, my Shield, my Encircler;
  • Each day, each night, in light, in dark,
  • My Treasure, my dear One.
  • The almighty and merciful Three circle us, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.