Praying Together in Lent

A framework for people across the Diocese to join together in prayer this Lent is now available in the form of a booklet, a feed on the PrayerMate app, or daily e-mail.

Praying Together contains a short scripture reading, prayer, reflection, and suggested action for each day between Ash Wednesday and Easter Day. This simple pattern can be followed in as a short a time as five minutes or as much as half an hour. It can be used by individuals or small groups, at home or in church, and can be incorporated in a short act of worship such as the Daily Office if desired.

Bishop Nicholas said, “Prayer is one of the priorities of our Diocesan vision, Renewing Hope: Pray, Serve, Grow. There can be no renewal without prayer. It is the heartbeat of the Christian and the Christian community. I will be praying using Praying Together this Lent and I hope everyone in the Diocese will join me.

“One thing I would like people to consider especially is to give the prayer booklet to housebound parishioners or those in care homes. They are often deeply faithful in prayer and deeply committed to the good of the Church, yet so rarely asked to do one of the things they can do.

“The Praying Together booklet is attractively produced and the app and daily e-mail mark a new departure for us as a Diocese. The Diocesan Cycle of Prayer is also now available by e-mail.”

More than 20,000 copies of the pocket-sized booklet are currently being distributed and should arrive in parishes over the next few weeks. Full information on how to order more copies, get the PrayerMate app up and running or subscribe to the daily e-mail are available at http://www.salisbury.anglican.org/worship/prayer/praying-together-2017

Debbie Orriss, the Diocesan Discipleship Co-ordinator has been using the PrayerMate app to organise her daily intercessions for some time, and highly recommends it, saying, “The PrayerMate app is extremely easy to download and use and very convenient. It has helped me organise my prayer life better.

“I have been using praying the Diocesan Cycle using PrayerMate and I find it a really convenient way of being able to pray for the whole Diocese. I am learning so much the breadth and diversity of ministry here.”

Praying Together can be used in conjunction with the popular Church of England Daily Prayer app and website, which contains Morning, Evening and Night Prayer with all correct readings in collects according to both Common Worship and the Book of Common Prayer. It can be accessed at daily.commonworship.com.