The Monday Prayer Group

This group meets in St Mary's Centre every Monday between 2.00-2.45pm. It is led by a different member of the Group each week. The maximum number present has been nine or ten. All have been faithfully intercessing for the needs of the world, our national life, our local community and individuals, for many years.


The Meditation Group

Ten to twelve of us meet in the Centre on the second Monday evening of each month between 8-9pm. The setting is peaceful and lit solely by candles. The format has been that, the hour was broken up into three by short talks on a theme, with music and silence in between for meditation.

Recently, it has been made clear to me to try less talking and music, and more meditation of a more formal kind. This is in line with Christian meditation groups springing up all over the world.

The Contemplative Group

Eight or nine of us meet on the first Sunday of each month at 3pm in The Studio at The Bowling Green garden. This is the sixth year that we have been meeting.

We begin with a short input, either a piece of scripture or other spiritual writing. Silence follows, then a time of reflection together, and a cup of tea.

Summary

In all, there are twenty different people involved in the three groups. Why do we do it? The Church needs both Marys and Marthas and I could not put it better than the Presbyterian Church of Canada:

"Prayer is the life blood of the Church and is the most powerful and important ministry that God's people can effect. Prayer is the means by which souls are nurtured, burdens are lifted, strength is ministered, and lives are transfigured - our own, and those for whom we pray".

Meditation and Contemplation - A Short Explanation

Without going into the differences which are largely technical and subtle, it can be said that both are forms of prayer with few words. Attention is focussed on God in loving, hoping, trusting, thanking in as few words as possible. Stillness and silence are pre-requisites. It is all encapsulated in the famous story of the French peasant in the Church. The priest wondered why an old peasant sat for hours in church, apparently doing nothing: "I look at Him and He looks at me" explained the peasant. The experience is simply being fully conscious in the present moment. "Be still and know that I am God" says Psalm 46.

We believe that the Spirit of the Risen Christ lives in us - in the deepest place, "the heart". In prayer, we must not "babble on". More words do not make God hear us better. Prayer is not about quantity - "prayers" - but about "quality" - "attention (Matt 6:7-8) or, as one of the great teachers of meditation, John Main, has said: "Meditation is a pilgrimage to our own centre where Christ is found".

Having said all that, not everyone is called to this kind of prayer. It is often a matter of temperament. According to the author of the "Cloud of Unknowing", the great 14th century classic on the contemplative life, "sinners make the best contemplatives"! The fruits of the Spirit grow gradually in us, and we are gradually made whole. But it is only one way to a deeper love for Christ and our neighbour.

If you would like to know more, or explore further, by coming to one of our groups, please speak to me.

Rosemary Drew