"Vicars only work on Sundays" is a thought which passes the minds of many people. It is not true: if fact most have one day off a week. The Sunday schedule of the incumbent who took yesterday's services was exhausting. When I arrived at St. John's at 08:40 she was already in the church having had an 08:00 Communion. She stayed on for the 09:30 Sung Eucharist, we went to the next village for the 11:15 service and I knew she had a baptism at 13:00. Later the same day there was an Evensong (18:30) back at St. John's. How she filled her afternoon I am not sure.
The sermon was about finding time for God each day: just 15 minutes. "Even I can do that" she said which is not to say that is all the time she finds in a day for the deity. The introduction to the sermon concerned those who have lost their faith and she postulated that people lose their faith because they do not maintain a relationship with God. This is certainly true in my case following my dalliance with an Evangelical church and a few major life issues.
The congregation was encouraged to find ways of engaging with God through private prayer and/or Bible reading. There was an A4 handout to take home with a list of low-tech and higher-tech methods. Here are a few.
- https://www.brfonline.org.uk/collections/our-notes
- https://content.scriptureunion.org.uk/bible-reading-guides
- www.thegoodbook.co.uk/daily-bible-reading/
Then there are the apps and websites
- https://www.sacredspace.ie/
- https://www.prayermate.net/app
- https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/
- https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/centering-prayer-mobile-app/
- https://pray-as-you-go.org/ie.php
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