Prayers + Devotions
The Book of Common Prayer
Our primary prayer book contains the services of the church prayed together (Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, Holy Eucharist, and the sacraments), in addition to the Psalms, a catechism, and some historical documents of the church.
Daily Prayer for All Seasons
In psalm 119, the psalmist exclaims “Seven times a day, I praise You…” Following the example of those who have followed our God throughout the ages, the church marks different hours of the day with prayer (called the daily office). This collection of the hours focuses on the different seasons of each year: Advent, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time.
Venite
The tradition of the church, which holds to prayer throughout the day, gives us different psalms and readings for each day of the week in a common rhythm and format for each hour of prayer. Venite is the 21st century response to this tradition, allowing us to find each hour’s prayers for each day of the year in an easy to use website and downloadable app. Also available on Venite is another great devotional resource, Lancelot Andrewe’s Private Prayers.
United Thank Offering Prayer Book
United Thank Offering, a ministry of the Episcopal Church that emphasizes gratitude in prayer and charitable giving, provides an annual collection of prayers written by members of the church from throughout the country.
Forward Movement Daily Prayer
Forward Movement publishes many resources for parishes, which include their Daily Prayer resource page. Here, you can engage with the readings of the day, find daily devotions, and meditate with Forward Day-by-Day, a favorite of many St. Stephen’s parishioners (print copies are available in the narthex welcome area).
Visio Divina
We engage with our faith in ways beyond just our mind and soul–we are physical beings with a physical expression of faith in Jesus. Visio divina invites us to slow down and encounter the Holy Spirit through our senses in images of beauty and splendor, without needing to find the perfect words ourselves. Following the tradition of St. Benedict’s lectio divina, this practice invites us to consider the impact of sacred art in our relationship with God.
Lectio Divina
Lectio divina, or divine reading, is a way of praying with sacred text, especially Scripture and other edifying spiritual writing. Taught by St. Benedict of Nursia (6th century), lectio divina lets us encounter the Lord in meaningful reading, meditation, and communion, engaging us with texts inspired by the Holy Spirit far beyond the surface level. This resource is borrowed from Conception Abbey, a monastery in the tradition of St. Benedict in Missouri.
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church 