11/10/2021
“In Jesus Christ we enter into a relationship with God. This relationship is nurtured and sustained by prayer.
“Being able to participate in Daily Prayer through the app has been of great help and encouragement for many to begin, sustain or develop their life of prayer. I am constantly hearing of people who have found a rhythm of prayer by using it.”
Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell.
Revd Laura Martin, Curate at St John’s and St Luke’s Harrogate (pictured, above) said the Daily Prayer podcast from the Church of England was “a revelation” amid the “thoroughly exhausting” last 18 months.
“Finding the time and energy to retreat into prayer became more difficult” she explained.
“I found that my established rhythms of prayer went out of the window with the demands of home learning, home working and the general chaos of everything.
“I established a pattern of taking a walk whilst listening to the podcast and found much needed peace, connection with God, space to reflect and a deep sense of God’s presence as I walked.”
She added: “It made a significant difference to my spiritual and emotional wellbeing during the winter period of lockdown.”
Canon Simon Wilkinson was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2013. In the years that followed his diagnosis he continued turning to Matins and evensong to keep him “on track spiritually” – a pattern he said he followed ever since starting at Cuddesdon Theological College in the 1970s.
“It was the bedrock of my spirituality along with the Eucharist for all those 40 or so years” he said.
On discovering the Church of England’s online Daily Prayer podcast, Simon expressed his relief at “not needing to carry so many bits of paper or books at the same time”, as he explained:
“I have found the whole experience to be transformative for me and for many others whom I have recommended doing the same thing.
“When I am particularly unwell, I am now able simply to switch on the iPad and lie back and listen to the services.”
Dr Rob Mannion, retired medical lecturer and writer, described finding “much joy and peace” in listening to the Daily Prayer podcast while unable to attend his church due to a health condition,
“From the comfort of my special armchair, I’m able to share in the worship with all the wonderful music and voices” he explained.
“We may seem to be apart” he added, “but in fact, we’re brought much closer together through the online medium.”
The Daily Prayer podcast is also integrated into the free Daily Prayer app. Since its launch in March 2021, it has registered more than 1,000,000 downloads.
Have you listened yet? Find out more about the Church of England's Daily Prayer app and podcast.
More information:
- The Church of England's Vision and Strategy for the 2020s is helping us to be a Church which proclaims and lives out the Good News of Jesus Christ afresh in every generation.