Spiritual Practice Mondays

Spiritual Practice Mondays is held in the Sacred Space at 7:00pm every week, except public holidays. Once a month, Spiritual Practice Mondays is expanded to include Soul Spa.

Spiritual Practice Mondays begins in the Sacred Space at the far end of the church with lighting a candle and check-in, followed by an inspirational quote to signal the start of the Centring Prayer- 20 minutes siting-in silence. This is followed by the practice of Lectio Divina with scripture (typically the one that's being read in Worship that coming Sunday). The group then moves to the Sanctuary to close the evening with a contemplative walk on the labyrinth.

No previous prayer or meditation experience is required- we'd love to have you join us wherever you are on your spiritual path! If you have questions or want to know more, please email office@lynnvalleychurch.com.

Centering Prayer: Modelled on the teachings of Trappist monk Father Thomas Keating, Centering Prayer, sometimes called ‘Contemplative Prayer’, is a method of silent meditation in which you invite God's presence within while actively letting go of all other thoughts. There is nothing to ‘achieve’ with centering prayer. Rather, the goal is to endure the gift of pure grace.

While centering prayer prescribes a twice-daily 20-minute individual ‘sit' in silence, the meaningfulness and power of the practice are magnified when experienced in community. Group prayer reminds you there is more beyond your experience, more beyond your comprehension, and offers spiritual kinship.

Lectio Divina: Latin for "Divine Reading,” this practice is a traditional monastic exploration of scripture through meditative reading. The four movements of Lectio Divina are Read, Reflect, Respond, and Rest, along with a selected scripture that is read through three times. The focus of Lectio Divina should not be a theological analysis of biblical passages, but rather an opportunity to view them through the lens of a ‘call to action’ or wisdom from real-life experience.

Guidelines to Walking the Labyrinth: There is no “right” or “wrong” way to walk a labyrinth. At its core, a labyrinth walk is a movement meditation used to quiet the mind and open the heart. It is a spiritual tool to aid healing and transformation; support releasing anxiety, anger, and grief; guide decision making, illuminate purpose, clarify priorities; serve as a sacred container to celebrate and give thanks. As with most spiritual practices, there is no intended or expected outcome, just a commitment to embark on a spiritual journey.