Keynotes

Too Busy to Pray

Dear friends,

Prayer is a wonderful thing. For me, prayer grounds me in the sacred and revitalizes my connection with God, renewing the strength I need to carry out the work I am called to do. It is a practice that centers, revitalizes, encourages, connects, and restores. And yet, when I feel busy, overwhelmed, and arguably need it the most, it is one of the first things I let go. I wish I were like Bishop Tom of blessed memory who began every day with three hours of prayer, but I have a long way before I am there. So, I thought I would share with you three practices I engage in when I feel too busy to pray.

The first practice is allowing another person to lead me in prayer for a few moments. I struggle with words at the best of times and when I am feeling overwhelmed with all that needs to get done, they are even more elusive. In this digital age there are many resources such as YouTube, apps put out by the Church of England, and podcasts. My usual go to is prayers by Maria Gullo on the Insight Timer app. If you are not familiar with this app, it has a timer for meditation and prayer, as well as meditations and prayers led by various spiritual leaders. The three I return to again and again are “St. Patrick’s Prayer in the Christian Tradition ‘I arise today…,’” “Christian Prayer, Come Holy Spirit: Veni Sancte Spiritus,” and “Prayer of St. Francis in Christian Tradition.” No matter what I have going on, I can always take the few moments needed to be guided in one of these prayers.

The second practice I turn to is lighting candles. If you have been to my office, you may have noticed a large glass bowl filled with white aquarium sand and nearby, a vase filled with tapers from the Holy Nativity Convent in Brookline. I light a taper for each thing that is on my mind, offer a prayer for that particular person or situation, and then turn the care of these things over to the candles. As I am going about my work and catch a glimpse of the flickering light or smell the fragrant beeswax, I again offer a short prayer for those things that have been entrusted to God through the burning of the candles.

The third practice I engage in is listening to music. Sometimes I listen to gospel, sometimes praise and worship, and sometimes I turn to my favorite composers: John Tavener and Arvo Pärt. I imagine that somehow these words and tunes enter myself subconsciously or I absorb them through an osmosis-like process and they keep me centered in God. Catching words here and there and listening to familiar melodies offer moments of connection and restoration.

There are many spiritual practices like this. For some, taking a walk or talking with a friend or spending time in silence can be one of these practices. I am curious if you have practices that you turn to when feeling busy and overwhelmed. If so, please let me know.

My prayer for us is that we are able to discern which spiritual practices work in the realities of our everyday lives and that we do not get trapped into thinking that prayer has to be a certain thing done in a certain way. The Book of Common Prayer describes prayer as, “responding to God, by thought and by deeds, with or without words (p. 856).” What an invitation to creativity! May

God find us all in the practices we cultivate whoever and wherever we are.

In Christ,

Beverly Bootstraps

We are collecting packs of kitchen sponges and small (7 oz) bottles of dish soap for the Beverly Bootstraps Food Lockers through May 12th. (The smaller bottles fit in the lockers.) Our consistent support of this program is much appreciated. Thank you.

Mother's Day Walk for Peace

Sunday, May 12, 2024, 8:00 a.m.

St. Peter's parishioners will once again be walking in the Mother's Day Walk for Peace, beginning at Town Field Park in Dorchester, MA 02122.

If you would like to donate to the team, click the button below.

Donate Here

Spring Plant Sale

The Mindful Plant — St. Peter’s Plant Sale returns May 4

Julie Brown-Garthwaite will have a selection of houseplants, vegetable plants and garden flowers, including Brandwine and Sun Gold Tomatoes, Zinnias, Nasturtiums and more!

In addition to help setting up on Friday May 3, Julie is looking for sales help on Saturday May 4. Plant donations are welcome!

Do you have a portable canopy or other open sided tent we can use as shelter?

Contact Julie with offers of help, plants or a tent.

Friday Bible Study

Join us on Friday mornings at 7 a.m. on Zoom to read and discuss the Biblical passages appointed for the following Sunday. This discussion has frequent digressions, but we usually learn new insights. And, as a bonus, we find it makes the readings more interesting on Sunday. We pray the collect promptly at 8 am so people can leave if they wish, and usually wind up shortly thereafter.

If anyone is interested (you do not have to be a member of St Peter’s), please contact Godfrey Perrott and I will be happy to add you to the email list.

Serving on Sundays

We are tremendously blessed to have so many people who make our Sunday Worship possible: Lay Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Altar Guild, Hospitality Hosts, Ushers, Choir Members, and more. If you are already a member of one of these ministries and would like to sign up to serve on a particular Sunday, please click the button below. If you are interested in beginning to serve in one of these roles, please reach out to Rev. Christopher. If you need help signing up for a particular slot, please contact Kristian.

Sunday Rota

Parish Prayers

We pray for Michael, our Presiding Bishop; Alan and Carol, our Bishops; Martha, our Regional Canon; for Christopher, our Rector; for our community of St. Peter's; and for all ministers and people.

Continuing Prayers

We pray for Lily; Chris; Ron Budka; David Auxer; James and family; Sandy; Katharine Pearce; Phil; Lorraine Legendre; Nancy and Jeff Santora; Ava; Leona; Karen; Andrew; Demetrius Johnson; Wayne Ferris; Maria and Luz; Tara; the Lewis family; Christopher; Marilyn and Family; Mary Lou and Robert F. Brown, Jr.; Doug Abell; Michelle; Tiago; Cathleen Tottey; the Gillette-Scharff family; Melissa & Keith Goggin; Julie; Theresa Crotty; Michele; Amy and Helen Salvatore; Carla Wilkins; Maryjane; Carmela; Tim and Matt; Brenda; Barbara Jo and Mick Heath; and for all those affected by Covid; for those who are homeless; and for the people of Ukraine, Israel and Palestine.

For Those Serving in the Armed Forces

We pray for Ken Christian, James Daley, Justin Anaya, John Schweizer, Wesley Lefavour, Nic Jacobs, Sean Kiely, and Teddy Libelo.

We Remember

For the Month of April, we remember and give thanks for the lives of:

April 7 – Anna Furfey Hanners, A. Florence Munroe, and Elizabeth Perrigo
April 14 – Ruth Farrar
April 21 – Basil W. and Ruth Fillmore and Walter Klibansky
April 28 – Jacqueline Fillmore Davis, Tina and George Klibansky, Richard H. Boudreau, and George, Mabel, Helen, and John Wales

The Altar Flowers are offered in their memory.

Requesting Prayer

If you would like to add someone to our Prayer List, please complete the form by clicking on the button below. All responses are held in confidence and will not be shared except for the name being added to our Prayer List.

Request Prayer