Becoming the disciple of Jesus that God wants each of us to be takes more than one hour a week on Sunday, or even the time we give to Bible study at church, committee work, and serving the poor. Growth in faith requires that we find ways to keep ourselves oriented toward God – God's presence in our lives and God's call on our lives – throughout the week.

Staying oriented toward God requires prayer, engagement with Scripture, and study. The following websites and apps are offered as tools to equip you for that work throughout the week. 

Prayer

Prayer is just speaking to God. And yet there is no ‘just’ about it: we pray not on our own, but in the name of Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. We also pray alongside Christians throughout the ages and around the world.

There is no ‘hidden secret’ when it comes to prayer. Anyone can pray, at any time and in any place. Why not begin now? You could use the words of the Lord’s Prayer as a starting point, from which you can launch into telling God your own hopes, anxieties, doubts and faith. God promises to listen.

The Book of Common Prayer, online

The Daily Office (Morning & Evening Prayer)

At the center of the Anglican spiritual tradition are the ‘offices’ – the daily services of preparation for the day ahead and reflection for the day past. These can be found near the front of the Book of Common Prayer, but several websites and apps exist to m

Daily Devotions

  • Brother, Give us a Word – a very brief meditation emailed every morning from the brothers at the Society of St. John the Evangelist (SSJE), an Episcopal monastery in Cambridge, Mass.  

  • Richard Rohr – a daily meditation emailed every morning from Fr. Richard Rohr, a Catholic Franciscan priest, prolific author, and sought after speaker based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

  • Forward Movement - Forward Day by Day is a booklet of daily inspirational meditations reflecting on a specific Bible passage, chosen from the daily lectionary readings as listed in the Revised Common Lectionary or the Daily Office from the Episcopal Church's Book of Common Prayer.

 

Scripture

Christians believe that one of the primary ways they may know God is through the Bible. The Bible records how countless people throughout the centuries have experienced God in their lives. Paying attention to their stories is one way we start to notice God at work in our own stories. It is by prayerfully approaching the Scriptures for ourselves that God still speaks to us.

Online Bibles

  • Oremus Bible Browser – the simplest way to search or read within the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, the translation we use in church on Sundays. 

  • Bible Gateway – a searchable version of the Bible that includes dozens of translations in English and other languages. Also includes a Verse of the Day email subscription service.

  • OliveTree – Bible study apps for iPad, iPhone, Android, Kindle Fire, Mac, Windows.

Online Lectionaries

  • The Lectionary Page – calendar view to find assigned Bible readings for every Sunday and feast day of the year.