Lectio Divina

Every Wednesday evening Rev’d Heather and Clive Johnson ( Interfaith Minister) are offering a time of Lectio Divina.

Lectio Divina is a monastic practice used for Scripture reading and prayer that is gaining popularity among many Christians today. The term roughly translates to “divine reading.” Lectio Divina is not meant as an intellectual study of the Bible, but as a means of communion with God. The practice consists of four parts:

Lectio: First, a person reads a passage of Scripture. This reading is meant to be intentional and slow. Most people will read the focus passage several times through.

Meditatio: Next, the person doing Lectio Divina meditates on the Scripture. This means they ponder over the passage, seeking to hear from the Holy Spirit. They do not analyse the passage, but  attempt to view it from various perspectives.

Oratio: This step consists of prayer. After having read and meditated on the passage, the practitioner of Lectio Divina brings it to God in prayer.

Contemplatio: The Lectio Divina process concludes with contemplation. This is a type of listening or restful prayer. The practitioner seeks to simply sit in God’s presence with God’s Word still fresh on the mind.

It is a beautiful practice that lasts 45 minutes and allows the participants to slow down and be with God as they absorb the Word. Again, each session is stand alone and there is the option to offer minimal participation or none which ever is comfortable.