Around the corner, is a world away. come refresh your spirit.
At Bethany House of Prayer you will find a deeply nurturing space for contemplation and renewal in a busy world. While our roots are with the Episcopal Church, we welcome all, from various faith traditions and none, who seek to deepen their spiritual life and engage in the world with integrity.
A Winter Break
Dear Members of the Bethany House of Prayer Community:
We are living into the Advent season with great excitement and expectancy around the final interviews for a new Executive Director! In the spirit of this sacred time of anticipation and waiting, we are announcing that we will be taking a “winter break” from any new operations here at Bethany House, effective December 9 until January 6.
While several ongoing programs will continue (including established spiritual direction, meetings, groups, and scheduled retreats) all new retreat or spiritual direction requests will be put on hold and not addressed until January. You will find this message shortly on our office phone voice mail message, on the website, and on our email auto-reply.
During this time, the Transition Committee will be focusing our energies on training in our new information and invoicing system, as well as continuing our long-term data and web updates. The office will still be open and humming -- just behind the scenes, as we clean file cabinets and closets, freshen kitchens and bedrooms.
This four-week period will give us much-needed elbow room to do more than the triage work we have been doing this fall, in the face of personnel changes, unexpected system issues, and 15 retreats and events that have needed our support.
We wish you a period of rest and holiday joy, and will keep you apprised of any news about the Executive Director search when it becomes available.
~ Bethany House
Visit
A hidden sanctuary in Boston’s backyard
Discover a shady labyrinth of stone and grass. A meditation garden heavy with blossoms in spring. Paths winding up a gentle hill to a simple stone chapel. Our quiet spaces invite you to slow down and be refreshed by the beauty around you and within. It’s hard to believe we’re just minutes away from the bustle of downtown Arlington.
Programs & Retreats
Day and weekend programs for busy lives
With the ever-increasing noise and busyness of contemporary life, our hearts yearn for stillness and calm. Bethany House of Prayer retreats and programs provide a refuge of simplicity so you can refocus on what truly matters to you. Come for an hour, a day or a weekend, on your own, or with a group. Our mission is to nurture and support you.
Contemplative living
Spiritual grounding for daily action
The practice of contemplation invites us to experience a deeper self, quieter, open to underlying connections all around us. Caring for the life of the soul grounds our outer actions with focus and awareness. Sharing contemplative practice in community provides tools for living more present to the life of the Spirit, wherever we find ourselves.
“Peace meets you at the garden gate…
At Bethany every leaf and tree, every stone and flower seems infused with the prayers of the faithful.”
Photography Credits
We are grateful to the following photographers, whose artistry graces our website: Gregory Wostrel, Julia Slayton, Jordan Kessler, Susie Smith White
