silence, community, insight
Bethany House of Prayer provides regular spiritual offerings, times of prayer, silence, and community, to nourish our desire for deep stillness and connection. We draw upon ancient and contemporary practices from Christianity and other traditions to deepen our awareness of the Holy in ordinary life and to inform our actions in the world. Whether you are seasoned in contemplative practice or just beginning the journey, we welcome you into a community that encourages soulful living.
Words matter as does the silence out of which they come.
Contemplative Prayer
Thursdays, 10 - 11:30 am
Meeting via Zoom. Please let us know of your interest by filling out the contact form found HERE.
Newcomers welcome each week.
There is different quality or essence in being with others in silence than alone. If you’ve wondered about maintaining or experiencing a practice of contemplative prayer, joining with others can be a source of encouragement and enrichment. Opening prayers and selected readings lead us into a time of extended silence. We regather for contemplative dialogue, mindful of continuing the balance of silence and words. Sometimes a healing insight will occur or the robin singing in the garden will be heard. We might leave changed by the word of another or the renewal that comes in beginning again.
Facilitated by Bethany Colleagues and Associates.
evening contemplative practice
We meet virtually the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month.
Prayer, reflection and conversation has led us to decide to extend our summer hiatus through the end of 2025; we will take a break from offering the twice-monthly Evening Contemplative Practice gatherings on Zoom this Fall.
We hope that an opening in your calendar will allow you to explore other opportunities that will nourish your spirit, including those at Bethany House.
Meditation + Readings from Mystics
Wednesdays, 7:00 – 7:45 PM
Meeting in-person. No need to register in advance.
Chapel of St. Anne (18-20 Claremont Ave, Arlington, 02476)
Join us Wednesday evenings to listen to a short passage from a mystic (from a different tradition each week) and sit in silence.
Friday Morning Meditation
Friday, 7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
Meeting in-person. No need to register in advance.
Chapel of St. Anne (18-20 Claremont Ave, Arlington, 02476)
We’re excited to restart an in-person contemplative offering Friday mornings. We hope you can join us for morning meditation in the St. Anne Chapel and outside on the Bethany grounds.
Contemplative Writing Group
Selected Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Meeting in-person, September through June. Please let us know of your interest by filling out the contact form found HERE.
This group is for writers who already have a practice and desire sustained community, as well as those seeking to explore writing with a contemplative approach. We will be guided by practices that draw our voices, wisdom and stories from stirrings into fully realized form, as reflections, narratives, and poems. Freshly generated material as well as finished pieces may be offered for response and care. Short craft talks will augment this time of listening to the still small voice within, giving it life on the page.
Led by Bethany Colleague: Kathleen Hirsch, M.F.A., who had a long career in narrative journalism before authoring three books of creative nonfiction, including A Sabbath Life: One Woman’s Search for Wholeness. In addition to being a spiritual director and writer, Kathleen teaches at Boston College addressing social justice and contemplative work.
Chapel of St. Anne
We share our campus with the historic Chapel of St. Anne, a beautiful Episcopal chapel in Arlington designed by Ralph Adams Cram in 1915. Home to the Sisters of St. Anne and their vibrant community, the Chapel offers sacred space for reflection, worship, and the arts. To learn more about their programs and offerings, please visit the Chapel of St. Anne’s website.
“May we all grow in grace and peace, and not neglect the silence that is printed in the center of our being. It will not fail us. It is more than silence. Jesus spoke of the spring of living water, you remember.”