St Paul's
Beaconsfield

Anglican Church near Fremantle, Western Australia

Regular Services

Our parish is a community that seeks God and the fullness of creation by finding ourselves in relation to others. Our giving to the common, to the other, our sharing of ourselves is our commitment to this endeavour.

Christmas Services

• Thursday 18th December 8.30pm Dancing the Christmas Story
• Mon 22nd December 7.30pm ‘Nine Lessons and Carols’
• Wed 24th December 10.30pm Midnight Mass
• Thurs 25th December 9:15 am Nativity of our Lord

Sunday Service 9:15 am Sunday Service

Morning & Evening Prayer

Mon-Sat 6.30am & Mon-Fri 6.30pm A reflective liturgy reciting psalms and prayers and readings from the Bible. Lasts approximately 30 minutes.

Heartsong

First and third Sunday of the month, 7.00pm (8:30 during daylight saving)

This service lasts approximately one hour and takes place just after dusk in a candlelit sanctuary. The service includes taize style chants, reflective readings, space for meditation and contemplation and an optional anointing of holy oil by the priest.

Fellowship of Contemplative Prayer

Second Thurday of the month, 8pm

Our contemplative prayer meeting follows the format (Rule) of the "Fellowship of Contemplative Prayer"
In summary.. The prayer meeting is 1 hour of contemplation

The hour is divided into three periods of silence
and we contemplate one 'dominical sentence' each month... this sentence is a 'word of God' from the scriptures... for example...
I AM the Lord thy healer
“Behold! I make all things new . . . I AM the resurrection & the life”

The first period of silence follows a brief introduction to the sentence and we silently repeat the sentence to ourselves with a focus on our minds.... receiving understanding

the second period after an even briefer introduction is the same but with a focus on the heart... receiving a feeling engagement with the 'Word'

The third period of silence then follows and we open ourselves fully to allow the 'Word' to fill us...
during this shorter period of silence intercessions provided by the priest in the format of 'The fellowship' and there is also space to name those who we want to pray for.....
Each intercessions is accompanied by the priest uttering the word.... and in silence we send the "Word" from our selves to those for whom we pray...

The intercessions conculde with a prayer of thanksgiving and this concludes the hour of silent contemplation.

The fellowship encourage all to contemplate this same sentence each day throughout the month....

Mentally repeating the Saying in silence, slowly over and over again, will have the effect of stilling the mind and keeping out intrusive and distracting thoughts. At the same time, your whole being begins to be in-dwelt by the Saying and consequently by the Spirit and Life which the Saying contains and conveys...The Saying will be received successively, first into our minds, then more deeply into our hearts, and finally be used to help us direct our wills in conformity with the will of God for us and for others.

~from The Fellowship of Contemplative Prayer booklet More information The Fellowship of Contemplative Prayer in the United Kingdom

Christmas 2006