text: AboutEly Diocese HistoryOur BishopsArchdeaconries and ArchdeaconsDiocesan SecretarySynods, Boards and CouncilsOur strategy: Ely 2025Ely 2025 Mission FundOur VisionImagining the FutureVacanciesMothers UnionSafeguardingNational Policy and Practice GuidanceIntroduction to the Policy and ProceduresGuidelines for work with children, teenagers and vulnerable adultsSpecific issues Further informationAppendices, forms and templatesSocial Care Institute for Excellence Audit ReportMinistryClergy Housing DepartmentClergyLicensed Lay MinistryAuthorised Lay MinistryChaplainciesDiscipleshipVocationTrainingTraining HandbookMinistry Development ReviewContinuing Ministerial DevelopmentLLM trainingCurate - Initial Ministerial Development Phase 2Occasional preaching in Ely DioceseResilience in conflictTraining for Children's WorkTraining and Young PeopleMission Shaped Ministry TrainingFresh expressions of Church coursesTraining testimoniesIT SupportRetreat housesMissionThe Pioneer ExchangeFresh Expressions of ChurchChanging Market TownsChildrenYoung PeopleYoung adultsLocal missionSocial justiceCaring for CreationNew housingFoodbanksWorld LinksMission BlogParish SupportParish AdministrationChurch Buildings and DACFinance DepartmentStatistics for MissionRaising Funds and Parish Giving SchemesParish Faith ResourcesCommunications SupportEly Healing Advisory GroupMinistry of DeliveranceDiocesan Mission and Pastoral CommitteeParish DashboardParish SpotlightSchoolsDEMAT (external website)Resources for Schools (external website)Individual Acts of Worship (external website)Collective Worship (external website)Diocese Education Directorate (external website)Find a schoolBeliefWhat is ChristianityThe Christian LifePrayer and spiritualityChurch ServicesChristenings / BaptismsConfirmationsWeddingsFuneralsChurch Support HubWhat's new...ContactBishops' OfficesArchdeacons' OfficesDiocesan OfficeDiocesan DirectoryPress & MediaFind a PersonFind a ChurchCrockford Clerical Directory (external link)Diocesan Committee Members
  Starting outHelp for the journeyEquipping for the journey
  Prayer and spirituality HomeBeliefPrayer and spirituality Prayer is simply communication between people like you and me, and God who made us and cares for us, enjoys our company and wants a relationship with us.Jesus came to show us what God is like and to teach us how to pray. His living, dying and rising again cleared the way for us to come into God' s presence just as we are, however we are feeling and whatever our circumstances.The wonderful truth is that God loves us, knows us by name and always hears us when we pray.
  Spirituality is to do with the way prayer affects our lives and the ways we respond to God.The ups and downs of life can cause us to pray even without us noticing that is what we are doing: ' Help' , ' Thank you' , ' Sorry' , ' Please' . However, sometimes we feel a longing for something deeper, a feeling Saint Augustine recognised when he wrote:' You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.' Of course, we are all different. Some of us are happy to talk, others prefer silence, some of us are comfortable in stillness, while others prefer to meet with God out-of-doors. It has been said that there is no such thing as a good pray-er, there are only people who pray.