Faith on the Go: How to Build a Simple Summer Prayer Habit

Summer is almost here, and with it comes the wonderful disruption of vacations, camp weeks, lazy mornings, and travel. But as our routines shift, our spiritual lives don't have to go on pause. In fact, the slower, more open days of summer can become an unexpected gift — an invitation to cultivate a prayer life that travels with us wherever we go.

As we settle into the long, green Season after Pentecost — sometimes called Ordinary Time — we lose the built-in structure of Lent's disciplines and Easter's celebrations. Without those liturgical mile-markers, it's easy for our personal devotions to drift. The good news? The Episcopal Church and its partners have created some beautiful, accessible tools to help us stay rooted in prayer, whether we're at home, at the beach, or on the road.

Your Spiritual Summer Toolkit

Many of you already know the little Forward Day by Day booklets that sit in the narthex — those pocket-sized volumes of daily meditations published by Forward Movement. What you may not know is that Forward Day by Day is now available on multiple platforms: as a smartphone app, a daily podcast, and through your web browser.^[1] This means your daily meditation can ride along in your pocket, play through your car speakers on a road trip, or greet you over morning coffee on a cabin porch.

Each day's reflection is grounded in the scripture readings of the liturgical calendar, so even when you're far from your home parish, you remain connected to the same cycle of prayer and scripture being offered by Episcopalians around the world. As the brothers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE) remind us, the distractions of the world are constant — but so is the healing presence of Christ, available to us whenever we turn toward him in prayer.^[3]

"Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but speak the word only, and I shall be healed."

You don't need a chapel or a prayer desk. Ten minutes, a phone, and an open heart are enough.

A New Resource: "Signs and Grace" Video Series

This summer also brings an exciting new formation resource. The Episcopal Church and Forward Movement have partnered to launch "Signs and Grace," a video course designed for Christian formation that works beautifully for individuals, families, or small groups.^[5] The series is accessible enough for newcomers exploring the faith and rich enough for lifelong Episcopalians seeking to go deeper.

Consider gathering a few friends to watch an episode together over iced tea, or working through the series as a family during those long summer evenings. It's also an ideal resource for parishioners who can't always make it to Sunday worship — a way to stay formed and fed in the faith even when travel or health keeps you away from the pew.

If you'd like to organize a summer watch group, reach out to the parish office. We'd love to help you get started.

Your Prayers Join a Global Chorus

One of the most powerful things about a daily prayer habit is that it connects you to something much larger than yourself. When you pray through Forward Day by Day on a Tuesday morning in July, you're joining a continuous cycle of prayer being offered by Episcopalians, Anglicans, and monastic communities like the SSJE brothers around the clock and around the globe.^[4]

This connection becomes especially meaningful when we bring the world's needs into our daily prayers. Recently, the World Council of Churches hosted a global virtual prayer for peace in Ukraine,^[6] and the Diocese of San Diego called its people to prayer after a tragic shooting at a local Islamic center.^[8] These aren't abstract headlines — they are real communities in real pain, and our prayers matter.

Consider adding our parish prayer list to your daily practice. That printed list in your Sunday bulletin? Take it with you. Tuck it in your beach bag or snap a photo on your phone. When you pray those names during the week, you carry our community with you, and you bring the world's needs before God alongside Christians everywhere.

An Invitation: Start Small, Start Now

The Episcopal Network for Stewardship reminds us that how we spend our time is one of the most fundamental acts of stewardship we practice.^[2] You don't need to commit to an hour of morning prayer (though the Daily Office is always there for you in the Book of Common Prayer!). Start with ten minutes. Start with one reading. Start today.

Here's a simple way to begin:

• Download the Forward Day by Day app or bookmark prayer.forwardmovement.org on your phone.
• Pick a time — first thing in the morning, over lunch, or before bed — and read the daily meditation.
• Add one prayer from our parish prayer list or for a concern in the world.
• Close with the words so many Episcopalians know by heart: "The Lord bless us and keep us. Amen."

This summer, wherever your travels take you, your faith can come along. God is not confined to our beautiful church building — and neither is your prayer life. Pack light, pray often, and trust that even the simplest daily turning toward God is a holy and sufficient offering.

We'll be sharing daily prayer prompts on our parish social media channels throughout the summer. Follow along, and let us know how your summer prayer practice is going — we'd love to hear from you.

References

1. "Daily Prayer: A Resource of Forward Movement," Forward Day by Day, 22 May 2026. prayer.forwardmovement.org/fdd
2. "Designing Stewardship Materials that Motivate Members!" TENS – The Episcopal Network for Stewardship, 12 Jun 2026. eventbrite.com
3. "Savior," SSJE – Brother, Give Us a Word, 22 May 2026. ssje.org
4. "Daily Prayer: A Resource of Forward Movement," Forward Day by Day, 21 May 2026. prayer.forwardmovement.org/fdd
5. "'Signs and Grace' video course available in new Episcopal Church, Forward Movement formation partnership," The Episcopal Church – Public Affairs, 20 May 2026. episcopalchurch.org
6. "World Council of Churches to host virtual prayer for peace in Ukraine," Episcopal News Service, 20 May 2026. episcopalnewsservice.org
7. "San Diego diocese calls for prayers, peace after shooting at Islamic center," Episcopal News Service, 19 May 2026. episcopalnewsservice.org