Gloucester Presbyterian offers the community an unstructured environment to sit, think, and pray.

Allen Macartney
Special to Spur Ottawa

For five weeks every spring and fall, Gloucester Presbyterian Church opens its doors to the neighbourhood for “Sit, Think, Pray.” The brainchild of church elder Jason MacEwen, Sit, Think, Pray is a program that, ironically, has no program and costs nothing.

“Originally we were looking for a way to reach out to the community, to show neighbourly hospitality in the spirit of Christ,” MacEwen says.

“Tranquility is pretty rare in the 21st Century. We’re never really turned off,” he explains. “Life is hectic, fast, and loud. That’s why we offer Sit, Think, Pray. People long for a time of silence and to find a peaceful sanctuary to quiet their hearts—a place to ground themselves.”

Everyone is welcome. Sometimes people just come in and sit quietly in a pew for 10 minutes or an hour, then leave.

“It fits easily into anyone’s schedule,” says Isaac Kwaffo, a busy Carleton University student.

Some use the time for deep thinking in a serene pool of silence. Others wrestle in prayer. Some people even nod off to sleep.

Esmie Coward, a regular attendee says, “I love it. Usually I just look at the cross. Sometimes I sit in silence, read the Psalms, and meditate.”

Any church can do this easily with only a handful of volunteers, says MacEwen. Just advertise the Sit, Think, Pray event on your church sign, welcome people into the softly lit sanctuary, and direct them to washrooms when needed. Let whispering stillness prevail.

“It’s good if the pastor can be present,” says MacEwen. “Some people, even total strangers, may want to talk if they’re in crisis.”

MacEwen says Sit, Think, Pray can even be a sort of pre-evangelism. The commitment-free atmosphere helps put people at ease.

“Lots of people don’t feel comfortable coming in on a Sunday morning for a traditional worship service,” MacEwen explains. “Sit, Think, Pray puts a welcoming face on a potentially scary place for some. You might get people who sit in the pew and like it or remember that they’ve forgotten a once-important part of their life.”

Sit, Think, Pray also offers a starting point for people with no church background to come in and taste the presence of God.