Bray Christian Spirituality Centre

An open door...

For those who are seeking spiritual life or simple sanctuary.

Compassion, Contemplation, Mindfulness

"On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there."
Acts 16.13

About Us

Welcome.

Bray Christian Spirituality Centre is part of the Church of England and in the Diocese of Oxford.

I am Ainsley Swift the Vicar of Bray.

Nestling on the banks of the river Thames at Bray, St Michael's Church, Hall and Vicarage, offer a sanctuary of peace, calm and sense of the presence of God.

Dedicated to the glory of God, Christian worship has been taking place on this site since 1292.

When I was exploring if God might be calling me to serve in Bray the answer came via Psalm 23

"... He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul."

St Michael's at Bray became the fulfilment of this Scripture for me and carried with it a great sense of the need to share its green pastures, still waters and restoration of soul.

Our Services

RETREAT	SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
A group or individual might like to come for a day or part of a day to simply be still. A group could be lead by their own leader or with help from the Bray team. An individual could come for a time alone or including a time of Spiritual Direction.	A Spiritual Direction session is simply time for you to talk with someone who will listen and help you reflect on your experience and help you ask the question "where is God in all this?" The Spiritual Director will help you move towards an answer.
MINDFULNESS	PERSONAL DISCIPLESHIP
Mindfulness is a set of practices that help us take hold of the present moment. Rather than worrying about the past or fearing the future Mindfulness trains us to become increasingly aware of ourselves in the here and now. Without judgement and with compassion we train ourselves to be still and present. This is helpful in itself but also is invaluable in helping to deepen our prayer of contemplation.	Personal Discipleship Planning is a simple way to help us explore what our calling in life might be about, to encourage us to identify our gifts. We will give you the time and space to listen and explore what God might be doing in your everyday life. We have a small team of ‘encouragers’ at Bray who can help you develop a daily rhythm of prayer and support and equip you to deepen your faith and flourish. You can be guided through a process at your own pace, one step at a time.