Around the corner, is a world away. come refresh your spirit.
At Bethany House of Prayer you will find a deeply nurturing space for contemplation and renewal in a busy world. While our roots are with the Episcopal Church, we welcome all, from various faith traditions and none, who seek to deepen their spiritual life and engage in the world with integrity.
Bethany House of Prayer welcomes
the Rev. Matt Carriker and LaToya Staine Carriker as Co-Executive Directors
The Executive Board of Bethany House of Prayer enthusiastically welcomes Matt Carriker and LaToya Staine Carriker to lead Bethany House of Prayer into its next season of life and growth.
Matt and LaToya are a married couple who share a deep passion for spiritual retreats and community building. Matt is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC) with a longstanding commitment to retreat leadership, spiritual direction and contemplative practices. He has been instrumental in advancing the UCC’s vision of becoming a “Church of Contemplatives in Action” by co-authoring a General Synod Resolution in 2021. In 2022 Matt authored the book, Giving Christianity Back to Agape Love: A New Paradigm for Being Church Together, by LifeRich Publishing. LaToya is an experienced retreat leader and a senior nonprofit manager with a master’s degree in social work. She brings extensive experience with operational processes and program quality improvement to Bethany House of Prayer. Having lived experience as a black immigrant woman, LaToya understands the importance of making spaces truly welcoming to all. She has a deep commitment to offering radical welcome and spaces of healing for people who may find themselves on the outskirts of traditional retreat ministries. Together Matt and LaToya bring a wealth and depth of experience, gifts, and commitments, and we could not be more excited to welcome them into this role.
The Executive Board thanks the members of the Search Committee, the Sisters of St. Anne, the Bethany House Colleagues, Transition Director the Rev. Dr. Bill Rich, and all of you who have joined your prayers with ours as we have prepared the way for Matt and LaToya’s leadership. Stay tuned for opportunities to meet Matt and LaToya and hear from them directly. Their first day at Bethany House of Prayer will be January 28, 2025.
Visit
A hidden sanctuary in Boston’s backyard
Discover a shady labyrinth of stone and grass. A meditation garden heavy with blossoms in spring. Paths winding up a gentle hill to a simple stone chapel. Our quiet spaces invite you to slow down and be refreshed by the beauty around you and within. It’s hard to believe we’re just minutes away from the bustle of downtown Arlington.
Programs & Retreats
Day and weekend programs for busy lives
With the ever-increasing noise and busyness of contemporary life, our hearts yearn for stillness and calm. Bethany House of Prayer retreats and programs provide a refuge of simplicity so you can refocus on what truly matters to you. Come for an hour, a day or a weekend, on your own, or with a group. Our mission is to nurture and support you.
Contemplative living
Spiritual grounding for daily action
The practice of contemplation invites us to experience a deeper self, quieter, open to underlying connections all around us. Caring for the life of the soul grounds our outer actions with focus and awareness. Sharing contemplative practice in community provides tools for living more present to the life of the Spirit, wherever we find ourselves.
“Peace meets you at the garden gate…
At Bethany every leaf and tree, every stone and flower seems infused with the prayers of the faithful.”
Photography Credits
We are grateful to the following photographers, whose artistry graces our website: Gregory Wostrel, Julia Slayton, Jordan Kessler, Susie Smith White