STOP AND PRAY is the name of an iOS app commissioned by the Stevenson School for Ministry in Harrisburg, PA. Its purpose is to encourage all persons, but especially those considering ordination, to pray regularly throughout the day. As such, it permits the user to select a time for prayer in the morning, at noon, in the early evening, and at the close of day, following the "Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families" in the (Episcopal) Book of Common Prayer. The user can read and move between the four offices. Because the Book of Common Prayer is available in Spanish and French as well as English, the (iOS only) app is localized for these languages also. A video showing the arrival of the time-based notification (think of it as a "call to prayer") and the user's response to launch the app, is shown below. The app requires iOS 8, and runs on iPhone 4s (with difficulty), 5s, 6 and 6+, as well as iPads, although it is optimized for the iPhone 6. The app is now available for free download from the App Store. Click on the "Download" button to the left. The iOS app is also extended to the Apple Watch! Notifications appear on your Apple Watch, and a "Glance" shows you the upcoming "time to pray." Coming soon: set times for prayer on the Apple Watch! UPDATE to version 1.5. Version 1.5 includes the full text to Morning and Evening Prayer, with all collects, prayers, canticles and lessons displayed in full; this comes courtesy of dailyoffice.org, whose mobile web page appears as a new view in the Stop and Pray app. This feature is available only in English. Watch this space for availablilty! Update to version 1.8. Version 1.8 (iPhone only) improves connectivity to Apple Watch. One can turn on or off prayer times, and set the prayer times on the Apple Watch, and the app behaves appropriately on the phone. One can turn on or off prayer times in the app and the Apple Watch behaves appropriately. To set the prayer times on the Apple Watch, flick the switch for on/off, and use the digital crown to set the time. Either quit the app on the Watch, or do a deep press and check "Save." Version 1.8 was accepted in the App Store on June 3, 2016. The ANDROID version is now available. It is listed on the Google Play store. It requires Android OS "KLitKat" (4.1) or better. It has been tested on a small Android cell phone, but not on any tablet. Please be aware that notifications that it is "time to pray" are silent; they will appear as a "tickertape" across the screen, and then be availalbe in the "notification tray." Also, Android notifications are cancelled when the user turns off her/his phone; therefore, after reboot, run the app and save again your alarm choices. The setting of times is not as reliable as with the iOS version; I'm sorry. Android version 1.5 also includes localization in French and Spanish, missing in version 1.0. |