Creative prayer stations

Transcription

1 Creative prayer stations When creating prayer stations take into consideration your audience. We all have different learning styles, personalities and styles of worship. Some people will love this; others may find it challenging or uncomfortable. So include some stations that people may already be familiar with (eg. A place to sit or kneel and read pre-written prayers, a list of parish leaders, vestry and ministries that people may like to pray for, candles to light, the NZ prayer book open at morning, mid-day or evening prayer for that day). At every station, provide places for people to sit and think. Consider the space you have available & be pray-fully selective about which stations to include. Consider your audience s limitations Can everyone can read the instructions, you may need someone to demonstrate what to do. How high are the tables? Can children see? Are they so low, less able people find it difficult to participate? Consider how close together stations are. What is the overall environment you want to create? Thankful for Creation Resources needed: a nature display, eg: a small water fountain, flowers, potted plants, rocks, pictures of landscapes and animals, a Noah s ark, printed verses (Gen , Ps 96:11-12, Ps104: 24-25, Rom 8v9). Instructions: Take time to read the verses and thank God for His creation, its beauty and diversity. What do you want to plant this year? Resources: Potting mix, seedlings, & garden markers, vivid pen. Instructions: Reflect on this question, and then choose a seedling, plant it in the container. Choose a marker and write on it, your answer to the question. Ideas might be trust, hope etc. Washing rocks Resources: Bucket of water, rock, cloth & chalk or Small whiteboard, whiteboard pens and a cloth Instructions: Consider the things that burden us, that hold us back from all God wants for us, the sins that wrap so tightly around us. Write or draw key words on the rock. Then wash the rock as an outward sign that Jesus has washed away our cares & sins. You could use the whiteboard & pens instead of the rock & chalk.

2 Prayer Crosses Prayer without words. Resources: Holding crosses, explanation about using crosses, sandpaper, bees wax. Instructions: Choose a cross; notice its colours & knots. Sit quietly, rubbing it. Be still & listen to God. You may like to choose an unfinished cross. Sand its rough edges then take some wax and rub it into it. What is God sanding in you? What is he polishing and bringing out? You are welcome to keep your cross as a reminder or tool for prayer. Labyrinth Set up: Lay out in tape on carpet or with string and pegs on grass, the attached floor plan. Create places to stop and put down keys, cell phone, shoes etc. A place to rest in the centre, then places to pick up each thing afresh. When completed, participants can collect printed versions of floor plan to take home and use at home following map using their fingers as a reminder to take this journey often. Prayer board Resources: Large wooden board with nails hammered around the edge. Sting is tied randomly between nails to create a web. Basket of ties (Strips of old ribbon, bits of lace, colourful strips of rages cut about 10cm long). Local history books, stories of church history etc. Instructions: Take time to thank God for (place), for its people & its history. Think about the names engraved around this church & pray for those who serve our community today. Choose a ribbon and tie it on the board as an outward declaration of thanks for what God continues to do in this community. This can be an ongoing prayer project for the community. When every string is filled with ties, you will have created a beautiful corporate artwork. You may even want to celebrate with a special morning tea.

3 Plasters on a cross Resources: Cross (Created from off cuts of wood or find one that is not too precious), a packet of plasters, ballpoint pens, printed verse Ps 103:1-5. Instructions: Reflect on this verse think about who is sick or in pain today, who is stuck in a pit? Read this verse for them.declaring Gods promise and hope. Write their name, draw a symbol or make a mark on the plaster to represent that person or situation you are praying for and then stick the plaster on the cross. It is an outward declaration that it is God who heals and restores us. Instruments Resources: Printed verse Ps 147:7, some instruments available (small drums, shakers, claves,) and background music playing (instrumental or worship). Instructions: Read the verse. Choose an instrument play along to the music or perhaps you would like to create your own thanksgiving song. Worshipful colouring Resources: Clipboards, pencils, sharpener or felt pens, printed coloring sheets (Some great examples in Pinterest or try Instructions: Choose a sheet and add some colour. While you colour, listen to what God is saying to you. You may like to take you work home and continue to work on it there or to leave it here for others to add more colour too. The sheets left behind at the end of the prayer time could be used to create a corporate collage or decoupage. Building Blocks Resources: A table, a printed copy of Ephesians 2:19-22, blocks of different sizes and shapes (a children s set of blocks are perfect for this). Instructions: Choose some blocks and build something with them. Notice the different colours, shapes and sizes. What might God be building in your life? Reflect on Ephesians 2: How is God building you in community with others? When you have finished feel free to leave your building to inspire others or for them to add to, extend and enhance.

4 Sit with me Resources: A table, a range of pictures (Perhaps children, families, elderly, protesters, broken shoes, a lunchbox, those in hospital, whatever pictures stir your heart). Instructions: Choose a picture that touches your heart. Sit and hold it for a while. Talk to God about it. I am the Vine Resources: A plant, which has been pruned, pruning shares, John 15:1-10 verse printed out (or a bible open and marked at this verse). Instructions: Read the verse and reflect on it. What season is this in my life? Winter & rest, spring s new growth, summer s fruitfulness or autumns pruning? What is God saying to me about this? One of our parish woodworkers made this wooden plant. The words of John 15:1-10 are written on the leaf base & it is now a permanent part of our church art/ reflection space. Pray Quilt Resources: Prayer quilt, explanation, Quilt request details and a copy of the Prayers and Squares prayer. These quilts are often part of our worship service. This time we included a quilt as part of our prayer stations. People are invite to pray and tie a knot on the quilt. For further details Rest Resources: a quiet corner with a couple of chairs, a Bible, a holding cross and the words to the song Be Still and Know

5 The Rock Pile Resources: Two baskets, one full on stones of different shapes and sizes, printed versions of Ps 81:6 & Matt 11:28-32 Instructions: Reflect on these verses What burdens are you carrying? Choose a rock to symbolise each one. Talk to God about each burden. Are you ready to turn this burden over to Him? If so, place the rock in the other basket as an outward sign of leaving the burden in God s hands. Paper Chain: Resources: Strips of coloured paper (approx. 4x20cm), pens, stapler, international news articles, photos, mission projects etc. Instructions: Choose a photo and article that touches your heart. Write your prayer for that situation on a stripe of paper and join in to the rest of the paper chain. Thank You Wall Resources: A large sheet of paper (approx. 2m long) with thank you painted in centre, markers, glue sticks, heart shaped templates (approx. 5cm across) sheets of coloured paper, scissors. Instructions: Consider the blessings in your life. Thank God for each one. Choose some coloured paper & trace around the template several times. Write a blessing inside each of your heart shapes. Cut them out and stick on the wall. You might like to bless the next person here by tracing and cutting out some extra hearts to leave them here for someone else to use. Love Thy Neighbour Resources: Large white boards written up as (as per photo), white board markers. Instructions: Spend some time talking to God about your neighbours. Are there someone who are sick or lonely? Are there someone you do not know? Are there someone you find harder to love? Talk to God about this. Ask Him to bless them. How can you show them love today? Choose a pen and fill in a missing work on the whiteboard. For the World Resources: Large world map attached to wall, post-it notes, pens, international news articles, photos, mission projects etc. Instructions: Choose a photo and article & talk to God about it. Ask Him to show you His heart for this situation. Write your payer on a post-it note and stick it on that country on the map.