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Prayer Ideas

 

Pray For Five

Social media Campaign: Post a selfie with 'Pray 4 Five' written on the palm of your hand

A really simple activity, we’re asking you to take a selfie, with 'Pray 4 Five' written on your hand, to help raise awareness of the Thy Kingdom Come movement. Post your photo to social media and tag it with #ThyKingdomCome and #Pray4Five 

 

Activity in the Home:

Download a printable version of the below here.

Prayer Hands

We are asking you to join with us on Ascension Sunday:

  1. Get a piece of A4 paper and draw around your hand. 
  2. On one side, write on each digit the name of somebody you want to see come to faith
  3. Unleash your creativity and decorate the hand with colour, glitter, stickers, favourite bible verses
  4. Pray for each person by name for the next 10 days 21st May – 31st May
  5. Once you’ve done this share a picture (don’t show the names of the people you’ve written, that’s for you and God) on social media using the #thykingdomcome #pray4five

 

Memory Game 

A prayerful twist on an old game.

Add a new item to a tray/table/shelf each day and offer prayer for the things they represent during the 11 days of Thy Kingdom Come. Start with one item and offer some prayer on that theme (see below). The challenge is to test yourself daily by trying to remember all the things you’ve prayed with on the previous days and what they represented, then reveal the items under the cloth. Check how many you got right and add the latest one.

NB: Due to the current restrictions, I have suggested items that you might generally have in your home/garden already, but they can all be substituted along a similar theme.

  1. A 5p piece – Think of 5 people you know who don’t know Jesus yet. Pray that God would give you chances to talk to them about Him and show them how much he loves them.
  2. A small item of food (chocolate biscuit, bag of crisps, wrapped sweet etc.) - Thank God for meeting all our needs and all the love he generously gives to us. Pray for those who haven’t got enough or are struggling at this time.
  3. An eraser/bottle of Tipex/bar of soap/wet wipe – Think about the times when we might get things wrong and say sorry to God for them. Thank him that, just like this item, he can take away the mistakes and make us clean again.
  4. A picture/photograph of family/friends – Thank God for those people we care about and who care about us. Ask God to protect them and keep them safe
  5. Key – Thank God for our homes. Pray for people who might not have a safe place to live and ask God to help them find people and places where they can be looked after.
  6. Sticky plaster/bandage/thermometer – Thank God for the work of the NHS and other caring services who work so hard to keep us safe. Pray for them to be protected in these difficult times.
  7. A small crown (can be made of paper/cardboard) – Pray for the people who lead us or have power to make important decisions.  Pray that God will guide them and help them to rule or lead wisely.
  8. Leaf/twig/small plant – Thank God for his beautiful creation, pray for our world and the threats of pollution and global warming.  Ask him to help you look after his world.
  9. A pen/pencil – Thank God for the gift of the Bible and the way that he talks to us through it. Pray that he would help you read it and hear what he has to say more clearly.
  10. Map/simple diagram of your neighbouring streets (you can draw this yourself without any need for artistic skills!) – Ask God to bless your neighbours and bring his love and peace to the area you live in. Ask him to show you how you can make a positive difference.
  11. Paper fan/candle/tealight – Read/hear the story of Pentecost (below) and think about the wind/ flames the Disciples experienced.  Thank God for the gift of his Holy Spirit to help us know that he is always with us. As we come to the end of Thy Kingdom Come, pray that God would continue to use you to tell others about him.

         -  A cartoon animation with audio of the story

         - A Godly Play style activity

 

Prayer Meetings

Meeting with your congregation/small group/prayer triplets can be done virtually through various video-calling platforms and Thy Kingdom Come might be a great reason to organise something. If you’re stuck for ideas, you might like to look at:

  • 24/7 Prayer –Why not coordinate a 24 hour virtual prayer room, where each person can sign up for a 1- hour slot and pray in their own home?  Feeling like setting your church a challenge?  Why not cover a few days in continuous prayer! Read more.
  • Rhythms of prayer – The Bishop of Warwick’s Prayer and Ministry task group has created some resources to establish a pattern of daily prayer in our own homes.  These could be done individually or at a time agreed with others in your church to create a sense of being united in prayer, whilst physically separated. Read more.

 

Creative Prayer Stations at Home

  • Find a bunch of twigs or small tree with plenty of offshoots that can easily be put into a vase/plant pot. Create small paper luggage labels and tie one each day to your “tree” with a simple prayer written on it. Perhaps consider a new issue/area of life each day where you want to see God’s “kingdom come”. If you haven’t got twigs, why not use magnets on the fridge or post-it notes on the bathroom mirror…?
  • Designate a “sacred” space that can be claimed for prayer. It might be in the garden, a certain room, a corner of a room or even just a chair.  Give yourself permission to simply sit in that space for 10 -20 minutes each day. You don’t have to prepare anything or do anything – just offer that space to God as a place where you can spend some time together. Read your Bible, recite the Lord’s Prayer slowly, meditate on a verse, let your mind wander and chat to God about your thoughts… There is no pressure or expectation here.
  • Make a simple paperchain, adding one link each day and writing down something or someone that you want to offer to God that day. Look back over the links as the days pass and ask God to show you where he has been at work in these situations.
  • Create a “Kingdom Come Candle”. Take a large candle and mark 11 equal sections/days on it (Ascension and Pentecost with 9 days in-between), much like an Advent candle but with less days! Light the candle each day and burn away that day’s wax.  As you do, remember the first followers of Jesus, also isolated and staying indoors, as they awaited what came next. On the 31st May (Pentecost) you might like to place the candle in a window and think about the tongues of flame the Disciples experienced. Just as they became witnesses on that remarkable day, pray that your candle might also be a flame of hope to those who see it.
  • Need more ideas?  Look at:
    • Engage Worship – Lots of creative ideas for prayer stations, to help you make space, reflect, retreat etc.  If you have access to a garden, this one is great.  Otherwise, there are further suggestions here
    • All age Worship Resources have a number of prayer station ideas, along with lots of other great resources.  This one, particularly focussed on the Lord’s Prayer could give a different prayer station each day of the Thy Kingdom Come season.
    • Look out for the Equip Hub, coming soon from the Serving Christ Team at Coventry Diocese, which will be launching in May and full of prayer stations, worship resources, ideas for small groups, outreach and evangelism tips and much, much more.
    • The Children's Society have written some prayers for Thy Kingdom Come.

 

 

 

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