Associate Pastor's Note
Trying New Ways to Pray
Children and Youth have been exploring different ways to pray. Here are a
few for children which could certainly be adapted for adults. These resources
come from the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ. Have
you ever tried a "flash prayer?" That's one of my favorite
methods.
- Flash prayers are simple, intercessory prayers offered when we see
someone in need we flash (send) them a prayer. "God be with _______,
be with them." If you hear a fire engine or an ambulance, send a
flash prayer. "God please be with that person who is sick or in
need." If a child notices someone who is sad, they can send a flash
prayer. "God make _______ happy again."
- Encourage your children to express their thoughts in their own words.
Help them to include praise, thanks, apologies, concerns, and requests for
others as part of their prayers. Let them hear your prayers as well.
- Listening is an important a part of any conversation. Provide silence in
which to think, reflect, wait, and listen. Make time for just listening to
God.
- Write a passage from Scripture on a blank page of paper. Allow the words
to fill the page. Read the words slowly, reading them over and over again.
Then highlight, circle, color the word/s or phrase that speaks to you and
fill the page with doodles and free forms created from colored pencils,
pens, markers while reflecting.
- List everything you are unhappy about on one side of a piece of
paper. List everything you are happy about on the other side. We can be grateful
and grumpy with God
- Create a prayer jar. Plastic jars are safest. Using a label and magic
marker, label each jar: "From me to God and Jesus." Have your
child write a one-sentence prayer or draw a picture prayer and put it in
the jar.
See you in church. Grace and Peace,
Gretchen
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