Prayer is part of a healthy spiritual life. It is the power that knits together the relationships with our Lord and with the family of God. It is the foundation of a life centered in Christ.
This intergenerational Milestones event will help children, youth, and adults explore their experience with prayer and how they might expand their practice of prayer. It is appropriate for households of all shapes and sizes and individuals of all ages.
Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel. – Philippians 4:6-7
Prayer can occur at various times and for various reasons:
- at meal time to thank God for the gift of food
- at the doctor’s office to easy anxiety
- before at test in school to help clear the mind
- at bedtime to reflect on the day and find peace
- when there is something worrrying or frightening
- when there is something beautiful
During our time together we will explore the different ways we pray and how we might pray at different times in our lives. Participants will also receive tools to help them with their prayer life. In addition, we will look at how we can use the Milestones to help us remember the various things we want to pray about.
Each household that participates in the event will receive a special prayer milestone to add to their blessing bowl at home and be recognized on the following Sunday.
Intergenerational events help us remember that the Church is made up of all people. They also give us an opportunity to learn from each other. We are reminded that no matter where we are on our faith journey we have something to give and something to receive.
Ideas to help children with prayer
- invite your children to help make a prayer book for your family. Christians have always developed prayers for the events in their lives, collecting them together to make a resource for themselves and others. You can make your own by collecting different prayers to use at different times in your life.
- You’ll need some card stock, a whole punch and a carbiner or binder ring. Cut the card stock in to pieces about 2″ x 3″, punch a hole in the upper left corner of each card and thread them onto the ring.
- Invite the family to brainstorm important events in their daily life. Invite them to think of both happy and sad events. The list might include: leaving for school/work, getting up, going to bed, doctor’s visits, mealtime, going to practice, getting ready for a test, going shopping, or any other time or event. Encourage family members to be specific, like “when we visit grandma Mary”. Write each event on a separate card.
- Now revist each event and together create a prayer for that event. You might ask the following question. The guide for Collects below might also be helpful.
- When this event happens, what excites you or makes you hopeful? what worries you or makes you afraid?
- The answer to these questions is the core of the prayer. Now just dress it up with a beginning an end.
- It is important to keep it short.
- An example might be: “Almighty God, thankyou for giving us grandma Mary. Please let our time together be enjoyable and help her know we love her. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayer Ideas for everyone
- A Collect is an ancient form of prayer that provides a simple outline for prayer. Used during worship (the Prayer of the Day is in the form of a Collect), it can become a very handy tool for crafting prayers where ever you are. Traditionally written as a single sentence (though modern punctuation tends to divide it up), a collect includes the five elements. The prayer for reading the Bible from the Book of Common Prayer will be used as an example.
“Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”An adress to God – the one to whom the prayer is directed. Almight God, Lord Jesus Christ, Loving God, etc. “Blessed God, . . . “- Praise or acknowledgement – something that God has done that relates to the request you’re about to make. “who caused all holy Scriputres to be written for our learning:”
- Request or petition – what you’re asking for. Make it as short and succinct as possible. “grant us to hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them,”
- Desired result – traditionally it always began “in order that”, this is what you hope will happen as a result of the prayer. “that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life,”
- Conclusion – a way to wrap up the prayer, it typically offers one more affirmation to God and helps listeners know that the prayer is over. “in Jesus name” is a very typical and short ending. “which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.”
- Amen – the affirmation of the listener. Technically not part of the prayer, it is said by those who are listening to the prayer. In latin, it means “so be it”. It is a way for everyone listening to join their voice to the prayer that was just said.