How can we be generous with our time, talents, money, smiles and attitude?
We are invited to make prayer a Holy Habit, both on our own and when we come together. Prayer reorients us in right relationships with God, others and the world – it is an antidote to the selfishness of sin. It is sustaining, encouraging, nurturing, exciting and engaging. It is the lifeblood of the church. It can be words that are well loved and have been recited for generations, or fresh and raw, or silent, or action. We can sing our prayers. It is waiting on God, both in listening and serving.
Starting with our Covenant Prayer Service on 13th January we are seeking to develop the Holy Habit of prayer in line with the experience of the first Christians …
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42)
These are some of the opportunities for prayer that are currently planned
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Service will be held at the Methodist Church at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday 20th January as well as a Taize Prayer Service at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday 3rd February.
Our All-Age Worship on 17th February will delve into the meaning of The Lord’s Prayer. Most of our Sunday Services will be themed around prayers from the Bible and will include ideas for alternative ways to pray. As many people as possible (of all ages) will be involved in leading the prayers in church each Sunday.
Everyone will be given the name of a member of the congregation to pray for over the next three month period – please let that person know that you are praying for them.
We have also been twinned with Year 4 at Rosehill Methodist Primary Academy – please pray for the children in those three classes.
There will be opportunities for those who use the premises during the week to put prayer requests into a prayer box. We will incorporate those requests into our intercessions. Cards will be distributed to local community groups and businesses to let them know that we are praying for them.
The ‘Enquire Within’ sessions will focus upon subjects like ‘Praying with the Psalms of Lament’.
What will you do to develop this Holy Habit? Will you commit to pray each day?
You could use a prayer handbook or an app like www.trypraying.co.uk or https://www.pray-as-you-go.org or try using your own version of the prayer modelled overleaf.
Why not build a photo album of people to pray for, or use your Christmas card list to pray for your friends throughout the year.
Could you arrange to pray with a couple of friends once a month – forming a ‘prayer triplet’?
Find out about different traditions of prayer – prayer walking, the Examen, praying with icons or praying through movement.
Take a look at some of the books displayed at church for more suggestions.
May prayer be the spiritual breath we breathe and may it deepen loves transforming power in the world.
please let me know.