Faith practices: Creative prayer service

Innovative ideas for a prayer service from Charles Freebury, South Petherton & Crewkerne Methodist Circuit

After an introductory hymn, etc, the congregation was invited to visit one or more of five prayer tables set up in the church:

1. News station (newspaper with marker pen, pray by circling articles);
2. Quiet space (sheets with action or symbol prayers such as breathing prayers, use of stones and water, etc);
3. Liturgy station
4. Arts station (drawing materials to draw prayer);
5. Drama station 

Also each attender had a prayer sheet with bullet-points to write their personal prayers against.

Much to our relief, people immediately started to beetle round to the tables and, after about 20 minutes, the arts were presented and displayed as prayer, the dramas were performed, including one from the children, and the prayer sheets and marked newspapers presented with the offering.

We tried to make it easier on those who might feel uncomfortable with some of these new ideas by using older well known hymns, emphasizing that people need not leave their seats but could simply use the prayer sheets. The prayer tables were placed in the middle of the chairs which allowed for better accessibility than, say, at the front of the church. 

*Used with permission from our friends at The Methodist Church UK