Try Praying

 
What is prayer? Check out this poem written and performed by Storm Hargreaves, an intern with Youth for Christ and YouthInc. 
 

Our building is open and you are welcome to come in and pray or just enjoy a moment of peace - but God is always present wherever you are and always attentive. Christians believe it is good to pray to God at any time.

This page shows some ways in which you can pray. Do try them out.

If you would like us to pray for you, please fill in the form here. 

If you would like to pray but don't know where to start, here are some suggestions:

The Lord's Prayer

You could start with the Lord's Prayer. It goes like this:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

A short broadcast service of Daily Prayer from the Church of England

You can listen to and take part in a daily prayer service from the Church of England here. Well worth your time. 

Written Daily Offices from the Church of England

Or if you prefer to read text, then services for any time of day (called the Daily Offices) can be found here - morning, during the day, evening and night prayer.

Pray As You Go

Or try the short daily prayer podcast from Pray As You Go here. Some music - different styles every day - a short scripture reading and brief guided prayer. Lots of people find it really helpful. Highly recommended.

Prayers for any situation

And finally, if there is something particular on your mind, and you want a prayer that captures what you want to say, then look here - all sorts of prayers for every situation. 

Other prayer resources

Reflections from Sue Durakin here on studying prayer practices during our Lent Course 2020 led by Romie Ridley.

Creative Prayers

St Andrew's Juniors have been exploring creative ways to pray, as shown below. All prayer activities can be viewed on our weekly videos on our YouTube channel here.

Bless to us, O Lord
the earth beneath our feet.

Bless to us, O Lord
the path we tread:

our walk this day with the Father;
our walk this day with Christ;
our walk this day with the spirit.
Amen

 

Labyrinth prayers

Make & walk a labyrinth

Inside or outside, using rope, string or pebbles. Make it as large as the space and resources allow – you should be able to walk along the path. A labyrinth is not a maze, which has multiple paths and dead ends and is designed to confuse and trap. A labyrinth has one path that leads to the centre and back out again. There is one entrance and one exit and you can’t get lost. It symbolises the journey of life and can be a helpful prayer tool. Invite others in your family to walk the path, imagining that Jesus is walking with you. Pray that Jesus will show you the way in your daily life. Jesus, show us the way. Help us to follow you. Be our guide. 

Coffee bean prayer tree

You will need: a glass jar, a twig with a few branches, a handful of coffee beans & stones, card cut into the shape of a coffee bean, pens, string or ribbon.

1. Fill your glass jar with a layer of stones. Add a branch. Add more stones then a top layer of coffee beans, if you have them.
2. Put your card into coffee bean shapes.
3. Write your prayers on the beans and tie them to your prayer tree.
4. Pray for –  our country; those who are ill; those who are alone; our families; our friends; ourselves.

Heart prayers

Take a shallow tray and pour in salt, flour, sugar or fine sand. Smooth it out to make the surface flat. Invite everyone to use a lolly stick or finger to draw a heart and a plus sign, as you say:

Lord,
may we always love you
and follow your commandments.
Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ,
you have called us to love God
and love our neighbours as ourselves.
Give us the Holy Spirit
to help us follow your commandments
and to live in peace, hope and love.
Amen. 

Cupcake prayers

You will need: a variety of empty cupcake cases; a bowl filled with water; pens. 

Choose a cupcake case and write or draw a prayer on the cupcake. Fill a bowl with water. Add your cupcake prayers to the water, giving God your prayers to God. Finish your time of prayer with these two prayers:

Holy Spirit, you are welcome.
Come among us like a wind,
like a fire, like a dove.
Come gently or come boldly.
We are waiting for you.
Amen.

Holy Spirit:
wild wind, tongues of fire,
words of inspiration,
fill us with your confidence and energy,
and make us a blessing to the world.
Amen.

Glitter water bottle prayers

Make reflection bottles by filling small bottles with water, a teaspoon of glycerine or a few squeezes of soap and coloured glitter. Shake the bottles and watch as the glitter settles as you pray:

Jesus, 
may we give glory to you always. 
Amen.

Paper Doll Prayers

Make a set of paper dolls (where they are joined at the hands and feet). On each of the paper dolls, pray for the world, the nation, our community, our families, our friends, ourselves. Thank Jesus for his promise to be with us always. And end the time of prayer with:

Dear God, may I
Live
In
Faith
Eternally. 
Amen.

Send us out stepping feet

Remembering that God is with us in difficult times

You will need: coloured paper or cardboard, pencils, scissors, pens.

1. Draw round both of your feet on the paper and cut them out. 
2. Write ‘Do not worry’ on one foot and ‘God is with me’ on the other.
3. Stand with your paper feet in front of you. Pray: ‘Sometimes we have to step out and do things we don’t find easy.’ 
4. Step onto first footprint. Pray: ‘Help us to remember, God, that you are always with us.’ 
5. Step onto second footprint. Pray: 'Amen.'

Laying down our worries 

We can often feel worried about things. But we can take anything we feel anxious about to God, and leave it with him.

 You will need: paper or post it notes, pencils, a cross.

1. On your post it note or piece of paper, draw pictures and symbols of things you are concerned about, e.g. situations, future events. Alternatively, write a word prayer.
2. Place your prayers on the cross. If you don’t have a cross, why not make one from card?
3. Pray 

Calm in the boat 

Pray for calm in the storms of life

You will need: A4 paper, pens, the template here, blue paper or a mirror.

1. Using the template, make some boats.
2. On each boat, write the name of somebody who might need Jesus to bring calm in a storm. Put the boats all together on a large piece of blue paper or a mirror. 
3. Pray:

May God, who never sleeps,
watch over us, encourage us,
and keep us safe,
now and for ever. 
Amen.

Prayers: Tower of blessings            

A prayer activity to ask for God’s blessing on people

You will need: Duplo or Lego blocks and sticky labels/small pieces of paper and sticky tac, pens.

1. Write on labels the names of people they would like God to bless and stick each name onto a Lego block. Alternatively, write names on paper ‘bricks’ to stick on a wall.
2. Build a tower with the blocks. Each time someone adds a block to the tower, ask God to bless that person.
3. Stand around the completed tower and say together, ‘Lord, bless these people. Amen.’
4. Pray: 

You will need: an assortment of different buttons, coloured paper, glue.

1. Pick up a button; think of all those who are going through a hard time. Ask God to help them.
2. Buttons are used to fasten clothes together. Ask God to bring together people who have fallen out and moved apart from each other. Pray that He will bring peace.
3. Look at your button. See how many holes it has. Think of all the good things in your life and thank God for his blessings.
4. Look at the colour of your button and say thank you to God for something of the same colour e.g. green -apple/grass; blue – sky/sea etc!
5. Group buttons of the same colour and thank God for families. Ask God to bless them and help them to live together and to love each other.
6. Sort the buttons so that you can see their differences. Thank God for making everyone different and for giving us all different gifts
7. Glue the buttons into a heart shape on your piece of paper. Thank God for our Church family.  Ask God to bless and protect us.