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Stations of Prayer (Variation on "Art Museum")

The General Idea
This works much like a fitness circuit or a trip through an art museum. Participants will move individually or in designated groups to “prayer stations” that are posted on the wall (or the floor, or both) around the sanctuary on printed or flipchart pages with instructions on how to pray at that particular station. I’ve led this type of prayer several times and it works well because it gives specific instructions for prayer at each station, keeps people moving and active (and less likely to get sleepy or bored), and is not driven by a leader holding a microphone and drowning out everyone else who is trying to pray.

Materials Needed
  • Prepared flipchart pages or printed pages
  • Tape
Using the instructions below, create several stations around the sanctuary with a specific prayer focus at each one by printing the instructions on the page and taping them to the wall or floor.

Prior to the service, you will create “prayer stations” around the sanctuary by taping pages on the wall (or the floor, or both) with instructions on how to pray at that particular station. You will then divide the congregation into groups of 5-7 people or let them pray individually by moving from station to station.

For those using groups, the groups pray at the stations for the designated time periods that is announced by the leader. (This activity also helps those who are in a group together get to know each other better.) Assign a group leader for each group by selecting the person whose birthday comes next in the year or who traveled the farthest to the church. The group leader’s job is to make sure the group stays focused and observes time limits.

To start, one group should be at each station. When instructed to begin, group leaders will guide the group by making sure they read the instructions and pray according to the instructions. You must set a specific time for each station, probably about seven minutes. Make sure and announce the time left a couple of times, especially when there is one minute left. Watch the groups and if necessary, give more or less time depending on how engaged they are. You should walk around the sanctuary and listen in on groups to make sure things are going well and that they understand the instructions.

Ideas for Stations

  • Various continents and the missionaries who serve those areas of the world (could include their newsletters or emails sent to the church)
  • Various leaders (church, schools, local, state, and national government leaders)
  • Various churches in the community
  • Various needs or ministries in the church (healing, salvation, jobs, businesses, youth, or Sunday School)
  • Various areas of spiritual growth (e.g., one station for each fruit of the Spirit)

Tips for this Activity

  • After putting the people into groups, give them an icebreaker to get acquainted briefly before they begin the prayer activities.
  • If you have people who may be uncomfortable praying with others, let them know it is OK if they do not feel ready to pray yet.
  • For those who are physically unable to get around, create a group for people who need to sit in one spot. Have some extra sheets prepared that you can hand to this group that will instruct them on how to pray that are the same as the flip chart pages.
  • This can also be conducted as a self-paced prayer where people can come at any time during the particular day and complete the “prayer circuit."
This is a variation on a review activity called, "Art Museum," where learning groups display a flipchart page of their work in a learning activity. Participants walk around and observe the work as they would in an art museum.
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