Rainey Prays on Some Days

The General Idea A group of people can meet at a local nature center or wooded trail to have a “prayer hike” through the woods. This can be done as an alternate Sunday School class, midweek activity, or as a special alternate worship activity. Materials Needed --A well-marked, one-half to one-mile circular wooded trail --Group leader --Transportation to and from prayer location Set Up The leader should walk the course ahead of time to get a sense of the elapsed time of the prayer hike and plan stopping points for prayer. Instructions While walking the trail, the leader should select stopping points with various scripture and prayer themes. Tips for this Activity --Some stopping points can be focused on praying all together. Others can be focused on individual activities such as personal prayer, journaling, or making observations about nature. --Select different people to lead in prayer at each stopping point. --Incorporate silence or listening into an activity.

The General Idea At the end of a sermon or teaching, ask participants to complete the following three statements on a 3x5 card:  I will start … I will continue … I will stop ...   Figure: Sample 3x5 Start, Stop, and Continue Card Set Up and Preparation Distribute 3x5 cards and pens/pencils prior to the activity. Instructions Ask each person to write something they should start doing as a result of the sermon; what they will continue doing because it was affirmed in the sermon; and what they will stop doing as a result of the sermon. Then have a time of prayer about the things written on the card. Variations on This Activity Participants can share their start, stop, and continue phrases with a partner, in threes, or small group, and then pray together. Instead of start, stop, and continue, you can have participants respond to the statement: “One thing I can do this week in response to this sermon is . . . “ Participants can bring their cards to th