Torch of Faith
Unceasing Prayer
in Framland Deanery
Mission Partnership
The Vision
As the Olympics hurtle towards us the image of the Olympic torch gives us a model for a prayer pattern across our Mission Partnership, in the wake of the 24-7 Prayer Rooms. At the last meeting for the participants in both leading Your Church into Growth (LYCIG) courses, we came up with the idea of a wave of prayer, moving across every benefice. But how would it work? We had a number of suggestions, but the following principles have emerged:
- While all prayer is a good thing, it would be easy to lapse into pure self-indulgence if it is not also linked to mission. Prayer equips us to go out and further the Kingdom, rather than just feeling good about ourselves. This was noticeable from the 24-7, when there was a distinct move “from me to mission”.
- However, at the other end of the scale prayer is not a matter of us trying to twist God’s arm to prop up various human-driven priorities. In other words, we are not confined to intercessory prayer linked to specific outcomes: we are about listening to God more than we are about speaking and making requests.
- While it would be great to have a prayer room that moved from one place to another, there are practical complications with this approach if we are envisaging physically shifting the contents and re-displaying items, especially if this were supposed to happen every 24 hours!
- We are therefore looking more to open up a series of prayer rooms that stay in one place, available all the time, but with specific times when a rota of prayer would be operated.
- Finally, it is important that we do not just slot prayer in when it is convenient to us, but are actually prepared to prioritise prayer, even when it is inconvenient and difficult.
The proposal
- Every benefice in the deanery would commit to allocating a space in one church that is permanently set up with Prayer Room resources. This might not necessarily be as extensive as during the 24-7, but a minimum requirement would be:
Comfortable chair(s)
Basic tea and coffee-making equipment
A few devotional books/pictures
Some simple art materials, pens and pencils and paper
Pinboard (and pins!) for prayers to be put up and/or more space for artwork
There could of course be much more! If a day or more of rota-based prayer slots was envisaged, so that the area was always attended, there could be candles and matches, and more valuable items on loan….These might be known as Torch of Faith days!
- The allocated church would offer regular days of prayer with booked prayer slots to be filled, which would be supported not just by the local parish but also by the entire benefice. This would help to accustom people who are unused to 24-7 prayer rooms to the idea of continuous prayer and its benefits, preparing the way for a more extended period or even a local 24-7.
- Committed days of prayer could be linked to specific calendar events, e.g. patronal festivals, church festivals, local issues, world events….and local people could be approached on a “Say one for me” basis in the run-up to the allocated day. After the day, prayer requests could be put up in churches or shared among congregational members for further prayer. (Great way to involve the housebound in a prayer ministry!) We would publicise specific prayer days so that the torch of faith could be seen to be blazing in many places, sometimes simultaneously, other times in succession.
- Sue Paterson and Richard King would be available to help initiate the prayer rooms, but there would need to be a local co-ordinator in each benefice to maintain the space and re-stock it periodically.
- The Torch of Faith prayer rooms could be extended into other events: experience says that in the wake of listening to God people often want to do more, so the prayer rooms could be a source of generosity and greater commitment in a parish….
FOR FURTHER DETAILS OF PRAYER ROOMS IN CHURCHES ACROSS THE DEANERY
FOLLOW THE LINKS BELOW!
Ab Kettleby with Holwell and Asfordby
The Benefice of South Framland
The 24/7 Prayer Room