May 2012: How to pray
welcome/intro
starting point for this service and the last two: a challenge from visiting german pastors about how does grace use the lords prayer
bible readings:
the bible puts the lords prayer in two slightly different contexts:
matthew 6
luke 11
animated cartoon of lord's prayer in aramaic
how do we talk to god?
group discussion:
how do you talk to god?
do you pray the lord's prayer on your own?
when did you learn the lords prayer?
did you learn it as:
1. a child who grew up as a christian
2. a child who only became a christian as an adult
3. an adult who never learned it as a child
how does this affect your understanding of the prayer?
get feedback
individual vs collective
jesus said "when you pray, go into your room and close the door" but what he suggests we pray is "give us... forgive us... lead us..."
what do you pray for alone?
what do you pray for with friends?
what do you pray for with a whole church?
how are they different?
babbling like pagans
when we repeat the lords prayer as a set text, are we guilty of the kind of 'empty repetition'/ 'babbling like pagans' that jesus warned us against?
which version do you say? should there be 'versions'?
lord's prayer as bullet points
bad powerpoint version
versions of lords prayer - different translations, text message competition winners
when we say the lords prayer quickly, are we praying?
how slowly should we say it?
say the lord's prayer very slowly as a meditation
stations
ladybird lords prayer book images - one per station
makes 14 stations
each has a question derived from the verse on the book image
eg 'our father' - how do you think of god as father?
'hallowed' - what do you understand by the word 'hallowed'? how do you hallow god?
collect a bead at each one
thread it to make prayer beads
write your own lords prayer
introduce section
something about structure of the lords prayer to help people frame their versions [eg orientation, worship/thanks, obedience, our own needs, forgiveness/relationship, protection] - could go on screen
bookmark cards to write on - precut, we provide pens/decorative material
read some out at end
closing prayer
Help us Lord to lead our lives according to your will and scriptures graciously given to us.
Lord, help us.
Father, give us wisdom to understand your word and law and to be able to implement it in the world we are living in today.
Father, give us wisdom.
Guide us, Holy Spirit, to always be righteous and fair to one another and to be as non-judgmental as is humanly possible.
Guide us, Holy Spirit.
We are but forgiven sinners, set free by your amazing and undeserved sacrifice, loving Jesus. Forgive us if we struggle to stay on the Way of Love.
Jesus, please forgive us.
Creator, let us respect your amazing gift, our wonderful globe. Help us to be good stewards of this amazing planet, so it still would be a fruitful and beautiful garden for generations to live there happily.
Creator, help us and give us wisdom.
Eternal and mighty God, guide us from the Way of Destruction to a life where we live in harmony with ourselves and other creatures of this world.
God, guide us to be mindful.
Lord, accept these prayers for the sake of your son, Jesus.