Prayer Stations for a Prayer Chapel

Before we get too far away from the Florida-Bahamas Synod Assembly, let me make a blog post about the prayer chapel I created.  Happily, I had taken careful note of how the prayer chapel looked at the 2019 Assembly:  a collection of stations with prompts for prayers and/or meditation.  I  had no desire to stretch anyone's boundaries about what a prayer chapel could be--and I didn't have any boundary stretching ideas myself.

And let me also acknowledge how hard it is to create prayer chapel ambience out of a cavernous ballroom with lights that can't be dimmed.

Below, I'll print the prompt that was on each table, along with pictures--special thanks to my spouse, who made each table look better.

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Prayer Requests

Write your prayer request on a sticky note and add it to the board. Know that we will be lifting up these prayers as we visit this station, and the sticky notes will be brought to the assembly for the closing worship.

As you look at this collection of prayer requests, let us remember to pray for each other and to pray for those who don't have anyone to pray for them. Let us pray for those who can't right their prayer requests on a sticky note and for those prayers too complicated for a sticky note.






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Praying in color

Use the art supplies and colored paper to pray in images and color. Or doodle or sketch or draw lines/curves/shapes.

What is God saying to you? What are you saying to God?



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Anointing oil

The small bowel contains anointing oil. Take a clean cotton swab from the larg bowel and dip it in the oil. You can put your finger on the oil that is on the swab or you can use the cotton swab as a paintbrush. Make the sign of a cross on your hand or your forehead as you ask God to help and guide you.

Or use these words:

holy hands for holy work

receive this oil as a sign of God's love and faithfulness


Please put your used swabs in the basket.







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Light a candle


Take a candle from the basket and switch it on. Add it to the table. As you watch the light of each flickering candle, pray for those in need.

 


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Scrappy beauty

Think of people and situations that you would like God to transform. Write your yearning for transformation on a slip of paper and crumple it. Add it to the glass vase.

Think about how God's light transforms all the various scraps of our lives into a creation of beauty.







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Scripture speaking


Sit with the Bible for a few minutes. Do you have a favorite passage? Perhaps you want to open to a random passage and meditate on what God might be trying to say to you in this passage.

If you are moved to write about the passage, feel free to use the supplies at this table.

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On this table, you will find many items. Which one speaks to you about your current place in your faith journey?

You might try doing some free writing about the object. For the next 3 minutes, write down anything that comes to mind as you look at the object. You might be surprised what your subconscious offers up when you write this way.

Please leave all the objects for others to experience.

 

Prayer Chapels, Synod Assemblies, and Storms

Soon we will put the last load of stuff in the car and head off to Synod Assembly.  Our assembly at the Florida Bahamas Synod is likely to be very dull, compared to other Synod assemblies that are happening. I am thinking of the Sierra Pacific Assembly, which is breaking so many hearts in so many ways. This year I am grateful for a dull Assembly. Most years, I am grateful for a dull Assembly.

A few months ago, I got it from call from the assistant to the Bishop of my Synod, who asked if I would do the Prayer Chapel. That means being in charge of setting up prayer stations, and I was happy to say yes to the request. I'm headed there not being sure of this space but my stations are flexible. Because it is a dull assembly year, with no election of the Bishop and no social statements guaranteed to provoke discussion, and because it is held over Pentecost, it won't be a high traffic time for a Prayer Chapel. In short, it's a good year to be the one in charge, and it's my first time in charge so I'm glad it's a low key year.

We also have a tropical storm bearing down on our state, so I'm not sure what that will do to attendance. We are leaving early in the morning so that I have time to set up the prayer Chapel. I don't know what decisions others will make.

We will only be gone about 60 hours, but we have packed a lot of stuff. It's not an assembly that has much in the way of free food, and I don't think the hotel has a free breakfast bar.  We're taking food so that we don't have to buy a lot of meals. In the past, at more well attended assemblies, it's been almost impossible to get a meal in the hotel restaurants because they get so crowded with Assembly participants.

It's also a time of rising COVID numbers, so I feel some hesitation about being in big groups. I am double boosted, and I'll have a mask, but I am still wary.

I just walked outside, both to get some masks from the car and to get a wider sense of the sky. There's been some rain overnight, but right now we are not deluged. Hopefully we'll get out of here ahead of the weather.  I'm glad we no longer own our house in a flood zone. I can leave our condo and not be worried about flooding--that would not have been the case with our old house.