Prayer Stations on Authentic Community

Here's the stuff I used last Sunday at the Lab for the Introduction to our Authentic Community series. Used four different prayer/worship/reflection stations based on the directions I see a community should/could be looking in: inwards, outwards, upwards and downwards.

Overview of some of my little speaky bit and what each direction means to me is here on the Lab website.

Outwards
Needed: Candles/tealights and lighter/matches.

“In every community there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart there is the power to do it."

Take a moment to read this passage, and then—if you want to commit to shining your own light, then light a candle of your own as a symbol of your commitment.

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Inwards
Needed: Some mask outlines on paper, and a paper shredder (this is really cool!) or bin to get rid of them in.

“There can be no vulnerability without risk; there can be no community without vulnerability; there can be no peace, and ultimately no life, without community.”

Think for a moment about any barriers you might put up to stop yourself being vulnerable - or to make yourself look good to others. Draw or write them onto the mask outline—and then when you are finished, dispose of it.

Lord, help me to let others see me as You see me, and help them to love me despite my weaknesses.

Upwards
Needed: Laptop/PC with the words to Psalm 66 in a word processing program.

Rewrite a couple of the verses from Psalm 66 on the computer. Think about how you could make them personal to you and to us.

Downwards
Needed: MegaBlocks or Lego or something...

What role do you think you fulfil in the group? What skills and gifts do you have that you could bring?

Take a moment to think about the gifts that you have and whether you are sharing them with others—and whether you would like to.

Place a building block in the wall as a symbol of your commitment to be part of the rest of the group.

There we go...