24-7 Prayer-in YOUR school
So it’s Thursday morning and once again I unlock the prayer room at Cathedral school Wakefield bleary-eyed. I have a tidy up, mop up sand and water that has spilt and restick the post-it notes on the map that have fallen off. As I do so I read some of the heartfelt and honest prayers that students have posted. Notes of love, requests for forgiveness - and most of all supplication for justice and rescue for the people of Haiti after the devastating earthquake. It has been a fantastic week and God has really blessed this sacred space in school with frequent staff and student visitors. During lessons on prayer with year 7,8 & 9 we discussed what prayer is, why might we pray and how do you do it. We hope students discovered that there is no ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ way to do prayer. When the students were asked what they liked about the prayer room these were some of the comments:
I like the prayer tent because I feel like I am hidden away from everything and just with God’
I like it when you drop the stone in the water imagining you’re letting go of all your worries’
The world map because you can see everythuing in the world at once’
We’ve also had the chance to pray for specific anonymous requests made by staff and students. The next question is, what next? A lot of people have just said they want the room to stay like it permanently. Before tomorrow after school when we de-rig the room, a friend is coming to see the prayer room, as she prepares to create another 24-7 prayer room in a school in Leeds in March. And so the prayer meeting continues…
Introducing the week…
Before the event, the dates were in the diary and our office gradually filled up with random objects that were actually resources we were collecting for the 24-7 prayer room we were planning in school. As i picked my way through fairy lights and post it notes I pondered- how do I describe to 1000 students what this ‘prayer room’ concept was?! We were given the assembly slots the week before for each year group and so we showed a short video and used the Florence and the Machine version of ‘You’ve got the Love’ to introduce the week. It was really important for us to inspire the students about engaging with prayer in creative ways and making it relevant for them.
If you are interested in running a prayer space in your school but unsure where to start, why not email schools@24-7prayer.com.
Thanks for letting us know Becky, sounds like a significant week for the school and makes all the prep you put in worthwhile! Look forward to hearing what happens from here!
Sounds great. Nice one!
In the run up to half term we ran a prayer room in one of the high schools I regularly work in in Leeds. We ran lessons for RE looking at prayer and spirituality and I was constantly overwelmed by the depth pupils were willing to share in front of a class of peers. Both staff and students commented on how much pupils had to deal with, having read their shared prayers. Their desire, a desperation even, for someone to be listening. I used the resources I found on schoolswork.co.uk with those in the 24-7 pack, which made the bringing together of activites much easier. God was in it all otherwise it just wouldn’t have happened, and I look forward to hearing the stories of answered prayer as I return to school this term. If you’re thinking of running a room, push some doors, talk to some people, visit a running prayer room in school, these guys at schoolswork and 24-7 are great support and there might even be someone doing the same local to you too!