8/3/2019 Prayer Without Words

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Prayers Without Words

Picture DialoguesThis is a prayer activity to be conducted in total

silence. Play some meditative, instrumental music

softly in the background.

Give each class member a pencil and a piece of

paper. Have each member draw a simple picture of

himself or herself on the paper. It doesnt have to be

very detailed, but a bit more than a stick person, and

with some identifying features.

Then have each draw a prayer request on the pa-

per. This can be shown in any way they like, but com-

pletely without words.Have members swap their picture with someone

elses. Each person then looks at the picture that they

have been given and the prayer request shown, and

draws a response to the prayer request in any way

they wish.

Have the pictures returned to the original artists

and allow time for reflection on what has been cre-

ated.

It may be beneficial to allow time for the prayer

partners to spend a few moments praying for each

other with words. Then have volunteers share their

experiences.

Pray Dough Prayer 1

Give each member a lump of play dough* or

similar medium.

Have everyone close their eyes and hold the

dough in their hands.Guide their reflections and in-

vite them to mould the dough during the time of

meditation. Suggest that they either work the dough

abstractly as they reflect, or into shapes and objects

suggested by their thoughts.Gently guide their

thoughts through the adoration of God, confession of

their sins, thankfulness, and supplication (prayers for

others).

Afterward, invite volunteers to talk about their

experiences of using the dough as part of their

prayers.

Class members may wish to show what their

dough looks like by the end of the prayer time and to

comment on what they did to the dough and why.

Pray Dough Prayer 2

Give each member a lump of play dough or simi-

lar medium.

Have the class pray silently to God, inviting Him

to show them what He, as the Potter, would like to do

in their lives. As they listen for Gods response, have

them sculpt the dough to symbolize the way in which

God has shaped their life in the past, is shaping it

now, or wants to shape it in the future.

Pass-it-on prayerGather a collection of items that illustrate our

relationship with God, such as a crown, small vine

and branch, toy sheep, or crook, bandage, stain re-

mover, torch, fragrance, bread roll, bottle of water,etc. You will need enough for everyone in the group

to have one.

Give each class member an item and have them

reflect on their relationship with God as they hold the

object given to them. After a minute have them pass

the item to the person on their left and receive an item

from the person on their right.

Allow time to reflect on the new object in the

same way as before.

Do this until everyone has had five different

items. It isnt necessary for everyone to have all of the

items.

This idea can be adapted to use different items orthemes to suit your needs.

Group prayer sculpture

This idea is for the more adventurous classes!

Organize groups of four and assign each a different

kind of prayer as follows:

adoration/praise

confession

thanksgiving

supplication (for self and others)

Have each group create a living

sculpture, using only their own bodies,

to illustrate the aspect they have been

given.

Play some meditative music in the

background.

Then have the group view each sculpture in turn

and prayerfully meditate on the experience.

Karen Holford

Copyright 2006 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists