By Caroline Tucker
When life gets busy, prayer and other spiritual practices are often put to the side until life slows down a little bit. Prayer offers a much-needed pause in our often hectic and chaotic world; however, it can be difficult to find that moment of pause in our busy day to day lives. I have found that if I do not make time in my busy day to pause and pray, that moment of pause will inevitably fill up with something else. That’s one reason why I appreciate the structure behind our church calendar! The church calendar provides opportunities for moments of prayer during the different seasons (ex/ Advent and Lent). Lent is a season of preparation for the death and resurrection of Christ. How do we prepare? Through moments of pause and prayer both individually AND together!
Prayer takes intentionality, as does intergenerational ministry. Intergenerational ministry is ministry that reaches and engages all ages in the same worship or activity. Although age specific programming is needed, it is also important to provide moments for all of the congregation to worship and pray together. As I plan programming for the children and youth of our congregation, the following passage has echoed in my mind.
Then children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them, but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” And he laid his hands on them and went on his way. (Matthew 19:13-15)
Not only did Jesus let the children come to him, but he prayed for and with them! Throughout his ministry, Jesus set an example for how we are to treat one another, including the children of our congregation.
This season of Lent, I will be pairing children of the congregation and adults of the congregation to be prayer partners with one another. My hope for the Prayer Partners is threefold. One, I hope that this provides the children with an opportunity to learn how to pray for and with others. Two, it is my hope that this provides both the adults and children of the congregation an opportunity to pause and pray this season of Lent. Three, it is my hope to teach the children of our congregation that spiritual practices and prayer are not just for adults but for all ages.
How will this work? I will coordinate with the parents to sign their children up. Adults can sign up to be a prayer partner by emailing/calling me or the church office. The Prayer Partners will last from Sunday February 18th to Sunday March 31st. All that this will require is that you leave a note for your prayer partner each week in the prayer mailbox that will be in the parlor. We will start with a spaghetti lunch on February 18th to meet one another and to learn how this will work. Do not worry if you are not able to make every Sunday during Lent to deliver your prayer letter. Prayer letters can be dropped off any day during the week if you are not able to come Sunday, or I will be happy to deliver/pick up prayer letters if needed.
I hope that you will consider being a Prayer Partner this season of Lent.
With peace,
Pastor Caroline
Click here for more information. Also, feel free to email Pastor Caroline at caroline@fbcmartinsville.com.
Click below to watch the prayer partner video: