Pray
Prayer is both a central spiritual practice for followers of Jesus, and, for many, one of the most difficult to grasp. It seems like prayer should be simple, just talking to God. But we worry about how we are praying, if we are saying the right words or doing the right things, and we wonder if anyone is really listening.
The practice, Pray, shows us how when we believe that prayer is important enough to worry about messing up, that someone is listening, and that the listener is concerned, we are engaging in supreme acts of trust. Prayer relies on our belief that God cares for us and hears us. This belief shapes us. In this unit, we share our pain, we hear other people’s pain, and are invited to pray for and with them. As we give thanks, we realize how much we truly have to be thankful for and grace is revealed.
Youth Leader's Guide
This leader’s guide is for youth ages 11–18. It contains helpful information for the leader, including information about leading youth, background information about the practice, a note about supplies, and other helpful information for each session. There are symbols for each activity within the session that allow a leader to see at a glance the type of activity and customize each session for their group of youth. Our youth leader guide activity symbols assist the leader in accommodating both concrete- and abstract-thinking youth. Each session includes resource pages that may be copied, printed, or sent out electronically to participants. There are other helpful pieces for youth in the Congregational Guide.
Featured in the Youth Leader’s Guide:
Pray Honestly (Matthew 6:9–13)
Pray Persistently and Humbly (Luke 18:1–14)
Pray with and for Others (James 5:13–16)
Pray with Your Whole Self (2 Samuel 6:12–15; 1 Kings 19:3–6)
