This week is Holy Week. Recall that by Friday the disciples were locked in a room together, their hearts were crushed by unmet expectations, they were afraid for their lives, and they were grieving what they could not control. Still, God was present with them. Still, the hope of the resurrection was revealed in a new way. Still, among the chaos….holiness. Beginning on Good Friday to Easter morning we will share in a 36-hour continuous prayer in our homes. And don’t we need to be in prayer right now? How will you pray? Vigil instructions say “Some people spend this Holy Weekend thinking about the darkness and devastation of Good Friday and the pain of grief. Others spend it with a focus on hope and anticipated joy. Still others take the opportunity to look back over the mission and ministry of Jesus and discover new ways to emulate him in their own lives.” The Prayer Vigil is NOT time to fill, it is a time of emptying yourself of the busyness, so that Christ might work within you and the church to bring hope to all the world. The hope is that many of you will add your name to the prayer vigil signup genus (below) and take this opportunity to set aside some of your time to focus on God. When it is close to your turn to pray, prepare your space for prayer: - Have your Bible and if you wish, place other prayer books and a hymnal nearby. If you keep a prayer journal now’s a good time to get it out.
- Gather some photos/pics of people you want to pray for, or grab a church directory.
- Make a list of the people you would like to pray for, leaders, ministries, situations,
- Light a candle. Begin in a way that helps you let go and relax. Take some deep breaths; note the smell of your candle. Listen to some calming sounds like ocean waves or rain, or music.
- You may want to read scriptures, pray hymns, watch a video of a reading of the Passion (several available on YouTube, google passion readings) or use one or two suggestions from this prayer vigil guide: https://parkwayucc.org/wp-
content/uploads/2019/03/36- Hour-Prayer-Vigil-Booklet- Holy-Week-2019-V2.pdf - Remember to leave some moments of silence so that you can listen for God.
Let us listen for the breath of God and wait on God’s abundant mercy.May this time of prayer be a blessing! Follow this link to sign up and choose a spot on the prayer vigil: EASTER PRAYER VIGIL (We will reach out to each of those who do not have email to invite them to choose a spot too.) JMB/Adapted from other resources