Mapping Connections -Prayer Station

I had the honor to design the worship services and prayer room for PSYM (Perkins School of Youth Ministry) earlier this month. I thought I would post the directions and photos of the stations I created that were in the prayer room for anyone interested in duplicating or being inspired by them for your own ministry setting. Here's the first one:

Mapping Connections:

Supplies:  List of cities attendees are from (optional), glue dots, buttons (so that the map could be reused without holes -push pins would be another option), laminated map (I always like to use laminated when I can so that it can be reused), package tags (or scrap paper), pens, Instructions

Set-Up: Map with buttons where people are from already attached (optional - I did not pre-pin for this event)

Directions: Often we are connected to people and don’t even realize it. Take a moment to look at the pins on the map. Do you have a connection to one of the cities other then were you are from? Is someone else from a city that you’ve taken a mission trip to or that you were born in or went to school in? Write your connection on a piece of paper and pin it near the city on the map. Say a prayer for the person from there. Check back again to see who else has made connections.

Please feel free to borrow and tweak these stations for your own group. Make comments to let me know how they've worked in your context.

liturgy of uncertainty

In 'this time of economic crisis,' a phrase I hear so much today, how do we do liturgy? How do we write liturgy for the people in a place of uncertainty -both employed and unemployed. There isn't a community of faith anywhere that is not feeling the effects in someway. Either member(s) of the community have been laid off, others in their companies or families have, donations are down, spirits are down, etc. For the few that are fiscally unaffected, spirits hurt for those around. For wanting to uplift and assist and not knowing how. I don't have the answers yet, though I've begun thinking/creating liturgy for these times. In the meantime, friend and mentor Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow posted the following: Pray with me . . . God of the very breath we breathe let your peace be known amidst the economic chaos of the day be with those bound by worry and anxiety be with those facing loss of food and shelter be with those who are desperate and panic-filled be with those who turn away from the stranger be with those who cling to apathy and comfort be with those leaning more on self than on You be with us all as we strive to live lives worthy of Your grace be with all your children, Lord be with all your children And let your peace be known, Lord let your peace be known.. Amen Lord here our prayers. Please feel free to leave prayers here. Please, feel free to leave prayers here as well. Let the liturgy begin as we all live faithfully through these times.