Prayer Prayer

Ms DunlopMs Dunlop

Oct 2012 Oct 2012

Prayer Prayer

o Prayer is communication with God.Prayer is communication with God.Prayer is Prayer is about talking to God about anything, about talking to God about anything, anywhere, at anytime. anywhere, at anytime.

o It can be asking God for something, It can be asking God for something, thanking God or just asking Him a question. thanking God or just asking Him a question. Prayer does not need to be formal it can be Prayer does not need to be formal it can be like chatting to a friend.like chatting to a friend.

Vocal Prayer Vocal Prayer

1.Personal prayer1.Personal prayer

Personal Prayer is when Personal Prayer is when Christians pray on their Christians pray on their own. God will hear own. God will hear them and answer them them and answer them when they pray in this when they pray in this way. Christians may way. Christians may pray aloud (vocal) or pray aloud (vocal) or they may pray silently.they may pray silently.

Vocal Prayer Vocal Prayer

2. Communal prayer 2. Communal prayer This type of prayer takes This type of prayer takes

place when members place when members of any religious of any religious tradition gather as a tradition gather as a faith community. faith community. Together they say the Together they say the formal prayers of the formal prayers of the church that everyone church that everyone knows.knows.

B2’s communal prayers of B2’s communal prayers of intensions.intensions.

The Lords Prayer, Christian The Lords Prayer, Christian tradition tradition

Our Father, Who art in heavenOur Father, Who art in heaven

Hallowed be Thy Name;Hallowed be Thy Name;

Thy kingdom come,Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done,Thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us;as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. Amen.but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The lords prayer in IrishThe lords prayer in Irish

Ár n-Athair Ár n-Athair

Ár n-Athair atá ar neamh,Ár n-Athair atá ar neamh,

Go naofar d'ainim,Go naofar d'ainim,

Go dtagfadh do ríocht,Go dtagfadh do ríocht,

Go ndéantar do thoil ar an talamhGo ndéantar do thoil ar an talamh

mar a dhéantar ar neamh.mar a dhéantar ar neamh.

Ár n-arán laethúil tabhair dúinn inniu,Ár n-arán laethúil tabhair dúinn inniu,

agus maith dúinn ár bhfiachaagus maith dúinn ár bhfiacha

mar a mhaithimidne dár bhféichiúna féinmar a mhaithimidne dár bhféichiúna féin

(Ach ná lig sinn i gcathú,(Ach ná lig sinn i gcathú,

ach saor sinn ó olc,)ach saor sinn ó olc,)

Islamic tradition Islamic tradition

Praised be to Allah, The Cherisher and Praised be to Allah, The Cherisher and Sustainer of the World: Most Gracious, Most Sustainer of the World: Most Gracious, Most Merciful: Master of the Day of Judgement. Merciful: Master of the Day of Judgement. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek. Show us the straight way, the way of seek. Show us the straight way, the way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, Those portion is not wrath, And who Grace, Those portion is not wrath, And who go not astray.go not astray.

Meditation Meditation

During meditative prayer During meditative prayer Christians will sit quietly, Christians will sit quietly, normally alone, and focus normally alone, and focus on God. Some Christians on God. Some Christians will use words of the Bible will use words of the Bible to help them concentrate to help them concentrate their mind on God. The their mind on God. The person quietly gives their person quietly gives their attention to God using their attention to God using their thoughts, their feeling and thoughts, their feeling and their imagination.their imagination.

ContemplationContemplation

Focusing one’s heart/ Focusing one’s heart/ feelings and being at rest feelings and being at rest with a particular subject or with a particular subject or story. Christian story. Christian contemplation brings contemplation brings Christian closer to God Christian closer to God and to Jesus Christ. and to Jesus Christ. Contemplative prayer Contemplative prayer allows a person to relax allows a person to relax into the awareness that into the awareness that God is just there.God is just there.

3 P’s of prayer 3 P’s of prayer

Sometimes people find it difficult to pray. They find Sometimes people find it difficult to pray. They find it difficult to make the time and space to pray. it difficult to make the time and space to pray. Prayer needs practice, patience and persistence. Prayer needs practice, patience and persistence. Jesus urged his followers to pray and not to give Jesus urged his followers to pray and not to give up: “Then Jesus told them a parable about their up: “Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.” (Luke need to pray always and not to lose heart.” (Luke 18:1) Pray can be difficult because it seems like 18:1) Pray can be difficult because it seems like there is no immediate answer. However Jesus there is no immediate answer. However Jesus said, if you believe you will receive whatever you said, if you believe you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer (Matthew 21:22)ask for in prayer (Matthew 21:22)

Challenges to Prayer Challenges to Prayer

1. Not everything that people want is good for them . God can not be expected to give a 1. Not everything that people want is good for them . God can not be expected to give a person something that is bad. person something that is bad.

Challenges to Prayer