This prayer walk should not be experienced alone. Since Christmas is often celebrated with family and friends, this prayer walk is best experienced with family members, with a partner or small group. It is designed so that all ages can participate (adults may need to assist younger children when necessary).
The stations are based on three important aspects of Christmas:
- The presence of Christ
- Expressing love and gratitude
- Generosity of spirit and soul
Each station asks the participants to engage in simple activities that will give these aspects deeper meaning as the group shares together.
This prayer walk can be used as an alternative worship service or as a Christmas Eve service.
Introduction
(Meet together and sing Christmas carols, share scripture, and share the aim of this worship experience.)
Aim:
At Christmas time we share our love and gratitude with family and friends. We gather together to enjoy food, fellowship and exchange gifts. This prayer walk encourages us to fellowship with those near and dear to us and to give us the opportunity to develop deeper love and gratitude with each other and Christ.
The prayer walk you are about to experience will help you, in small groups (family/friends) sense the presence of Christ, share love and gratitude to those closest to you, and give strength to your soul.
Here are your instructions:
• Gather with those you want to experience this prayer walk with. Use your discretion. This should be family members but friends can also be “adopted”. You can participate in this worship experience in a group as small as two, but if the group gets larger than 8 to 10 it may lose its focus and intimacy. (Use your discretion.)
• There is no chronological order to the stations; they can be visited in any order.
• When you arrive at a station read the instructions, take whatever supplies needed and move to an area to participate away from the station table to give others the opportunity to engage in the activity.
• When you have completed a station as a group, pray together and move to another station.
• When you have completed all of the stations, return to this united spot for a time of closing worship. When you enter, please take a seat and wait quietly until everyone is finished and taken a seat (You may want to provide music for the singing of Christmas carols until everyone finishes. You may want to consider giving young children paper puzzles to work on until the closing service begins.)
Your closing service can include a Christmas carol and an overview of the prayer walk experience. You may want to participate in a candle lighting service or whatever is traditional for your faith community.
Set up instructions for the 3 stations
Station 1 – PRESENCE
Decorate the station table as desired. Use the instructions provided (link is below) and display them on the table. Provide marker pens and a basket filled with wooden star ornaments (click here to see star ornaments that have been used for this prayer walk). This table should be placed near a Christmas tree or have a table-tree. Once members of the group have shared and added their names to the star, it should be placed on the tree.
Station 2 – WORDS
Decorate the station table as desired. Use the instructions provided (link is below) and display them on the table. Provide Christmas note paper or blank Christmas cards and envelopes in a basket with pens.
Station 3 – GIFT
Decorate the station table as desired. Use the instructions provided (link is below) and display them on the station table. Provide a supply of small boxes (click here to see boxes that have been used for this prayer walk), wrapping paper, tape, ribbon, tags and pens. Also provide a large basket for placing the boxes in once decorated.
