“Connecting in Prayer” Tomorrow’s Sunday, Sunderland Echo. 13 April 2013.

In school this week we looked at ‘prayer’. As part of worship in tutor groups, students carefully considered topics for a communal prayer tree within school. Each group was given three leaves, for three prayers, to go on to our tree.

The results have been deeply moving and goes to show, once again, that young people have an amazing ability to be sensitive, honest, and open.

However, our school prayer tree has taken shape alongside a very different project that ‘grew’ out of this question: if people respond to writing requests for a physical prayer tree, what could happen if there was a facility to do the same on line?

The result is ‘Digital Prayer Tree’ on Facebook and Twitter. As soon as it went live a number of local people offered to pick up any prayers left, and weave them into their own personal prayer life. So, would anyone visit the pages?

Well, I have to say that at the time of writing, in the first 7 days, Digital Prayer Tree has ‘reached’ over 800 people, with requests for prayers left every day. But for me the most remarkable thing is the large number of people who click on to the page to pray for others each day.

One prayer in particular was accessed by 150 people in just 24 hours. So, why would prayer requests go ‘viral’?

I think its to early to say, but one thing is becoming clear – people pray, people seek prayer, people want to prayer for others, and at difficult times it is to the Lord that many of us turn.

Next week the two prayer trees will be ‘grafted’ together – prayers from our students will be added to the Digital Prayer Tree on line. .

Find Digital Prayer Tree on Twitter:

Tweets by PrayerTreeD

#LetUsPrayTogether

and on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Digital-Prayer-Tree/353710384750502

The Revd Lesley Jones (@revlesleyjones)
NSM Curate, Wearside Team Ministry &
Extended School Co-ordinator at Venerable Bede CE Academy

“Making time to put the kettle on.” Tomorrow’s Sunday, Sunderland Echo. 19th January 2013.

Last week I heard a vicar being interviewed on TV following a tragedy nearby. People were shocked and stunned . The vicar responded by opening up the church to care for residents and workers, and serve hot drinks.

Then he said in a warm sort of way, “We are the Church of England… We put the kettle on, that’s what we do.” In the midst of the sadness I thought this was an interesting way to describe a church at the heart of a community.

It reminded me of families manoeuvring their way through difficult situations over a pot of tea, of school Breakfast Clubs where young people swap stories over mugs of hot chocolate, and sociable folk who love to catch up with friends over coffee.

(A Hot Chocolate from Breakfast Club)

Our behaviour may say a great deal more than we think. There is something about the warmth we experience when we make ourselves totally available to others, and why it was so important for the church to open its doors and get the kettle on.

Explore the Gospels and we find examples of Jesus spending time with people in their homes, at the temple or by a well. Christ mingled with men, women and children from all walks of life – including those on the fringes of society. He was a guest at a wedding, dined with tax collectors and fed over 5,000 people on a hillside.

These accounts direct us towards the importance of hospitality and caring for each other and the gift of being able to spend time together. However, Jesus would also head off on his own to pray, another a good example for us to follow.

When we spend time in fellowship we connect with each other. When we make time to pray, we connect with God. He waits for us to turn our hearts to him, even if it has been a very long time since we last called him “Father.”

So, why not spend some time with God today?

Let us pray…

Rev. Lesley Jones (Sunderland Echo, 19th January 2013)

P.S. It was lovely to receive a letter this week enclosing a creative response to the words above:

Welcome
by Marjorie Llewelyn

The doors open wide and there someone stands
with welcoming smile and outstretched hands.
No trumpet fanfare, no Royal decree,
just come inside, have a cup of tea.

Was it not Jesus who showed us the way?
When in so many other words he did say:-
Let your welcome be warm, your charity free.
Remember my friends, you do this for me.

Thank you Marjorie!