Prayer Stations
Once a quarter we have Prayer Stations. Prayer Stations are prayer exercises. We do this to help create space for more of Jesus in your life. The simple practice of prayer is the easiest way to connect to God and to the things of God. We have prepared 5 different creative prayer stations around the campus around the theme of gratitude and harvest. We have provided a guide for each station. Most prayer activities can be done alone, with a partner or within a group or family. Refer to the map for the location of the stations. To begin, meet around the lunch tables. We will sing a few songs and offer a short reflection before we begin with the stations.
Child Care
There will be childcare provided for preschoolers, kindergarteners and for our older diverse learners. For parents and guardians with infants, there is a dedicated space for your children but childcare is not provided. We encourage all ages to do the prayer stations but understand that it may be difficult for some. We will have kid-friendly prayer activities.
Visiting?
If you are a visitor, welcome to Risen! We are so glad that you can join us this unique Sunday. If you are interested in getting connected or simply want to know more about Risen, please fill out our digital connect card and we will follow up. We also invite you to join in and engage with as much as you are comfortable with today in the prayer activities. Grab some coffee and meet around the lunch tables.
Map
Prayer Guide
Station 1
Location: Lunch Tables
Description: Part of what we thank God for this morning is YOU. Each of us is created uniquely in the image of God to love and serve the community of RISEN and to love and serve this city.
Instructions:
Read: Read 1 Peter 4:10 “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
Consider: Prayerfully consider the way God has graced you with unique skills, abilities, experiences and knowledge and how these things help you serve faithfully in your various vocations.
Decorate: Grab a blank pumpkin and decorate it in way that expresses & displays you (write, draw, and color). Include your name. After you finish decorating, place it in the "pumpkin patch" (the table).
Celebrate: Take time to soak in the unique pumpkin patch we have at RISEN and pray for one of these pumpkins to continue to live faithfully as a gift to those they encounter.
Materials:
Pumpkin
Markers
Station 2
Location: Find a quiet place anywhere around the campus to do this activity. Feel free to walk and pray as well.
Description: Breath prayers are a way to connect prayer with breathing, and can be used to express gratitude.
Instructions:
Grab a notecard and a pen from the lunch tables.
Read: Read Psalm 107 ““Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
Reflect: Take one minute — or as long as you need — to reflect on God’s goodness. Where have you seen God’s love, kindness, provision and grace in your life?
Write: On a note card, you will write two phrases. First, write a word or phrase expressing that God is good. Underneath it, write a word or phrase that expresses your response to his goodness. For example:
Line 1: O God, you are faithful to me
Line 2: I give thanks for your love
Inhale & Exhale: Inhale the word or phrase expressing that God is good, and exhale the word or phrase that expresses your response of gratitude. For example:
Inhale: O God, you are faithful to me
Exhale: I give thanks for your love
Repeat this pattern about 5-6 times.
Materials:
Notecard
Pen
Station 3
Location: Lunch Tables. Feel free to also find a quiet spot around the campus.
Description: From a prison cell, the Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Philippian church and was filled with joy by the ways they loved him because of their devotion to the gospel of Christ. Like Paul, we too are formed by our community. The ways we love one another and remind one another about the truths of the gospel, often in the darkest moments, help to shape who we are today.
Instructions:
Grab a Thank You card and a pen from the lunch tables.
Read: Read Philippians 1:3-6 “I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Write: Grab a pen and a note card. Following in Paul's footsteps, ask God to bring to mind someone in your life who you are thankful for because of the way they have encouraged you in your faith journey. Using Paul's formula, write a note of thanksgiving for how they have impacted your life and encourage them to continue on in this good work.
Materials:
Thank You card
Pen
Station 4
Location: Courtyard
Description: Plant seeds as a reminder: As you tenderly care for them, remember that God nurtures your prayers with even greater love and purpose.
Sowing and harvesting offer a beautiful reflection of prayer and its role in our lives. Just as farmers plant seeds with hope for future growth, prayer allows us to sow our hopes, dreams, and needs into God’s hands, trusting that He will nurture them in His perfect timing. We may not always see immediate results, but through prayer, we cultivate a sense of expectation and trust that God is working beneath the surface.
As we sow in hope, we also cultivate hearts of thankfulness—grateful for the growth we've yet to see, and for the blessings we receive along the way. Whether in times of abundance or in seasons of waiting, prayer reminds us to stay rooted in faith, hope, and thankfulness for God's goodness in every stage of life.
Come listen to Aimee Slade share about sowing and harvesting and see a tangible representation of sowing seeds of prayer.
Instructions:
Read 1 Cor. 3:6 “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”
Aimee Slade will provide live instruction for this station at the following times (10:20am, 10:30am, 10:40am)
Station 5
Location: Lunch Tables
Description: We will end our time by praying Psalm 136:1-5, 24-26 together. Gather back together at 11:00am around the lunch tables.
Instructions:
Leader: The leader will read the text in regular font.
Together: The group will read the text in bold font, out loud together.
Psalm 136:1-5, 23-26
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
23 He remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
24 and freed us from our enemies.
His love endures forever.
25 He gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.
Amen.
Station 6
Location: Multi-Purpose Room (MPR)
Description: We give thanks and praise to our God not just because of what he has done, but because of who he is. One of the ways we can give thanks to God is through song.
Instructions:
As you enter this space, here is how you can participate in this prayer station:
Find a Seat: Choose a comfortable spot to sit—either in a chair or on the floor. Make yourself at ease.
Read the Scripture: Take a moment to read Psalm 100.
Psalm 100 A psalm. for giving grateful praise.
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Pray: Pray silently “To you alone, Lord, I give my praise.”
Praise: Thank God by listening and meditating on the lyrics and music.