Thank heavens for the excellent resources at Blackburn diocese! I really recommend their weekly@ materials, especially if you are a smaller church, like we are, where you have a wide range of ages in the same children's group. Plus it is free!
I have written some all-age prayers that can be used with a whole congregation, basing the idea on the Paper Aeroplane Challenge Game in their lesson plan for this Sunday (September 2nd).
These prayers are based on the theme of 'letting go' of what keeps us from God and keeping our hearts focussed on Him. They fit roughly with Mark 7: 1-8, 14, 15, 21-23 (this week's gospel reading), but could easily stand alone.
You will need: a piece of paper and a pen/ pencil for each person (A6 size paper should be fine)
- Ask each person to write their name and the name of someone they want to pray for on the piece of paper. They will be praying for themselves and for that person.
- Ask everyone to make a paper plane with the paper. You might need to demonstrate for some people and some others will inevitably make something incredibly fancy!
- Ask everyone to hold their plane as you pray.
God, we love you and we want to come closer to you. Help us to let go of the things that keep us from focusing our hearts more fully on you.
Help us to
let go of
fear,
let go of
the need for power,
let go of
friendships that hurt us,
let go of
habits and addictions that cause us and others harm,
let go of greed,
let go of
anger
let go of
jealousy
let go of lying
let go of
laziness
let go of
hatred
let go of
selfishness
let go of
pride
let go of
gossip
Amen
- Now ask everyone to draw a heart on their plane.
As we let go of those things that keep us away, help us to
bring our hearts closer to you, Lord God
- Ask everyone to let go of their plane and watch it fly as an Amen!
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