Prayer Ministries at Council Tree
We at Council Tree are a praying people. We would love to share some of the ways that we engage with prayer as part of our larger mission: Embracing and Connecting the Hungry to be Known and Nourished.
Prayer Guides
These guides contain prayer themes that we can engage with throughout the year, either together or individually.
Some Prayer Practices to Try
The following are a handful of prayer practices that might help you engage prayer in a new way. These practices were highlighted by our denomination in the first half of 2024 and can be found at https://covchurch.org/prayer/ along with several other prayer resources from our denomination, the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Some of these prayer practices might be things you are familiar with, while others might be new to you. We encourage you to give them a try. If they feel a little uncomfortable at first, that’s okay. You can try again. If you try it out and it just doesn’t work for you, that’s okay, too. You’re free to move on.
Prayer Practice 1: Lectio Divina
This prayer practice is praying the Scriptures, sometimes called lectio divina. It can be summed up in five simple steps:
Read. Read a Bible passage slowly and carefully.
Meditate. Dwell upon a spiritual reality within the text.
Pray. Have a loving conversation with God.
Contemplate. Rest in God’s presence.
Act. Go and do likewise.
Here are some Scripture prompts to consider starting with. Feel free to select one each day, or spend time throughout the day on different passages.
Jeremiah 11:18-20
Psalm 23
Matthew 28:1-10
John 8:51-59
Hebrews 10:16-25
Prayer Practice 2: Centering Prayer
This prayer practice is contemplative prayer, sometimes called centering prayer. It is a meditative practice that can help us connect with God through a word or phrase. This time of prayer can take time to settle into, especially if you are feeling hurried. So feel free to start small, taking three to five minutes for the practice, and increase time as you are comfortable. Many people begin their day with centering prayer, spending 20-30 minutes centering themselves before the Lord.
How to Practice Centering Prayer
Choose a word. This word, called a sacred word, represents your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within you. Invite the Holy Spirit to help you choose a word—usually, one or two syllables work well, such as Abba, Jesus, Father, love, listen, peace, mercy, let go, faith, or trust. Or instead of using a word, you may prefer to focus on your breath or gaze inwardly toward God’s presence. Whatever you select, try to stick with it through the time you spend in prayer.
Introduce the word. Sit comfortably with your eyes closed. Briefly take the time to settle yourself. Then silently, inwardly, introduce the sacred word.
Settle deeply into prayer. Continue to sit quietly, simply resting in God’s presence. As you sit, you may notice sensations in your body, feelings, images, reflections, or other thoughts. As you become aware of these things, gently return to the sacred word.
Gently conclude the time of prayer. Once the prayer is over, gently open your eyes. You may want to end your time in prayer by reciting the Lord’s Prayer aloud.
Prayer Practice 3: Prayer Walk
This is a practice that helps us intentionally pray as we are outside and immersed in God’s presence by walking in nature. Below are some ways to engage in prayer as you walk around your community park, neighborhood, or even on a treadmill.
Ask God to Reveal
Lord, what do you need from me / your people in this time and place?
Who within my community are you moving in today?
What are unseen barriers to your work here?
Ask God to Renew
Pray for the renewal of your own faith.
Pray for the renewal of the Church.
Pray for the renewal of leaders in your community.
Ask God for Revival
Pray for kairos (meaning the right time, season, or opportunity) moments to come clearly to the Church.
Pray for boldness in proclaiming the good news of Jesus.
Pray for the renewal of faith for friends and family.
Prayer Practice 4: Prayer of Examen
The Examen is a reflection on the day to help us discern God’s presence and direction. The ancient prayer rhythm was created by Saint Ignatius to check in and reflect on what God was revealing to you throughout the day. Many people use a condensed version of this prayer practice when they connect with their “highs and lows” of the day.
How to Pray the Examen
Place yourself in God’s presence. Give thanks to God for his great love for you
Pray for the grace to understand how God is acting in your life
Review your day — recall specific moments and your feelings at the time
Reflect on what you did, said, or thought in those instances. Were you drawing closer to God, or further away?
Look toward tomorrow — consider how you might collaborate more effectively with God’s plan. Be specific, and if so led, write down anything that God has shared with you.
To help you with this practice, here is a short, six-minute video to guide your prayer time.
Prayer Practice 5: The Silence Prayer
This practice is simply being with God in silence. It is different from the contemplative practice as the goal is not meditation or focus, but one of being emptied to receive. This will be an easier shift for those working through the contemplative practice, as you have already been practicing a quiet posture and space. To further clarify, this is also not silent prayer, where you are actively engaging in requests, praise, adoration, etc.
The point of this practice is simply to sit and be present to whatever God will pour out or reveal. Like the contemplative practice, it involves finding a quiet place and a comfortable posture to help your body rest well. In contemplative practices, we focus on a word or a short phrase to keep connected to a meditative mindset. The silence practice leads us to be fully emptied, ready to receive a word from God.
To try this prayer practice:
Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably.
Relax (this might be the hardest step!) and just be present with the silence.
Start small (1-2 minutes) and build to 8-10 minutes.
Keep a journal of what you have heard from God during these times. If possible, share with friends and family what you have learned.
Prayer Practice 6: Praying the Hours
This practice can be found in the Old Testament, and can also be called the Daily Office. We witness Jesus actively engaging in this practice as he prayed the Psalms. Praying the hours is a daily rhythm of pausing to pray throughout the day, for example at morning, noon, and evening. The psalmists offer rich expressions of God’s love intertwined with the human experience, so it makes perfect sense that they are the traditional entry point to engage in this practice.
Practice Praying the Hours
There are many ways that you can engage with this practice. One way is to stop to pray in the morning, midday, and evening. Here is one way to try this practice.
Morning Prayer: A prayer of thanksgiving to start your day.
Midday: Read through one psalm each day and reflect on what God may be saying to you.
Evening Prayer: A prayer of blessing for the day.
