Pray and Say

Pray & Say is a simple process to help and support children as they share their faith with their friends.

There are three elements to the PRAY AND SAY resources:

• This Leaders’ Booklet. This gives some reasons why peer faith-sharing is important, and provides ideas to help children pray for their friends during your group sessions.
• Bookmark for children. This is for children to use regularly as a reminder of the need to pray for their friends. There are spaces for them to write the names of three friends on them.
• Booklet for children. The ‘What do we believe?’ booklet gives children encouragement to pray regularly for their friends, and enables them to speak to their friends through giving some thoughts and answers to common questions.  

Before children can share their faith with their friends they need to get into the habit of praying for them specifically and by name – the PRAY part of this.  The aim of the first part of PRAY AND SAY is that children will get into the habit of praying for their friends who do not share their Christian faith, a habit that may last throughout their lives. This habit is encouraged by the Bookmark, and by prayer activities in the group. With prayer and determination the children can then share their faith with their friends, the SAY element, and invite them to suitable, attractive special events.

PRAY AND SAY is based on the premise that children can communicate their faith to their peers more effectively than adults can. With the underpinning of prayer this can be really effective.

Here are some reasons why children can effectively reach children:

• They have an honesty, simplicity and integrity
• They have credibility
• They can be direct and have the courage to speak out
• They speak in the right language
• They share the same lifestyles
• They have the same problems
• They can be seen to not know all the answers
• They are not an authority figure (adult)
• They can invite and take friends to church events

PRAY AND SAY packs are available from the Diocese. For a sample pack with a copy of the Leaders’ Booklet, Children’s Booklet, and Bookmark contact Sylvia Shrive sshrive@southwell.anglican.org