“...AND THEN THERE WERE THREES”:
Prayer Triplets: A Way Forward ?
This scheme is one of the strongly recommended fruits of the lively discussions around the Five Practices.
Why more prayer ? We already pray in Church services, Class Meetings etc (but don’t often get the chance to contribute our own prayers). Our Church has a Saturday Prayer Meeting at 9.30 a.m. (but this is not a convenient time for everyone). We pray daily at home (all of us ?) and can also be part of the Prayer Chain (but it’s not always easy to discipline ourselves, we don’t learn from other people’s experience and we can grow stale).
So what’s a Prayer Triplet ? Three people meeting at mutually agreed times in each other’s homes, every 1, 2, 3 or – at most – 4 weeks. We’d spend, say, 30 minutes in prayer together (plus another 30 – or more ? – with coffee, cake, conversation...). Banner Cross could have 50 Triplets !
Why 3 people ? Enough to provide a variety of experience, not too many to get together regularly.
So what do we pray about ? Whatever is on our mind and heart: local or world needs, what’s happening in our Church or neighbourhood, some special concern we’ve been asked to pray for...
Is it confidential ? Yes.
I don’t think I can pray aloud with other people (for 10 minutes each ?!!) Name a person or situation and then remain silent/read a prayer (from Bible/hymnbook/lots of other material)/light a candle/look at a picture....
Suppose we don’t really get on ? Groups not set in stone. Opportunities to change every X months ?
How to start ? The Leadership Team would like to know once Triplets are set up so that prayer requests can be passed on. If you can’t think of “obvious” partners straight away, I shall be happy to act as a link (2552825 or lbginn706@waitrose.com). Tell me your preferred time (e.g. “a weekday afternoon”, “evenings except Tuesdays and Thursdays”...) and I’ll do my best.
The original Prayer Triplet ? : God the Holy Trinity. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, evermore.
Lawrie Ginn (for Leadership Team)