Prayer: Reflective Space


Each week we set aside a space in the room set up for the school's lunchtime Quiet Club. Screens separate it from the rest of the room and cushions are placed on the floor.

Cloths are draped over the furniture and a themed display is set up - for example Harvest or Advent. The children are invited to use the space to write or draw a prayer for the prayer tree, or simply come in and be quiet.

We have found that the children treat this space differently and it is used almost every week by some of the group.

Although this reflective space is set up in school it could be adapted for churches or other settings.


Lent


We changed this display every two weeks during the six weeks of Lent. Brown, yellow and desert coloured cloths were hung around the space.

First we had a basket of bread and stones. This was followed by Jesus standing on the model of Jerusalem. Finally Jesus was placed high up, looking down on a map of the world.



Harvest


The display of bright red apples and golden corn sheaf was laid out against a background of dark green cloths.

The children were offered the opportunity to write their thank you prayers on coloured fruit shapes or to add fruit stickers to their prayers.








All Saints


We were lucky to be able to borrow some of the Godly Play figures of the saints and the artefacts and symbols associated with them. These included St Columba with a wooden dove, St Elizabeth of Portugal with a golden crown, St Margaret with a wooden church and St Patrick with a shamrock. We also wrote a brief description of their lives for the children to read.




Christ the King


We used red cloths for the "Kingdom Season" (All Saints to the Sunday of Christ the King)

The display included a crown surrounded by jewels and shimmer stones contrasted with a home made crown of thorns surrounded by nails.

The words asked "What kind of king is Jesus?"