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Prayer Stations for God@Work: St MaryÕs Church,
March 20th Ð 24th 2007
Sally Dakin & Paula Pocock
| Focus of prayer station | ÔInstructionsÕ | Equipment |
| 1. me at work | Spend some time looking at yourself in the mirror. Who do you see? Who do your colleagues see? Who does God see? | mirror |
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| 2. me and my work | Have a look at these pieces of office equipment. Do you identify with any of them? - is there one which does a job or has a role similar to yours? How do you feel about the comparison?! | stapler, staple remover, erasing solution, Tip-pex, highlighter, bulldog clip, elastic band, sellotape, glue, scissors, calculator, etc |
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| 3. me and my work | What could you thank God for at work? Colleagues? Clients? Job satisfaction? Creativity? Write something to be thankful for on a Post-It and stick it on the sign. | ÔMen at WorkÕ road sign, Post-It notes, pens |
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| 4. sorry re work | You may be aware of ÔlitterÕ in your life that youÕd like to get rid of Ð things you do at work which arenÕt rightÉ unhelpful attitudesÉ unhealthy habitsÉ Write down whatever you are willing to say goodbye to, and acknowledge it before God. When youÕre ready, put the paper in the paper shredder and turn the handle. | A6 paper, pencils, eraser, paper shredder, waste bin |
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| 5. sorry re work | Switch the kettle on and watch as the water heats up to boiling point Ð and then subsides. Do you sometimes get all hot and bothered at work? Or all steamed up? Or do you boil with anger or resentment? Talk to God about how you feel and behave, and why. What does God want to say to you? | glass kettle, extension lead, distilled water |
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| 6. me at work | Do you sometimes take time out at the water cooler? Take time to become aware of the thirst in your life. Are you thirsty? What is it that you long for? Pour yourself some water and drink it slowly, asking God to satisfy your deepest desires... | water cooler, plastic cups, bin |
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| 7. me and my work | If you had to choose an object to represent your job, what would you choose? Are you willing to offer your work to God Ð and to do it for him? If so, hold your chosen object as you pray, and ask God to help youÉ ÒWhatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the LordÓ Colossians 3:23 | tools related to various jobs/professions, eg stethoscope, chefÕs hat, computer mouse, paintbrush, hairdryer, tape measure, bucket, red pen, bubble wrap, fire extinguisher, Fairy liquid, hard hat, Fragile tape, chalk, train timetable, rubber gloves, etc |
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| 8. me and my work | Consider the seasons of the gardenerÕs year and the seasons of your life. What time is it now in your life? What do you need to do? Is it time to dig? to plant? to water? to weed? to prune? to harvest? Let God speak to you through these toolsÉ ask him to make you willing to do whatever is needed... | gardening tools, seeds, bulbs, watering can, gloves, sacking... |
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| 9. me and my work | Take a bit of sandpaper and let it represent the things you find hardest at work Ð write them on the back of your square if youÕd like to. Reflect on how God might be using those things in your life to make you more attractive and useful, just as a carpenter uses sandpaper to finish the productÉ | bits of sandpaper, pencils |
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| 10. my work and my life | Take as many threads as you like, choosing each to represent a particular ÔthreadÕ in your life. As you look as your collection, think about how the different parts of your life fit togetherÉ which seems to be the most important? Which gets the most of your time and energy and money? Tie them up and take them with you when you go. | threads, strings, etc. |
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| 11. my work and my life | Imagine that these scales represent your Ôwork-life balanceÕ. Which way do the scales tend to tip? Ð use some marbles to create that effect. What would you have to do to achieve a better work-life balance? Move the marbles around until the scales balance Ð and ask God to help you to do this for real. | symmetrical scales, marbles |
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| 12. my work and my life | Money... what is it? Take time to handle these coins and banknotes; consider their significance; imagine their history Ð and their connection with work. What does money mean to you? Think and pray about your relationship with it: what is good and what is not so good? | lots of coins & paper money of various currencies, piggy bank |
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| 13. me and my work | Think about all the feelings, both positive and negative, which you have about your work. Which of these feelings are you most often aware of? Take a CD and make it into a pie-chart, with different-sized slices representing your feelings. Offer the whole ÔpieÕ to God, and perhaps talk to him about some of the feelingsÉ | CDs, felt-tips |
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14. me at work | How do you feel about time when youÕre at work? Which is your favourite time of day? Which is your worst time? When does time seem to fly? And when does it drag? Is there a particular time of day youÕd like to talk to God about? | egg-timer, cardboard clock-face |
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| 15. me and my work | What do you worry about at work Ð both now and as you think about the future? Choose a snake or a spider to represent something you feel anxious or fearful about, and consider what it would mean to surrender that fear to God and to trust his love for you. When youÕre ready, hand it over to him, and take time to receive his peace. | snakes & spiders |
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| 16. me and my work | What are your thoughts and feelings as you think ahead about your work? Are you willing to offer it all to God? | giant five-year wall-planner |
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| 17. my colleagues | Who do these shoes remind you of? Can you find a pair that represents your boss?! Think of someone from your work: imagine what itÕs like to be in their shoesÉ what are their concerns? their hopes and fears? Take a moment to pray for themÉ | lots of different shoes |
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| 18. my colleagues | Take a strip of paper people to represent a particular work team Ð decorate them if youÕd like to! Then pray for the individuals, and for the team as a whole. | paper people, felt-tips |
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| 19. work in the world | Take a moment to look at these words and images, and think about the pain and suffering which can be associated with work Ð or the lack of it. Pray for those who are suffering todayÉ | mounted newspaper headlines and magazine pictures about the negative side of work Ð exploitation, greed, redundancy, unemployment, etc |