I started a pop-up prayer space in a school on the 5th January 2023. The school had two separate prayer spaces in the lower and upper parts of their school many years before now, but had been reduced down to just a box on a table that children could post prayers to God into. Whilst it is used like this, the deputy head wanted to revive it somehow.

I didn’t know any of that when I emailed asking if any schools would like to have a permanent prayer space in school that I would manage on a half termly basis.

I chose two topics for the first half-term. One was thinking about other people in the world with Peace Maker and Refugee Rucksack. The second was about themselves and how they view challenges they face with the Hand Challenge and Beatitudes – Resilience.

The school is CofE and prayer is very much a part of their community. However, many children could benefit from the personal individual relationship through the prayer space that they may not feel is what happens in a whole school assembly.

The term seemed to go ok with a few wrinkles that needed sorting. This half-term the activities have already excited the children, and they’ve started to have a go. I’ve also started a prayer space at another school and it has been lovely to see that children have started using it already.

My plan going forward in the next term is to offer it as a permanent solution to other schools that I go into rather than doing end of year prayer spaces my organisation has done historically. I feel that the summer term is always so manic for all the children and teachers that having a prayer space to go in order to focus your thoughts, release your worries and ask for help from the most powerful being that cares for us, just makes sense.

Pray that schools would like to have ongoing prayer spaces in their schools.

I’ve attached some pictures below of what this half-term prayer spaces look like.

You can see the mentioned prayer activities by clicking on the titles here

Peace Maker. Refugee Rucksack. Hand Challenge. Beatitudes – Resilience.

Carry the cross. Simon the helper. Great Commission. My Team.