Praying Together Initiative

What is prayer? In my experience prayer is both personal and corporate. It comes naturally for some and not so naturally for others.

I am thankful that as a child I was taught to pray. This involved closing my eyes and praying either out loud, or in my head if I was by myself. I learned two prayers by rote: The Lord’s Prayer and our family grace (I knew it was time to change the grace I used when at the age of 18, I said my telephone number instead of grace) and prayer that was conversational.

Philippians 4:6b says to pray ‘in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God’. This reminds me that prayer is about the whole of life.

It has taken me a lot longer to discover that there are many ways that we can pray. I like to pray when I walk in nature. I also find it helpful to write prayers. For some reason, as I put pen to paper I am able to pour out my heart to God, and yes, I even write what I think God is saying back to me. Prayer can be a list, it can be music, it can be poetry, it can be while exercising.

As part of our response to He Waka Eke Noa—All of Us Together as a territory, we will host seven online prayer meetings where we can gather online to pray together.

These will last only 30 minutes, but resources will be available to help people to continue praying after that. And because we know everyone connects with our God differently, at each gathering a new way to pray will be introduced—everything from using The Songbook of The Salvation Army to action prayers.

As we continue to learn what it means to practise our faith— all of us together—why not explore new ways to pray and join us for our online ‘Praying Together’ meetings.

Lt-Colonel Liz GainsfordTerritorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development

Philippians 4:6–7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (NIV)

Kaua e mānukanuka ki tētahi mea; engari i ngā mea katoa whakaaturia ki te Atua ngā mea e matea ai e koutou, i runga i te karakia, i te īnoi, me te whakawhetai hoki. Ā, mā te mārie o te Atua, e kore nei e taea te whakaaro, e tiaki ō koutou ngākau, ō koutou hinengaro, i roto i a Karaiti Īhu (PT).

Aua ne‘i popole outou i se mea e tasi, a ia faailoa atu o outou manao i mea uma lava i le Atua, i le tatalo, ma le faatoga, atoa ma le faafetai. O le manuia foi mai le Atua, o loo silisili lava i mea uma e manatu i ai, e leoleoina ai o outou loto atoa ma o outou mafaufau ia Keriso Iesu (OTP)

Neongo pe ko e hā ‘a e me‘a, ‘oua te mou lotomo‘ua ai; ka ‘i he me‘a kotoa pē tuku ke hā ki he ‘Otua ho‘omou ngaahi kole, ‘i he lotu mo e hūfia, pea fai mo e fakafeta‘i. Pea ko e nonga ‘a e ‘Otua, ‘a ia ‘oku mama‘o ‘i he tatae ‘o e ‘atamai kotoa pē, te ne malu‘i homou loto mo ho‘omou ngaahi fakakaukau ‘ia Kalaisi Sīsū (TMB).

Dou kakua sara ni lomaocaoca; ia e na ka kecega me vakatakilai vua na Kalou na nomudou kerekere e na masu kei na dau cikecike kei na vakavinavinaka. Ia na vakacegu ni Kalou, sa uasivia na ka kecega e kilai rawa, ena vakataudeitaka na yalomudou kei na lomamudou e na vuku i Karisito Jisu (FOV)

Koi cheej ke chinta nai karo, lekin sab cheej ke waaste preya karo. Dhanbaad se aapan preya aur jon cheej mañgta hei, Parmeshwar ke aage rakkho. Jab ke tum Yeeshu Maseeh ke hei, Parmeshwar tumme saanti ke u aasheesh dei jon koi nai puura samjhe saki. Aur wahi saanti tumhaar soch aur keise mahsuus karta hei uspe kaabu kari (FRHNT)