The Healing Prayer Ministry is crafting a booklet of short prayers to be used by those wishing to pray each day during Lent, perhaps considering this a Lenten discipline to undertake.  Each day’s prayer is based on a personal, community-oriented or world-oriented need, or a ministry need here at St. Michael’s.  Examples would be praying for peace, praying for our country’s leaders, praying for St. Michael’s, etc.  Ministry prayer examples would be praying for our generous outreach and recipients, or praying for peace in South Sudan.  The compiled prayers are intended to be read and expanded upon as one adds their own requests and lifts them up to God.  How wonderful to have the people of St. Michael’s praying for our ministries, causes, people, and heartfelt concerns that surround us far and near.

Submit your simple prayer by January 31 to Greg Smith. Prayers should be short, typically 4-6 sentences.  For continuity in format, all titles will start Pray for…  There will be one prayer for each of the 40 days of Lent and one for each Sunday of Lent.  If your prayer coincides with a specific day in Lent, please specify that.  Ministries will be identified, but the identity of writers of the prayers will not.

It’s good to remember that prayers don’t need to be complicated.  God already knows our hearts and our requests.  Prayer is a heartfelt, mindful conversation with God.  It may not be a monologue either.  Take time to listen and ponder what you “hear” back from God.  He just may have a response for you.

Submission deadline is Wednesday, January 31. Email your submission to Greg Smith at .  

Example prayer:

Pray for family and loved ones.

Heavenly Father, I pray for my family and loved ones today.  May they be protected from all danger and harm, and may they be strong in warding off temptations or harmful choices.  I pray that they will encounter joy, encouragement, positive relationships, and validation in who they are and in what they do today.  In their encounters throughout the day, I pray that they will be thoughtful of others and compassionate to those in need of a friend or a helping hand.  And at the end of the day, I pray that they will be forever mindful of their blessings and give thanks to You.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.