The Children’s and Youth Work team is launching a new prayer initiative for young people.
Everyone is invited to ‘Pray Like Paul’ with and for United Reformed Church (URC) Youth throughout Lent, from Ash Wednesday on 22 February, through to Easter Sunday on 9 April.
Dr Sam Richards, Head of Children’s and Youth Work explains what the initiative is all about.
“In his letters to Timothy, a young man mentored and commissioned into leadership, Paul gives us an example of praying with and for young people,” Sam said.
“If congregations are asking ‘where are the young people?’ we must ask ‘have you come alongside them in prayer?’
“Paul prays for Timothy constantly and our challenge to the URC is to pray with and for young people daily across the season of Lent.”
Churches are being asked to use this prayer each week and to encourage people to pray every day throughout Lent.
Loving God,
you promise to be with us when two or three gather together in your name;
hear us as we pray with young people for the church and the world.
Give us faith like Paul,
to pray to you for the young people of our church
that we may be a place and a people
where they are encouraged, empowered and equipped
to play their part in the mission of God.
Prepare us to hear you through them
and to be led by their example closer to you.
Meet us in our prayers, in Jesus’ name.
Amen
Prayers written by young people, inviting the church to pray for things that concern and matter to them, will be posted on the URC Children’s and Youth Work Facebook page across Lent.
“We need to be listening to and standing with young people as they engage with the world – offering faith, hope and love and sharing the good news of Jesus,” added Dr Richards.
Find full details of the initiative here.