1 week

1 classroom

10 hours

7 volunteers

5 packets of Alka- Selters

100s of post-it notes

4 stations

200 children

1 amazing opportunity

Last month our church (St Mildred’s in Lee, South East London) had the fantastic privilege of setting up an interactive prayer space within one of the classrooms at Baring Primary School in Lee as part of their RE week.

Using a gazebo, fairy lights, uplighters and lots and lots of material we were able to transform one of their classrooms into a prayer space where each child from year 1 upwards spent at least 20 minutes during the week. There were 4 zones within the room; Thanks, Sorry, Please and Quiet each with a couple of activities designed to encourage people to reflect, think and talk to God. This was a totally new venture for the school and the church but the response of the children and the teachers has been overwhelmingly positive.

One of the children asked me if we could have it all the time because they really like the fact there was some where they could come and talk to God. Here are some of their thoughts in their own words.

How would you describe the prayer space in four words;
“People respecting their God”
“Fun, exciting, nice, magnificent”
“Quiet, holy, clever, fun”
“Very, very, very good”

What did it teach you about the Christian view of prayer and/or God?
“That we can have a time out to talk to God”
“That it was just as important to pray as to do anything else”
“God is connected to everyone”
“That God does listen to us”
“That you can have your own time with him”
“That he will forgive our sins and that he loves us!”
“That God is always there”
“It helped me understand why people believe in God”

And the main way in which it could have been a better experience was;
“By going there more often!”

Those who volunteered too were deeply moved by the prayers, questions and thoughts that the children shared.
Here are some of their stories
“One year 6 child asked if they can still forgive someone who is dead, she went away knowing that she can”
“Another year 6 was upset at thinking about someone she had done wrong and asked if God forgives her does it mean that the person forgive her too. She went away knowing God forgives and she can try saying sorry or doing something kind for the person”
“‘Help me control my anger’ – this was one girl’s prayer. I said that I would pray for her at home, and she knew that it was only God who could help her”
“One girl asked to be able to concentrate better, she says this is a real problem for her, we talked about praying herself in class”

We set up a plasma ball and allowed the children to play with it and reflect upon what it might teach us about God and how he responds to us this is what some of them said;
“Outside is God, the lines are people’s prayers, they go out to God and he listens to them”
“When you touch the ball it is like prayer – the line lights up, he talks to you and you talk to him”
“The centre is like God’s brain, the lines are his power and thoughts about people, when someone prays the line lights up and there is a stronger connection between you and God”

My prayer is that this experience will not be a one week wonder but it would have had a profound and lasting effect on these children’s lives, bringing them closer to their loving Creator."

Lizzie Peto is the Youth and Children’s Worker at St Mildred’s Lee, South East London.

Posted by Phil

Phil Togwell lives in a large community house in Romford (UK) with his family (three daughters - Megan, Poppy and Angel, and one wife - Emma) and various visitors and pilgrims... exploring and experimenting with rhythms of prayer, mission, hospitality, life together. Phil is learning to cook, slowly. He likes curries, mountains, lengthy late-night conversations and reading books. He dislikes cats. Phil leads 24-7 Prayer's UK team and the Prayer Spaces in Schools team.