Firestarters: Praying for Children and Young People

Firestarters – Praying into Childhood
Can we reach the young people in our nation? Can we give hope to children in our churches? Can we bring a new generation back to God? God’s answer is clear:

‘If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.’

Firestarters is about prayer! If parents, children, adults, teachers, church leaders and worshippers all join together in crying out to God he promises to bring change. We want to see the fire of the Holy Spirit moving and working in the lives of children in our churches and communities. 

Firestarters is a national project to encourage the nation to pray into childhood. A day offering a range of prayer ideas for key churches and cathedrals across the nation is being made available. The resources can be used flexibly, with people of all ages taking part in some of the prayer activities on offer for the whole day or just a few minutes.

Firestarters Launch Day was in February 2004 at Southwell Minster, Nottinghamshire. There have since been Firestarters days in churches across the country, and the ideas have been used in many training and prayer events.

A Firestarters Day is a day for people of all ages to choose from a range of prayer ideas and activities located all around the church, cathedral or room. There will be things to touch, read, listen to and say. Some activities can be done alone, others with a group. All are aimed to help focus on childhood. 

Firestarters – All-age Resources for Prayer Days

The Aim
Firestarters began as a set of resources principally aimed at large churches and Cathedrals who set aside a day for prayer and reflection. During that time visitors can wander around, do as many prayer activities as they choose, and spend time refection of childhood. However, many ideas have proved adaptable and are usable during worship, as part of training events, or set up in smaller churches and other venues.

Introduction
The Firestarters Prayer ideas and suggestions provide an opportunity for children, families and individuals to take part in activities which relate to prayer on the theme of children and childhood.  

Active Prayer Points
The Active Prayer Points are designed for families to do together, children to work on with assistance, or adults to work on individually. There do not need to be leaders at each Prayer Point, with users expected to lead themselves through the activity following the instructions given.  

The Activities
The range and number of activities is growing all the time, and therefore it is worth returning and checking regularly.

Firestarters Flame collage
Materials: large flame shape on the floor made of paper or card, paper, glue sticks, scissors, pens and crayons

‘Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire which spread out and touched each person there.’ Acts 2:3

The flame symbolises the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and the movement of the Holy Spirit now. The aim of Firestarters is to pray that flame into the lives of children.  

·    Think about the good things about life – friends, family, countryside, flowers, etc
·    Draw some of the good things you have thought of and cut them out
·    Stick them on to the flame on the floor
·    Make a small flame and stick it to the large one
·    Spend some time quietly thanking God for the good things about your life

Candle Prayers
Materials: large lit candle, candle prayer cards, pencils, ‘words’ sheets

Words and phrases on individual sheets: sadness, darkness, abuse, sorrow, pain, suffering, light, love, care, hope, family, forgiveness, relief, happiness, healing, recovery, safety.

‘Jesus said ‘ I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.’’ John 8:12

The light of Christ came into the world to shine in all dark places and sad situations. As we remember children we think of Jesus the light, and ask his light to shine in the pain that some children face.

·    Look at the flame of the large candle shining and bringing light
·    Look at the words on the wall
·    Write a prayer on the candle card for you to take and say at home using some of the words on the wall.

Love for the World
Materials: large inflatable earth or globe

‘O Lord, our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world’ Psalm 8:1

The world was made by God, and it is beautiful. At one time it was perfect, but things have gone wrong and the world in not the great place it once was. This was not how God meant it to be. Sometimes children are particularly damaged and hurt by things t5hat happen in the world.

·    Look at the world and try to find places you have been to, places you have heard about, and places you would like to visit
·    Imagine the pain God feels when he sees his perfect world going wrong
·    Think about children in other parts of the world
·    Hold or hug the world silently for a short while, thinking of all of the children in the world, and particularly those who are suffering.

Prints for Children
Materials: thin dark paint, wet wipes, towels, floor covering, sheets with a child outline shape

‘We know that we are children of God’ 1 John 5:19

Our finger-prints are special to us, and no-one anywhere has a finger-print like yours! As we put our fingerprint onto the shape of a child we recognise that we, and all people including children, are precious to God. 

·    Dip a finger into some paint
·    Mark a child outline with your finger-print
·    As you do so say out-loud ‘We know that we are children of God’

Field of Children
Materials: Small cardboard figures, pens, tray of damp sand or heavy soil, prayer on a large sheet: ‘God, please use ….. Help him/her work for you’.

‘ …we are all God’s fellow workers.’ 1 Corinthians 3:9

God calls us all to work for him and to bring the joy of knowing him to others. We can all do something for God, however young or old we may be. As we place children into the tray, we can imagine adding soldiers to God’s army.

·    Take a child shape
·    Write the name of a child on it
·    Place them into the soil or sand, adding them to God’s army of workers
·    Quietly pray ‘God, please use …… Help him/her work for you’.

Growing Hands
Materials: paper of mixed colours, pens, glue, scissors, green paper backdrop with flower and plant stalks and leaves drawn on

‘God created us to grow in beauty’

Children are loved by God. He wants them to grow in beauty, and to be happy and complete. Each of us can help all children to grow and blossom.

·    Take a piece of paper and draw around your hand
·    Cut out the hand shape
·    Stick the hand shape on to the backdrop as a flower
·    Sit quietly looking at the ‘flowers’, think of a child you know and care about, and say ‘God created ….. to grow in beauty’. If you are a child use your own name.

Bubble Prayers
Materials: bubble-blowing tubs, profiles (below) printed out on large sheets.

‘I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father’.

Jesus promises to hear our prayers and act on them. As we name Jesus and ask him to be with the children on the profile sheets, or other children known to us, we can be sure that Jesus hears our prayer.

Profile 1: Katie and Emma are from a happy home. Just a few weeks ago their father decided to leave home and live with someone else. Katie and Emma and their mum are all shocked and confused.

Profile 2: Saddim was badly injured in the last was in Iraq, and will never see again. His mother and many other relatives were killed in the fighting.

Profile 3: James has difficulties learning, and his mother sometimes finds it very hard to make James understand. At school he gets teased because he gets special help.

·    Read the three Profiles and try to imagine what life is like for those children
·    Think of a child you know who is going through a difficult time
·    Blow a bubble, and say ‘Jesus, be with ……..(name)’
·    Watch the bubble as, just like our prayers, it rises and vanishes

Out of the mouths
Materials: tape player, tape of short comments about their life made by children, marker pens, flipchart paper

We need to learn to listen to children

Many children have lives full of fun and variety. Some also suffer, go through difficult family times, and are damaged.

·    Listen to the tape of children’s comments for a few minutes
·    Think about the main words or themes you hear
·    Write those and any other words from the comments on the paper
·    Sit and pray silently for the children whose voices you have heard

Quiet Light
Materials: small candles, matches, prayer sheets on display

Prayer (on large sheets): ‘Father God, who created light in our world, bring peace and light to our schools now. Amen’

‘Out of the darkness light shall shine’ 2 Corinthians 4:6a

Schools should be a place of light and enjoyment. However, many children feel pressure or suffer bullying while at school. Teacher and other staff face increasingly difficult workloads and targets. God brings peace to places of unrest and light to darkness. 

·    Think of schools you know, and silently ask God to shine his light into the children and staff
·    Light a candle and say the prayer
·    Watch as your candle flickers and adds to the light

Water of Life
Materials: A large bowl, two smaller bowls of water, small cups, the two prayers below printed onto large sheets

‘I will pour water onto the thirsty land’ Isaiah 44:3

In the Bible the love and power of God is often described as water. Water can be really refreshing when we are thirsty, and it help things grow. God wants all children to be refreshed by him, and to grow well.

Prayer 1: Spirit of God, as we pour this water please fill all the children in our home / church / community. Amen

Prayer 2: Father God, refresh all children and give them new life and a new love for you. Amen

·    Read the two prayers and decide which one you prefer
·    Take a small cup and fill it from one of the smaller bowls
·    Slowly pour the water into the large bowl, saying the prayer as you do so

Focus Flags
Materials: simple flags made with bamboo sticks and thin cloth, with the following on them, one of each: three or four figures and the word ‘family’, plenty of children and the word ‘school’, a group of children with footballs and the word ‘clubs’, and a church building with people and the word ‘church’.

‘Whoever welcomes children in my name welcomes me.’ Mark 9:37

Jesus says good things about those people who spend time with children. Most families really love the children in them, and children are also welcome in many clubs, schools and churches.

·    Pick up the ‘family’ flag, wave it gently, and think about all children you know who are a part of families. Ask God to help both the children, and the parents in that family.
·    Pick up the ‘school’ flag, wave it gently, and think about all the children who go to school. Pray for both the children and all the staff as they care for their pupils.
·    Repeat in a similar way with the other two flags. ‘clubs’ and ‘church’   

Pebble People
Materials: small stones or pebbles, a small mat or piece of carpet

‘…and the whole family was filled with joy.’ Acts 16:34

God’s ideal is that children enjoy being part of a loving and caring family. Families come in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes families are not happy or safe places. 

·    Think of a child and family known to you
·    Pick up a stone and place it on the mat, saying ‘This is a child’
·    Pick up another stone and say ‘This is the child’s mother (or carer)’
·    Pick up another stone and say ‘This is the child’s father’
·    Pick up two more and say ‘This is the child’s family’
·    Pick up two more and say ‘These are the child’s friends’
·    Look at your pile of stones, and quietly think of all the people involved in a family

Children in view
Materials: newspaper collage of stories which include children, other newspaper and magazine articles, cuttings and pictures, scissors, glue

‘I will teach your children and bring them success’ Isaiah 54:13

Children can be successful, but others suffer. Children are often in the news, but it is not always good news. God values children, yet the world so often hurts them and lets them down.

·    Read the headlines and look at the pictures on the collage
·    Think about the stories and pray for those involved
·    Cut out a headline, picture or story about children
·    Stick it to the collage

Walk-through Map
Materials: a floor map of the UK for people to walk on (this is not commercially available, so will need to be made)

‘All the nations that you have created will come and bow down to you; they will praise your greatness’. Psalm 86:9-10

The United Kingdom is made up of countries, regions and counties. We have people from many backgrounds and faiths. The Bible tells us that God made all people, and that one day everyone will be united and worship him. Even now he loves all people in all places, including the young.

·    Look at the map and try to find a place or area where you know a family and children
·    Stand on the area where they live
·    Pray this ‘ I pray for ……… (name the children you know). Thank you, God, that you love them‘
·    Think of another child or family, stand where they come from, say the prayer for them, and so on

Darkness and Peace
Materials: a basic installation based on Psalm 23, similar to an ‘Easter Garden’, the complete text of Psalm 23 (modern version) printed out on large sheets.

God knows that we are all likely to face difficult times, and that includes children. But God also promises to give us rest and refreshment, and help us through the dark, difficult times.

·    Look at the model and read the words of Psalm 23
·    Quietly think about where God is leading the church
·    Think about what times of peace and refreshment children have
·    Consider what the ‘dark valleys’ are for children
·    Pray the last verse of the Psalm, replacing ‘me’, ‘my’ and ‘I’ with the name of a child who is special to you

Blessed are…
Materials: post-it notes, pens, the quotes from the Beatitudes displayed on large sheets

Beatitudes Quotes:
Happy are those who want to do what God says
Happy are those who are not proud or boastful
Happy are those who are kind to others
Happy are those who are pure and live a good life
Happy are those who work for peace

One day Jesus spoke to his followers about how they should live. He said that people could find real happiness deep down if they lived the right way. It is important that children and young people learn to live in the way Jesus described. Some of the things Jesus said are on display here.

·    Read the things Jesus said can make people happy inside
·    Think about which you would like to be like
·    Write your name on a post-it note and stick it near these sayings of Jesus 

Planting a Seed
Materials: sunflower seeds, plastic cups, potting soil, spoons, floor covering

‘Other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew, and produced a good crop.’ Mark 4:8

In order to grow to be strong and healthy seeds need good soil, feeding and watering. In the same way children need comfort and love in order to develop into the people God made them to be. As we plant seeds we pray that children will have all they need to grow well.  

·    Take one of the seeds in your hand
·    Look at it and think of children you are close to
·    Put some soil in a cup and place your seed deep inside it
·    Hold the cup with the seed in it and ask God to help you and any children you know to grow into the people he wants us all to be

The Way Forward
Materials: small pieces of a map (any map will do)

‘Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.’ Proverbs 22:6

Children are on a journey, a long journey through life. It is not easy for them to find the right way, as there will always be choices and difficult decisions to be made. All children need people to help them follow the path that God has got ready for them.

·    Take a piece of map
·    Stand quietly and think of any children you know
·    Holding the map in your hand, commit yourself to do all you can to help children find the right way to go for life

Putting the Pieces Together
Materials: 4 A4 size pictures of a child or children in a range of bad situations of war, sadness or poverty. These can often be founds in newspapers and magazines. Each one should be laminated and then cut up into four or five pieces.

‘He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.’ Psalm 147:3

The world is not always a good place. Children are often the victims of war, poverty and suffering. They may go through more pain and hurt than most adults ever experience.

·    Take a pile of pieces and put them together
·    Think about God’s promise to heal and rebuild even the most damaged of people
·    Silently ask God to bring healing and relief to all children who are suffering

Changing Cultures

Materials: examples of books, toys and games used by children two generations ago and used today (NOTE: If any items are valuable this activity will need supervision), a flipchart or large piece of paper, pens

‘I the Lord do not change’. Malachi 3:6

The world that children are growing up in is changing all the time. Many things which they read or play with were not known even a few years ago. Some of the things which are popular with children may not be safe or suitable.

·    Look at the range of items
·    Consider things which children now do which may not be good
·    Write a simple prayer on the flipchart asking God to protect children from the bad things in today’s culture

Temptation
Materials: a map, compasses, magnets

‘Do not lead us to temptation’ Luke 11:4

There are many things in the world which can lead children and young people in the wrong direction. The pressures they face are legion, and we must constantly pray that they will be protected and go forward with God.

·    Take a compass. The compass will point north.
·    Place it on the map and imagine that the compass is pointing to God and showing you the way.
·    Pick up two magnets and place them on the map, moving them towards the compass
·    Look at what happens to the needle
·    The magnets cause a distraction. Consider what distracts children from God’s way

God’s sweet words
Materials: bowl, honey, Bible

‘The judgements of the Lord….are sweeter than the purest honey’ Psalm 19:9-10

God’s word, containing his laws, rules and judgements are perfect for us, meeting our needs and helping us through. Children need to be helped to taste the sweetness of God’s word and grow to love the Bible.

·    Look at the Bible an the honey
·    Think about how to pass the message of the Bible onto children
·    Dip your finger into the honey and taste the sweetness
·    Ask God to bring the sweetness of his word to children

Protection
Materials: blankets

‘How precious, O God, is your constant love! We find protection in the shadow of your wings’ Psalm 36:7

The world is full of vulnerable children, living on the streets in poverty and open to abuse and violence. Let us pray that they will feel God’s love and protection.

·    Think of how you feel knowing God’s protection for you
·    Wrap yourself in a blanket and imagine a child’s situation
·    Pray for all children who suffer or feel unprotected

Serving children
Materials: towels, bucket, warm water, soap

‘I, your Lord and teacher, have just washed your feet. You, then, should wash one-another’s feet.’ John 13:14

Washing feet was a sign of service and humility, and Jesus was willing to wash the feet of his disciples. So often we’re superior in our attitudes to children and the young, but we are called as adults to serve them and love them with humility.

·    Sit and take a towel
·    Slowly wash your feet, reflecting on the call to serve the young
·    Pray for humility for all who are in contact with children

Home comfort
Materials: pictures of homes from around the world, large cardboard boxes

‘God is our shelter and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble’ Psalm 46:1

There are children who live on the streets in boxes, and others whose homes are made out or rubbish and scrap materials. In The meantime many of us enjoy luxury beyond much of the world’s imagination.

·    Look at the boxes and think of what it means for those to be thought of as ‘home’
·    Be thankful for the comforts the children you know experience
·    Pray for children who do not know what ‘home’ means