1. Praying Aloud
Distribute paper & cards – 15 seconds – share –

2. What is prayer?

3. What is prayer? A fantastic gift from our loving God.
A wonderful opportunity for God’s people to confess their faith that there IS a God.
An invitation from God for us to share our hopes, dreams, and desires as we seek to live our faith.
God wants us to ask, knock, and seek

4. Praying written prayers

5. Praying written prayers:
Read them before you pray.
Note punctuation
Mark important words
Pray them several times
Memorize

6. PRAYING WRITTEN PRAYERS
Almighty God, you have knit your people together in one communion in the mystical body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

7. Sources for prayers
Scripture
Psalms
Liturgy
Books on prayer

8. Praying from the heart Be disciplined in prayer Focus on the need
Have an outline of prayer

9. A possible prayer outline
Say hello to God
Say something about God
Tell what you need
What you hope to happen when that need is fulfilled
Say goodbye

10. Prayers full of vim, vigor and Spirit
Don’t be afraid to express your feelings
Make certain the feelings don’t overwhelm
Know this: THERE ARE NO RULE AND/OR REGULATIONS FOR OUR PRAYERS!
Praise be to God!

11. Don’t forget posture Kneeling
Lifting up of your hands in praise or supplication
Silence
Holding hands

12. Resources The Scriptures Sundays and Seasons
Evangelical Lutheran Worship
He sent leanness, by David Head