Prayer Spaces in our Churchyards

There are now prayer spaces in the churchyards of St Margaret’s and SS Philip and James, featuring 2 'interactive' approaches - prayer stones and prayer boxes.

Prayer stones take the form of a cairn, a small pile of stones. Parishioners and passers-by can simply sit and contemplate, or use stones provided, or bring their own. The Team says:

"You may like to express your prayers by painting a picture or symbol and/ or writing some words or just one word. You could use words from the Bible – the Psalms are a rich source of inspiration.

"Bring your prayer stones and leave them either in the porch at SS Philip and James or by the steps at St Margaret’s and we will arrange them. There will be some stones in both places for you to use if you do not have your own – do please remember to wash them and your hands to keep safe."

Prayer boxes, where people can post prayers on slips of paper, are a way to pray twice - once as an individual, and once via Sunday Service Intercessions. The Team says:

"Along with the opportunity to be creative with praying stones there will also be prayer boxes for you to leave a written prayer in if you so wish. We will remove the prayers on a weekly basis and use them in our Sunday Service Intercessions (prayers we pray on behalf of others).

"You may wish to add your name or remain anonymous, either is perfectly ok. We can bring to God a need or an emotion, God understands all things.

"Of course we can pray anywhere – all space is God’s space - but you may like to sit a while on one of the seats in St Margaret’s Churchyards and dwell in the peace. At SS Philip and James there will be a chair in the porch for the same purpose.

"It goes without saying that we still need to be careful in protecting ourselves and others and so we ask you to be vigilant at all times, using sanitiser on your hands and the place where you have sat. We will leave some gel or wipes for you to use. Be blessed as you pray."