A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY: ENRICHING YOUR LIFE THROUGH PRAYER
Grace and peace to you,
As we enter fully into the season of Lent, I am reminded that Lent is a time where we are invited to be more intentional about our relationship with God, Jesus, Holy Spirit. It asks us to be intentional with ourselves too. How do we feel invited by God to be in relationship with the Trinity and with each other?
One way to be more intentional about our 
relationships is through contemplative practices, particularly prayer practices. Prayer can take many forms – praying with Scripture (lectio divina) or with visual images (visio divina).
We can practice what is known as contemplative prayer: a silent, wordless, and receptive practice designed to foster an intimate, experiential connection with God’s presence. It moves beyond intellectual reflection (meditation) to a state of simply being with God, often described as “resting in God” or “loving gazing”. It cultivates inner silence, deepens faith, and encourages a “listening attitude”.
Intercessory prayer is another way to be intentional about our relationships with the Trinity and with each other. In this form of prayer, we pray for the needs of others. Our Prayers of the People that we pray each Sunday is a form of intercessory prayer.
We have so many opportunities at the church building to be in prayer individually and with one another. Throughout Lent, we are making available a contemplative space in the Chapel for you to use as your prayer space if you so wish. You can do that independently or in a group. There are ways to engage in each of those prayer practices. The Chapel is open during office hours and on Sunday mornings. Additionally, if you are coming for a rehearsal or committee meeting, feel free to stop in the room. (The Chapel is on the lower level and we have directional signs for you.)
Another way is to be part of a prayer team that prays for the church, for the congregation, for the staff, for whatever the Holy Spirit lays upon your hearts. For the past year, there has been such a team praying in this way, gathering in-person and on Zoom when needed.
This past Wednesday was their last gathering as a team and they now invite others to form a team. What would it look like to have one or more teams praying for the church in this time of transition? What might come from that? There is no training needed to pray – it really is practicing being in God’s presence with words, or silence, or any other type of expression. Please email me if you are interested in being on a prayer team.
Additionally, if you are looking to deepen your prayer life, consider meeting with one of our Spiritual Directors to discover prayer practices that can guide/mentor you in doing that. You can contact them at SpiritualDirection@fpc-bethlehem.org.
We have one other room for you (room 206 – across the hall from the church office) and that is a creative room where you can practice praying while drawing or painting with watercolors, coloring a mandala, working with pipe cleaners – what will you create as you talk with God?
Prayer is powerful, but so many times we are only comfortable praying on our own or praying together in worship. Praying in a group is a powerful experience. I have been fortunate to have prayer partners who gather every Thursday morning on Zoom for intercessory prayer. It has enriched my life and my relationship with the Trinity and my neighbors, and I am grateful for the practice.
I invite you to engage in prayer this Lenten season. May it be an enriching experience for you.
Blessings,
Pastor Karen