EPC Prayer table cards and photos• We are happy to share these resources with you. We have made

them as a PowerPoint so that you can easily include your own pictures, and translate or adjust the words for your own context.

• Each instruction card is followed by a photo of the table so you can have idea of the items used and how we set them out.

• The photos were not taken at EPC. The tables there had more items and were more attractive, but it will give you an idea of the types of things we included – many supplies were bought from cheap, budget stores, to keep costs low.

• For more information contact Karen Holford at kholford@ted.adventist.org.

Petal BlessingPray a gentle blessing over a friend.Take a handful of fragrant petals and sprinkle them over their hand or head.

As you do so say:• ‘May the Lord bless you and keep you,

and may the fragrance of Jesus’ love fill your heart. May His loving fragrance flow from your heart into the lives of the people around you so that others may experience God’s love.’

• Let them feel the softness of the petals and smell their gentle fragrance.

• Then return the petals to the basket for the next person to use.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Basket, fragrant fabric rose petals (keep them in a

bag with a cotton ball soaked in perfume)

Praying for the WorldYou are praying for someone somewhere in the world. Maybe you are praying for a family member far away, or for a missionary, or for someone working overseas, or for those who are refugees.

Perhaps you are praying for a situation in another country, such as a war zone, or for an area affected by disease, natural disasters, famine, violence or corruption.

• Take a sticky note and write a sentence prayer for the person or part of the world that is on your mind and in your prayers.

• Stick your prayer onto the relevant place on the world map. Feel free to overlap the sticky notes if necessary.

• Read the prayers of others and pray for their concerns too.

Karen HolfordItems needed:

World map, pens, sticky notes

Prayers for HealingThe leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Revelation 22:2 NIV

• Take a leaf-shaped sticky note.• Think of someone you know who needs

physical, spiritual or emotional healing, and write their name on the leaf

• Stick the leaf onto the tree poster as you remember the person in prayer.

• Pray for the other people whose names have been written on the leaves

(if you are doing this in your church or home, add a coloured flower to the leaf when the person is healed. If they sadly die, remember them by sticking a white flower on the leaf and pray for those who are grieving.)

Karen Holford

Items needed:Tree poster or a drawing of a tree, pens,

leaf-shaped sticky notes.(Or put twigs in a vase and make leaf-shaped tags

to hang on the branches)

This tree poster was purchased from CPO as a laminated posterhttps://www.cpo.org.uk/range.aspx?range=4554&prod=C4554MP&pt=10

Washed-Away PrayerWash me and I will be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7 NIV

• Take a square of white cotton fabric.• Use one of the special pens provided and

write a word or symbol on the fabric that represents something you are asking God to forgive.

• Submerge the fabric square in the bowl of water.

• Pray for forgiveness and then remove the piece of fabric from the water. The fabric should now be completely white again.

• Thank God for washing your life with His forgiveness that makes you as white as snow, and gives you a fresh new start.

• Peg the wet fabric on the line to dry.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Water soluble marker pens

(from sewing shops), bowl of water,torn scraps of white fabric.

Clean Heart PrayerI will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean…I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. Eze. 36:25-26 NIV

• Take a ball of clay (play-dough) and shape it into an object that reminds you of something you have done wrong.

• Hold the shape in your hands and ask God to forgive you.

• As you pray, squeeze the clay in your hands and shape it into a heart, to remind you of God’s loving forgiveness and His promise to give you a clean, new heart.

• Roll the play-dough back into a ball and return it to the container. Or take your white heart away, let it dry out and keep it as a reminder of God’s loving forgiveness.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Home-made white play-dough

or white air-drying clay

Please insert a photo of a home-made white play-dough or white clay heart here

• There is no photo for this. We just placed white air-drying clay on the table.

• Best to cover table with something protective for an easy clean up.

• You can also add heart-shaped cutters and cookie stamps that have suitable words on them.

Thank You, God, for all Your Gifts!Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. Psalm 36:1 (NIV)

• Think of all the wonderful things God has given you! They are countless! Every breath we take, and every beat of our heart is a gift from God!

• Take a sticky note and write a list of some of the amazing gifts that God has given to you.

• Include some things that are so familiar to you that you have never thanked God for them before.

• Stick your ‘Thank You’ notes onto the gift bag.

• Let’s see if we can cover the bag with our thankfulness!

Karen Holford

Items needed:Sturdy gift bag, sticky notes,

marker pens

Alphabet ‘Thank You’ PrayerGive thanks in all circumstances.1 Thess. 5:18 (NIV)

Whenever you say ‘thank you’ to God or to another human being, it makes you feel happier, too!

• Put your hand into a bag of letters. Pull out a letter and thank God for at least one thing beginning with that letter.

• If you are in a group, pass the letter around the circle and invite everyone to thank God for something beginning with the same letter.

• Take out another letter and repeat the process.

• See how many things you can thank God for!

• Try writing the alphabet down the side of a sheet of paper and writing at least one thing you are thankful for beginning with each of the letters.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Cloth bag of letter shapes or letter

tiles from a word game.

‘Thank You’ card for God

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. Psalm 107:1 NIV

• Create a thank you card for God using any craft materials you can find on the table.

• Write a note, thanking God for the special things He has done for you and given to you.

• Include at least ten things in your thank you note. Reflect on the hundreds of good things He does for you every day.

• Take the card away to remind you to thank God for His countless gifts of love.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Blank cards to decorate, marker pens, craft items, scissors, coloured paper, glue sticks,

etc.

Rainbow PraiseGod has a rainbow around His throne in heaven. Let’s create a rainbow of praise right here!

• Draw around your hand on one of the different coloured papers, and then cut out the hand shape.

• Write or draw praises on your hand using the following colour code:

• Red – Praise for Jesus as Saviour• Orange – Words of thankfulness• Yellow – Words about God’s glory• Green – Praise for God as Creator• Blue – Words of love for God• Purple – Praise for God as our King

• Stick the hand shapes on the correct colour band of the rainbow with the fingers pointing up and out. Let the fingers curl freely to create a beautiful rainbow effect

Karen Holford

Items needed:Large rainbow shape drawn on strips of wall

paper taped together – each colour row must be labeled with its colour and be at least

10cm wide, suitable coloured paper, pencils, scissors, marker pens

and glue sticks

Prodigal Prayers

Pearls in the PigpenIt was in the mess of the pigpen that the son finally discovered the treasure of his Father’s love.

• In this box of dirt you can also find ‘treasure’.

• Sift through the sawdust with your hands. Use a spoon if you prefer.

• Search for one gem that reminds you of the Father’s love for you. You can keep it if you wish, or return it to the box after your prayer.

• Spend a few moments in prayer, filled with the wonder of God’s loving kindness and generosity towards you.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Shallow box filled with sawdust, plastic gemstones and pearls,

spoon.

Prodigal Prayers

The Father’s LoveThe Father’s love has many facets. As each facet increases the reflected light and adds to the beauty and richness of a jewel, so each characteristic of God adds new dimensions to our experience of His love for us.

• Read “The Father’s Love Letter”.

• Look at the items scattered on the table. Which one illustrates the aspect of God’s love that you most need today?

• What can you learn about God’s love for you by reflecting on this object lesson?

• Please return the items to the table so they can inspire others. Thank you.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Father’s love letter from

www.fathersloveletter.com(available in many languages)

Objects that illustrate God’s love

Prodigal Prayers

The Journey Home

One painful step after another the son makes his way back home, but each footstep, however sore and weary, brings him closer to his Father’s love.

• What brings you closer to God?

• Use the template to draw a footprint on the paper pathway.

• Inside the footprint write one thing that brings you closer to your Father – a Bible verse, a thought, a prayer, an activity, etc.

• Read some of the other ideas on the footsteps.

• Prayerfully ask God to show you the next step you need to take to come closer to Him.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Footprint template, pens,

roll of wallpaper to make a path

Prodigal Prayers

The Generous FatherThe generous Father gave the son exactly what he asked for, even though it involved a huge sacrifice.

Our Father calls us to show the same generosity to whoever is in need. He calls us to give others much more than they ask for or deserve, just as He gives us much more than we ask for or deserve.

• Think of someone who needs your generosity. Maybe they need your forgiveness, your time, your money, or something else.

• Pray for their special need. Ask God to show you how to help meet their greatest need. Pray that your own generosity will grow.

• Take something ‘gold’ away with you, if you wish, to remind you to be generous with others, as God has been generous with you.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Gold buttons, sequins, plastic coins,

or bags of pennies.

Prodigal Prayers

The Famine BowlThe famine came and the son grew hungry. Each day the food in his bowl diminished, until one day there was no food at all.He was empty and starving, desperate enough to eat pig swill from the filthy floor of a pigpen.

• Pick up the empty bowl from the table and hold it in your hands.

• What famines are there in your life? Which aspect of God’s love do you hunger for the most? Pray for Him to fill you.

• Who are the people around you who are starving for God’s love?

• Take a grain from the full bowl to remind you to share God’s love with others and to plant the seeds of His loving care into their lives.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Two simple bowls,one empty and

one filled with rice or seeds

Prodigal Prayers

Bright LightsThe bright lights of the city tempted the son to leave home and spend his fortune. The parties, friends and fun distracted him from the Father’s love.

• Look at the bright lights.

• What are the things that are most likely to distract you from focussing on your Father’s love? Even ‘good’ things can come between you and your Father.

• Now look at the pure white light. Ask God to help you identify the distractions in your life, the things that can take up so much of your time, money and strength.

• Ask God to help you refocus your attention on Him – the pure Light of the World.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Coloured lights

white heart or ‘love’ light, or just a white light.

What’s on your plate?Take a place setting sheet and make notes on it as you reflect on your life and ministry.

Plate• What’s in your life/on your plate at the moment?• What are the things that are tasty and delicious?• What are the things that you wish weren’t on your plate –

the over-cooked Brussels’ sprouts of life? Glass• What are the activities, inspiration and people that are

refreshing your life at the moment?Dessert • What are the treats in your life and the delicious things

you are looking forward to?Cutlery• What are the tools you have to help you tackle the things

on your plate? Is there anything else you might need?Candle• What lights up your life? What is inspiring you right now?

Take the sheet away with you to reflect on in the future

Karen Holford

Items needed:Place setting sheets and pens,

attractive place setting

Dessert BowlWhat are the treats in your work/ life and the delicious

things you are looking forward to in the future?

DrinkWhat are the activities, ideas and people that

are refreshing and inspiring your work/life at

the moment?

CutleryWhat are the tools you

have to help you tackle the things on

your plate? Is there anything else

you need?

PlateWhat are the things in your work/life right now that are

delicious and enjoyable?What are the things that you wish weren’t on your plate – the

over-cooked Brussels’ sprouts of life?

What’s on your plate?

Karen Holford

Listening to God’s prayer for youSometimes, when we minister deeply to others, we lose sight of ourselves. We can begin to focus on what people think of usrather than what God thinks of us.• He knows you inside and out - and He still loves you.• He knows your struggles and hurts – and He comforts you.• He knows your joys and delights - and He rejoices with you.

You are precious to God.• Pick up a large ‘jewel’.• Hold it in your hands and rest in God’s presence. Listen to the

words of love and encouragement that He wants you to hear because you are so precious to Him.

• Listen to His delight in you.• Listen to His words of forgiveness for the mistakes you have

made.• Listen to the way He prays for you and intercedes on your

behalf.• Listen to the thankfulness in His heart for your ministry.

Please leave the large jewels on the table. Take one of the smaller jewels away with you, if you wish, to remind you that you are precious to God.

Karen Holford Items needed:Plastic jewels

Celebrating the delights of your ministry

What are the joys and delights of your ministry?When you feel totally connected with God or with the person to whom you are ministering?When you feel the Holy Spirit flow through you, inspiring your conversations, your thoughts, or your sermons?When you know you are in the place God wants you to be, doing the things that God wants you to do?When someone responds to God’s love?

• Write one of your joys on a sticky star and stick it onto the background.

• Read some of the other joys and “rejoice with those who rejoice” Romans 12:15.

• At the end of each day of ministry, think of three things that went well and celebrate what God is doing in your ministry.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Shaped sticky notes,

pens, suitable background

When things seem darkThere are times when life can seem very dark: when overwork, fatigue, sadness, illness, a sense of failure, criticism, loss and hurt can become clouds that draw dark curtains across our sunlight, and our hopefulness dims for a while.

In those moments, where do you find the light, the energy, the courage to go through the valley of shadows?What verses comfort you and inspire you? What tiny glimmers of light shine at the end of the tunnels to guide you back into the sunshine?

• Write an encouraging Bible verse, thought, or sentence prayer on a narrow, sticky label and stick it onto the side of a tealight tin.

• Take it away with you and light it one day when the darkness feels overwhelming.

• Watch the flame burn and know you are not alone. The Light of the World will guide you through the darkest valleys.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Tealights, sticky labels or paper tape, pens, battery-operated candles for

display

Praying the beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God. Matthew 5:3 NIV

We are all poor. Even the richest person on earth cannot own everything, and the most valuable things in life are often free.• What does it mean to be poor in spirit? • When does your spirit feel most depleted?• What do you feel your spirit lacks? When we feel we are lacking we often close our hands to keep hold of the little things we think are still ours. • Close your hands. • It’s hard to be generous when you have closed hands. • Open them again.• God calls us to be generous, to share what we have, even if it is

only a little, like a widow’s coin, or her last drops of oil and flour. • When we open our hands to others, like these women, we open

our hands and hearts to receive the kingdom of God. • Pray with your hands open and empty. Tell God where your spirit

feels poor. Ask Him to show you what you need to share with others, and trust Him fill your hands to overflowing with a sense of His kingdom and presence.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Hand-shaped items or

pictures (optional)

Praying the beatitudesBlessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.Matthew 5:4 NIVThis world is a beautiful place, but it is also a very broken place. Every day we hear news that breaks our heart. If we don’t face the pain, mourn, and receive comfort, then our pain goes deeper and our tears leak out in things like illnesses, addictions, worries, anger, stress, and depression. This beatitude encourages us to face our losses and be sad. But not on our own. One of the best ways to heal the sadness in the world is to be sad together. When we are sad with others we are comforted by their presence, their care, their warmth and their prayers.

• Look at the world. When you think of all the pain and sadness in the world, what saddens you the most? What do you think saddens God the most? Take a sticky note. Write on it something that breaks your heart.

• Then tear it in two and stick the pieces onto the globe. • Look at yourself. When you reflect on your own life, what are you

most sad about, and what breaks your heart the most? • Pray or write a note to God telling Him about your sadness, so that

you can be comforted. Who else needs to know about your sadness?

• Ask God what you need to mourn for so that you can be comforted. • Ask God who needs to feel His comforting love, through you, so that

they can be healed, too.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Globe or world map, pens, heart-shaped sticky notes,

tissues.

Praying the beatitudesBlessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matt 5:5 NIVMeekness Is not something most of us long to achieve, and if we achieved great meekness, we might no longer be meek! But we still struggle, caught in the trap of comparison. We notice those who are better than us and feel inferior, and we notice those who are worse than us and feel superior.

But meekness is not feeling inferior to others and wiping the floor.Meekness is the state of knowing who we are in God – a person created in His image and totally beloved. And then living a life secure in the identity given to us by our Father God. Meekness recognises that everyone is created in God’s image and is totally beloved by Him.This frees us to live a life without comparison, to treat ourselves and others with loving dignity, serving others joyfully and simply, as Jesus did when He washed His disciples’ feet.

• Go through the day reminding yourself who you are in God, and who everyone else is too. Treat each person with loving dignity.

• Choose one thing you will do each day to serve others, and then do it, simple and quietly, secure in your identity as a beloved child of God who is willing to treat others as beloved children of God and fellow inheritors of the earth.

Karen Holford

Items needed:I am graphic

crown, symbolic jug of water, bowl and small towel.

Praying the beatitudesBlessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice for they will be satisfied. Matt 5:6 NIVWe hunger and thirst for food and water. But do we really hunger and thirst for something as vital as justice? Have we ever craved justice so much that it filled every corner of our focus and every cell of our being? Do we really ache for change in a broken world? Or have we become complacent?

We cannot be hungry and thirsty for justice in every unjust corner of the world. But we can hunger and thirst for justice in one place, in one situation, or in one life, and work with God to put things right again.

• Explore the scales on the table. Try to make the scales balance. Wonder how you can help to rebalance an area of injustice in the world.

• Prayerfully ask God to give you His hunger and thirst for justice in one unjust situation. You may find some ideas on the table or in the news. Ask Him to show you how you can work with Him to bring about justice.

• Say: “I can work with God to put things right. In a place where there is (name an injustice) I can do (name your response).”

Karen Holford

Items needed:Bread, water in a glass, a

small set of scales, stories of social injustice and suffering.

Praying the beatitudes Blessed are the merciful (kind), for they will be shown mercy (kindness). Matt 5:7 NIVIt is easy for us to see people as “trees walking”, as objects, rather than as people.But, when we see people as people, and when we look at them through the compassionate eyes of God, everything changes.

• Pick up the heart-shaped frame and imagine looking at another imperfect human being through the compassionate eyes of God. He made them. He loves them. He has saved them. He forgives them. He yearns to be with them. He hurts when they hurt, and He longs to shower them with kindness. They are beloved.

• As you begin to taste something of God’s love for another human being, remember that He also feels the same way about you. Let His love soak into your life. You are also deeply beloved.

• See each person you meet today through God’s eyes. View them as wonderful and beloved human beings. Don’t evaluate and judge them. Just pray a silent prayer for them, like “Beloved child of God may you experience His love today.”

• Aim to do one kind thing a week for someone you know, and one kind thing for a stranger. Plus at least one kind action a day for everyone in your home. Watch what happens.

• When you are kind to others, you will also be blessed with kindness.Karen Holford

Items needed:Empty heart shape frame,

books about kindness

Praying the beatitudes Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matt 5:8What’s in your heart?If you were to draw a picture of your heart right now, what would really be inside? What dark thoughts are you hiding? And what are the pure and beautiful thoughts and motives in your heart?

Look inside the hearts on the table. They are all white and shining on the outside, but inside they hide different things. Some are lovely and pure, and others have less pleasant contents.

Sometimes we look into our hearts and see only the ugliness and we tell ourselves we are useless and hopeless. Or we see only the beauty, and we tell ourselves we are ok when we’re not. God looks into our hearts and sees both.

• Prayerfully take an honest look into your heart with God. • Take a sheet of paper and cut out the heart.• Use a pencil to write or draw a few of the dark and ugly thoughts, feelings,

habits and motives in your heart. Use the pencil lightly so it can be erased.• Ask God to help you clear away the rubbish so that your heart can be more

pure and transparent. • Use the large eraser to erase the pencil marks.• Then use a pen to write the pure and beautiful things that are in your heart.

God knows what they are and He sees them too.• Thank God for your pure and loving thoughts, feelings, habits and motives

that have come from His heart. • What can you do to fill your heart with more of these?

Karen Holford

Items needed:white and transparent hearts,

heart-shaped boxes with different contents, such as dirt,

pretend diamonds, etc.Sheets of paper with a heart

drawn or printed, scissors, pencils, pens, large eraser,

optional white mask

Praying the beatitudes Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matt 5:9 NIV

Everything we do in every relationship will either strengthen the relationship, or damage it in some way. Sometimes the damage we inflict is so bad that it breaks the relationship, and mending becomes increasingly more difficult.

• What do you do that strengthens your relationships? • Which of the relationships in your life are damaged and

broken, and how could you take the first steps towards mending them and making peace?

• What are some of the benefits of reaching out to mend broken relationships? What are some of the obstacles that inhibit your peace-making?

• Which of your relationships most need to be mended or strengthened? Write down the names of these people on a small card to take away.

• Pray over them and ask God to show you how to be a peacemaker in these relationships. Be a child of God, the person who takes the initiative in the peace-making process.

• Read some of the peace-making ideas written on the doves, and then add some of your own if you wish.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Peacemaking ideas and

symbols. Plain cards for writing names.

cloud paper background, printed paper doves, scissors,

glue sticks and pens.

For the peacemaker table we also printed out Bible verses and placed them inside folded paper doves.

This was too tricky to include, so find a dove shape you can fold and hand write your own Bible verses and peace-

making ideas inside the doves.

Praying the beatitudes Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:10 NIV

We may not live under constant threat because of our faith, or be at risk of imprisonment, persecution or martyrdom.But we can still encounter painful challenges in our journey as Christians and ministers.

• Take a nail and keep it safely in your pocket for a day. Each time you feel it, remember what Jesus suffered for you.

• Pray for those around the world who are being persecuted for their faith.

• Pray for those who are critical of you and make your life more difficult.

• How is God using this challenge to strengthen your faith?

Karen Holford

Items needed:Nails, crown of thorns (if

possible), keys, other symbols of suffering and persecution.

Engraved on God’s handsWe are all in God’s hands. He loves us and takes care of us in a million ways. Whoever we are and whatever we have done, we have never been unloved by God. Everything we have suffered has also hurt Him.

There are many people we love that do not realise how much God loves them and cares for them. We have prayed for them, spoken to them of God’s love, and tried to show them His love through our kindness.

• Take a sticky note and write the name of someone you know who is already in God’s hands, but is not yet aware of His amazing love for them.

• Stick their names onto the large hand poster.• Pray that they will experience God’s loving

hands around them. • May they know that their names are also

engraved on the palms of His hands because He loves them.

Karen Holford

Items needed:Large hand poster

Sticky notespens

There is no photo for this activity. We used hand-shaped sticky notes – but you can used ordinary ones. We stuck them on a laminated hand poster from CPO, but you could also make or draw your own large hand. https://www.cpo.org.uk/range.aspx?range=4556&prod=C4556MP&pt=10