A Week of Accompanied Prayer is a well-established programme which, at its core, is to give Participants in the Week the opportunity to grow in their prayer life with individual one-to-one support from a qualified and experienced Prayer Guide.  Our Week fulfilled all this and more.

The first event had in fact been a Taster Service (in the snow) back in January, when a number of us were encouraged to overcome our reticence at something new, and experience some different ways of praying.  For the Week itself, Participants committed themselves to half an hour each day in personal prayer and then a further half hour with their Prayer Guide.  The 61 Participants, 14 Guides and a supervisor for the Guides made up the core group of the Week.

All came together at an Opening Service at Southborough Lane Baptist church on the Sunday, where we prayed and worshipped together, were given an outline of the Week, expressed some hopes and fears, and each met our own Prayer Guide and received suggestions for our first personal prayer time.  The mood was of quiet commitment, coupled with some wondering and some nervousness among Participants for whom this sort of event was a new experience, but sustained by a desire to find out what more prayer can be.  Many said afterwards how they developed a deep trust, and grew in their knowledge of self and God.

From Monday to Friday, each of the 61 Participants spent about half an hour daily with their Guide, in one of the 9 comfortable nooks created in and around St James' Catholic church.

On the closing Saturday, all gathered at Christ Church URC for what proved to be a joyful service of thanksgiving and fellowship.  Reactions to the Week were written on 'raindrops' expressing what they treasured from the Week and placed in the 'river of living waters' prepared by the Guides (see photos), and sharing a new way of praying the Our Father.  We closed with a shared lunch.

The Week was held under the auspices of Petts Wood Churches Together, and nearly all the Participants were from one of the PWCT church communities, with especially strong attendance from the three organising churches (emboldened above).  But involvement in the Week spread substantially further than the Participants and Guides.

§ Since the Guides all came from outside Petts Wood, and some from considerable distances, we offered hospitality.  A number of parishioners kindly prepared wonderful lunches and dinners, which were much appreciated by the Guides.  And six families opened their homes and had Guides to stay with them for the Week.

§ On entering St James', we first came upon an inspiring focal point in the foyer.  This led straight into the area at the back of the church which became a Welcoming area, and in some ways the heart of the Week, where Participants gathered to be met by their Guides when they were ready. Our Welcomers, from a good number of the churches, did much to make this really friendly and helped ensure that the Week became a real community event at which we could get to know each other better, and help the churches draw closer.  We even had some casual passers-by, curious to see the car-park so full and the church open all day.

§ And the Welcoming area was made even more welcoming by the bountiful response to the suggestion that cakes or cookies would be appreciated!

§ Many others supported the Week in a variety of different ways, including loan of materials, helping set up and then take down, and by simply cooperating with the Week by being willing to rearrange regular meetings in St James' Hall where necessary.  The pre-school staff willingly coordinated use of space with us.

§ The costs of the Week were met mainly by donations from Participants.  But we gratefully acknowledge a generous donation from the Knights of St Columba, and also a donation from Tesco's in Orpington.

§ And we know that many, in all the churches and indeed beyond, will have been praying for the success of the Week.  It certainly seems that the prayers were answered.

Benefits of the Week

Among the benefits of the Week were:

§ having St James' open to all for private prayer from 7 am to about 9.30 pm, courtesy of Fr Bryan;

§ enhancement of our inter-church friendship, both as a result of having worked at and shared the experience and having chatted in the Welcoming area;

§ brought together church leaders and active members into close contact, especially during the planning stages from October onwards; and

§ the development in their prayer life experienced by many of the Participants. Comments made by participants included;

o various one-or-two-word comments for the Closing Service such as "contentment", "liberation", "uplifting", "comfort in pain", "new ways to pray", "challenging" and "awareness of God's presence". In one longer comment a Participant agreed to be quoted: "The concept is brilliant, and having a focus and set time to pray and then discuss the experience with someone who is trained and skillful was very rewarding.  The opening and closing services were also inspirational and moving.  I really do feel the week has enriched my prayer life and that I have ideas for nurturing that going forward, and that is a great gift."

§ And the Guides too were uplifted by the Week. One Guide summarised her response as follows: "Looking back, my overall impressions are of warmth, welcome and well-being.  I appreciated the courage it took to participate as a pilgrim and valued the trust that was placed in me as a guide.  Whilst, it is difficult to prayerfully accompany someone who is in distress or confusion, in time, there is the joy and privilege of seeing the Spirit at work, as burdens are lifted and placed confidently into God's loving care.  I was deeply touched to be on the receiving end of so many people coming together as the body of Christ and offering their gifts – praying, hospitality, providing space, cooking, washing up and more – and, in so doing, meeting other's needs in order that God's will be done, God's kingdom come."

What Next?

Participants are invited to a follow-up meeting at St James', from 10.30 am to 12 noon on Saturday 13th April. At that meeting we will reflect a little further on the Week, and consider what we might want to do to carry the fruits of the Week into the future, both as individuals and as cooperating Church communities.