Prayer

We encourage everyone to share their prayer requests with us by calling the church, speaking with one of the clergy, or placing a prayer card in the offering plate or in one of the prayer boxes located in various locations around the church. These requests are then shared with the Prayer Group who faithfully prays for them each week.

During times of crisis and challenge as well as during specific holy seasons and seasons of transition, we invite people to participate in a prayer vigil. Individuals or families choose a specific time when they will pray each day during the length of the vigil. In this way, we create a chain reaction of prayer that moves through time and into the eternal presence of God.

Prayer is simply being in conversation with God, yet that can seem intimidating to us at times. God longs to be in relationship with all of us, and the conversation of prayer is an important way of nurturing that relationship. There are many different ways to pray, so at St. James we offer classes at various times designed to teach these prayer methods and to help us become more comfortable in our conversations with God.

During Holy Week (the week just before Easter), we place a prayer labyrinth in our fellowship hall that is open to anyone who would like to walk it. A prayer labyrinth is simply a means of engaging our bodies as we pray. It is an ancient tradition designed to help us slowly let go of our worldly concerns so that we can focus more on the presence and will of God. If you would like to learn more about the prayer labyrinth, click here.