Prayer

• Prayer - Communicating with God, wither silently or through words of praise, thanksgiving or confession, or requests for God's help or guidance
• Set prayer - Prayers that have been written down and said more than once by more than one person, for example the Lord's prayer
• Informal prayer - Prayer that is made up by an individual using his or her own words
• Nonconformist - an English Protestant who does not conform to the doctrines or practices of the established Church of England
• Sometimes a Christian say a set prayer before eating a meal to thank God for providing what they need to live. Other Christians may pray spontaneously for their meal using their own words in an informal prayer. People may pray in a humble position, kneeling down, sometimes hands pressed together
• Orthodox services - people stand to pray
• Nonconformists often sit
• Anglicans may kneel
• Other Christians raise their hands to invite the Holy Spirit into their lives
• Catholics may use a rosary
• Orthodox use icons to aid prayer
• People pray to:

  1. Praise - tell God how wonderful He is
  2. Thanksgiving - to thank God for all that they have
  3. Confession - to ask for God's forgiveness
  4. Supplication - pray for yourself and ask for God's help
  5. Adoration
  6. Intercession - pray for others
• Benefits of set prayer: Everybody knows it so there is a sense of community and belonging. Traditional - sense of continuity. Lord's prayer - taught by Jesus
• Drawbacks of set prayer: No individuality - not personal. Doesn't allow for personal connection