Toolbox Part Two

Running the event

1. Event support | 2. Mealtimes | 3. Children & youth | 4. Momentum & Atmosphere

In this section, we introduce more practical tools to aid the smooth-running of your ENOUGH-style corporate prayer event

Set-up and set-down teams

Several prayer hubs have found it helpful to organise a dedicated team of volunteers to help run a smooth event. This team has consisted of a number of different roles including cooks, room set-up/set-down teams, tea/coffee/refreshment teams and ushers - although not every event will need these roles, depending on their size.

This is a great way of encouraging people to serve, but be clear with volunteers about when to arrive and how long they will need to stay at the end of an event.

Technical Expertise

It is helpful to find people who are technically minded or have specific technical skillswhen organising your corporate prayer event.

Areas to be considered include:

  • Website design

  • PA and sound

  • Social media

  • Setting up, operating and managing Zoom/video calls

  • Musicians

  • Leaflet, flyer design

  • Children and youth help

  • Recording and editing videos

Mealtimes together are a vital part of an ENOUGH-style event.

If you are meeting online, why not arrange to meet at a specific time online before the meeting starts and eat together in your individual homes?

If you are meeting in person, it is important to create an atmosphere where people can relax and spend time together. It is advisable to choose simple-to-prepare, but delicious bulk food.

Here’s a few options:

  • A bring-and-share meal; it may be helpful to assign people with a different part of the meal to bring (e.g. drinks, veggie mains, meat mains, side dishes, desserts etc)

  • Supermarket ready meals/to-go meals; e.g. soup, sandwiches, salads, finger food, dips etc

  • Delivery/takeaway food; e.g. pizzas

  • Asking local restaurants/businesses to cater

Don't forget to think about where and how you will take communion, for example: will you take it all together, or in smaller groups?

Corporate prayer means involving everyone - both old AND young. ENOUGH is a great opportunity to teach children the power of prayer and how to pray. Children learn by experience, but equally, we can learn from children:

“Not only are our children learning from us during these prayer times, but we are also learning from them as God reveals things to their hearts. They help to keep us childlike in the way we pray." - Daniel and Anna Goodman, Cambridge

So having children involved in prayer meetings is valuable for everyone! - don’t leave them with the children’s workers, but encourage their parents/guardians to get involved and participate as families. Here’s a few ideas:

  • Ask children or young people to lead or participate in a section

  • Prepare children's activities and resources to illustrate each prayer topic

  • Allow children to participate in worship - during in-person events, provide a family prayer space where children can pray with their kids.

  • Pray for topics close to young people’s hearts.

  • Teach parents how to make prayer a normal part of everyday life.

If you are holding a face to face event, think about a separate family prayer space, maybe run this as part of the family section that people can visit after their meal.

Or online, include children and young people in introducing and leading sections.

Momentum

We don’t always get up and think “I can’t wait to get to work”, but we have to go whether we want to or not. It’s the same with prayer; we can pray ourselves into prayer, especially when others are around us - as it kindles something in us all.” - excerpt, The Prayers of Many

Create an air of expectation: Begin by considering "What will God do tonight in the meeting?" Avoid long introductions or explanations but keep it short and simple, leaving plenty of time to pray.

Encourage regularly: praying for such a long time isn’t always easy, and regular encouragement is both necessary and helpful!

Validate short, raw prayers: “God help us” is very sufficient when prayed from the heart looking to God in faith. Long prayers aren’t necessarily good prayers!

Incorporate breaks: praying can be intense and, depending on the topic, it can be emotionally draining. Refreshment breaks and times for conversation can help people re-energise between each section.

Manage pray-ers: make sure everyone has an opportunity to pray - don’t let one person pray the whole time, or focus on an alternate prayer agenda

Give clear instruction: In each section explain how they are to pray: how long? in small groups or pairs? standing or seated? all together or taking turns? from the front? moving around?

Section Leaders

Whether online or in person, it is vital to carefully choose your section leaders. Section leaders don't necessarily need to be experienced leaders or in church leadership, but it is important to choose people who are:

  • Willing to lead!

  • Well-briefed: their role is to help people to pray, not take up most of the time explaining or introducing a subject

  • Comfortable being on screen or standing in front of people

  • Have an interest or passion for the subject they are introducing, or are connected to the area you are praying about

Atmosphere

“Informality with reverence is a might blend.” - excerpt, The Prayers of Many

We want to create an atmosphere that is both relaxed and relational, and God-focused and expectant.

Begin the meeting by sharing clear, definite answers to prayers, but also encourage testimonies of what God is doing in people’s lives. There is huge power in speaking of what God has done, and without the help of others we can often miss a lot. Celebrate everything that is shared as it builds faith for more.