No the spelling isn't wrong - I really did men to say bead rather than Bede. I led worship this morning at my home church (Pleck in Walsall) and we had the service cafe style with us sitting round tables and having a break in the middle for tea, coffee and biscuits.
The service was marked on the plan as a Family service so it is always possible to try something a little different, not that I need an excuse to do something different. We managed to squeeze in 8 hymns/songs as well as two readings, a short sermon, an activity the break for coffee and the offering as well as prayers.
I had seen something on another blog about ideas for prayer on the Methodist Church Website and thought the idea on there called 'Venerable Bead' was something we could try. I went to Hobbycraft and got the beads and tried one at home which worked pretty well considering I am not a person who gets on well with craft. I then redid the notes that were on the website by having coloured circles on paper to match the beads with the words of each prayer typed at the side of the coloured circle. We sorted the beads and put them in small bags along with the string to thred them on and gave each person a little bag. I then talked them through what they needed to do and everyone made their own 'Venerable Bead'.
When we had finished making the beads up we sang 'What a friend we have in Jesus' and then after an explanation of how to use the bead chain we had our prayers of intercession which everyon joined in with by using the beads and the prayers that accompany them.
I was very pleased with how this went and there were lots of positive comments from people afterwards - all of them took there beads and paper home and many said they would find it useful to help them pray at home.
I suppose my reason for posting this is to encourage any one else who had seen this on the website and were contemplating trying it. From my point of view it was a good experience and will be something I will use in the Beach Mission I will be leading later in the year.
2 comments:
Thanks FP, I am hoping to introduce a "cafe" style service at CRMC next time I preach so I may pick up on your points.
If it works in Pleck it will work here
I think it's a good idea for both kids and adults. I'm not the most 'crafty' person either, but I like the physicality of the beads: a good activity with children and I think also a useful, tactile aid to prayer.
Problem is that the circuit did this as a circuit service just before I arrived!
Thanks for sharing your experience.
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