Community Connection ~ March 1, 2026: The Return of Prayer Sticks

We’d like to share another “greatest hit” with you this week - an idea we first introduced way back in 2022 to help you deepen your prayer life during Lent and beyond. If you missed it the first time around, or it’s fallen out of your consciousness since then, read on to learn more about prayer sticks!

This idea was inspired by a post on iBelieve.com, and it doesn’t take much in the way of supplies. All you need are popsicle/craft sticks (we have a vast supply in the Sunday School room and would be happy to share with you) and two containers - jars, cans, flower pots…whatever you have on hand. You can decorate the containers if you feel moved to do so, but it’s not necessary.

On each stick, write the name of a person or a need. You might include people you know well, people you know less well, people in your extended circle of contacts (those you see but don’t interact with, names from our community prayer list who you haven’t met), and people you may never meet (including military servicemembers; public figures; community, national, or world leaders). You can even expand your list to include groups of people in need - kids in foster care, people living in conflict zones, shelter animals - or issues troubling the world, like gun violence or environmental destruction. Think big, and small, and in between!

Place the sticks in one of the containers with the writing at the bottom. Decide how often you will draw from the container, and when you do, pray over that person or group or issue in whatever way you choose, then move the stick to the other container. You can add sticks at any time. When the first container is empty, the second container becomes the first and you can start all over again!

Prayer sticks are just one of many ways to connect with God in prayer. If you have a favorite way to pray, we invite you to share it with us on Facebook or Instagram.