3 Min Read
21 December 2020
We’ve received this amazing update from the Prayer Spaces in Schools team in Ireland who ran a nation-wide week of prayer for schools, last month…
Like much of the world, Covid-19 has grounded the majority of schools work to a halt across Ireland; and the pressures facing teachers is constant.
Where we couldn’t be physically present, we felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit to remind the Church across our nation to pray for schools. So we rallied a call and set up a week of prayer for schools from 23-29 November 2020.
We set up a virtual prayer room, and shared daily stories from teachers, students and counsellors to help shape our prayers; as well as writing a simple prayer to guide people as they prayed. The aim was to hold up the weary arms of our schools (Exodus 17:12) and pray on their behalf for God to move.
“I pray that in this season of chaos we can embody hope…”
Over 60 people signed up to pray for an hour across the Irish counties; with multiple zoom prayer meetings and Churches dedicating their Sundays to a focus on education. One youth worker mentioned that it was so good to be reminded to pray for schools because it’s often the thing that gets forgotten among all the activity; teachers emailed to say it meant so much to know people were praying; and the week of prayer had a real impact on one small rural community, who really felt their arms had been held up.
We closed the week with a prayer that children and young people from across Ireland contributed to (you can watch it at the bottom of this blog!). There was a beautiful array of accents represented, and it was a powerful reminder that regardless of divisions and Covid-19 restrictions, we are united when we pray.
I feel that our week of prayer has pivoted how people see and engage with schools, and I pray that in this season of chaos we can embody hope; a hope that sees and a hope that serves – in new exciting ways.
A Prayer for Schools:
