January 13- The Lord's Prayer

THIS WEEK: The Lord's Prayer
Background Info: (Taken from Colaborate Leader Guide)
Prayer can sometimes feel more like an obligation than a privilege. Like stretching before a workout or eating five veggies a day, we know prayer is essential, but a lot of us avoid it anyway. Our reasons vary--we're afraid we might look stupid doing it, or we don't know what to say. We're not sure it dos anything or we just forget to do it. So while prayer seems like it should be the easiest of the spiritual practices--it's just talking after all--we get stuck. And we're in good company: Even Jesus' disciples asked, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1).

Jesus taught his disciples that prayer is not about the words themselves, but about the relationship between us and God, and how we are affected by that relationship. That's why the prayer that we've come to know as the "Lord's Prayer" is so focused on turning us away from ourselves and back to God. We pray to remember that God's name is holy, that God's kingdom is what's best for the world, and that God's will is vastly better than our own. We also ask for what we need (daily necessities, forgiveness, guidance, protection) rather than what we think we want (revenge, independence, praise).

The Lord's Prayer is not a part of our collective memory because the words themselves have power. Rather, this prayer is a communal way of joining our thoughts and hopes--even the unspoken ones--to God's will for us, our neighbors, and the world.

Share a high from the past week.
Share a low from the past week.
Parents/Guardians be sure to share as well!

Can you recite The Lord's Prayer? Talk about why you are able to do this. If you are not able, talk about where you have seen this prayer or heard this prayer throughout your life.

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Matthew 6:9-13 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
9 “Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
    hallowed be your name.
10     Your kingdom come.
    Your will be done,
        on earth as it is in heaven.
11     Give us this day our daily bread.
12     And forgive us our debts,
        as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13     And do not bring us to the time of trial,
        but rescue us from the evil one.

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Why do you pray?
What's helpful about having one common prayer that Christian churches all over the world and throughout history use?
Does the Lord's Prayer still make sense today?

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Pray the Lord's Prayer together.

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End your time together with the following blessing, marking the cross of Christ on your forehead as a reminder of your baptism. Parents/Guardians be sure to have your child mark your forehead as well!

(Name), you are a Child of God! ​

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