Get creative with a well known prayer

Here is a great activity courtesy of Messy Church resources to help our families pray the Lord's prayer in a new and creative way.

An Action Prayer
Jesus gave his friends a brilliant present: he gave them the present of a prayer. It’s a magic sort of prayer:
the bigger you get, the bigger the prayer gets! Jesus’ friends have been praying this prayer for nearly 2000
years and they haven’t worn it out yet! We’re going to learn this prayer today and see if we can say it with
actions. It’s a family prayer to say together, so it starts off:
Our Father in heaven (point up with one hand and keep it up).

And we need reminding how holy God is, so we say that his name is holy or hallowed:
Hallowed be your name (point up with the other hand so both arms are raised).

We ask God to make things better on earth, so we say:
Your kingdom come (as you’re speaking bring your hands across your body, crossed in front of you, and
then let them spread out to either side), your will be done (continue the movement till your arms are
open wide), on earth (turn hands palms down) as it is in heaven (turn hands palms up).

We ask him for the good things we need:
Give us today our daily bread (bring your hands together like a bowl in front of you).

And we ask him to make us right with him and with each other:
Forgive us our sins (wipe one hand across the other twice as if wiping away dirt), as we forgive those who
sin against us (turn hands over and repeat the action four times in a rhythm with the words).

We ask for protection and safety:
Lead us not into temptation (clench a fist and place one arm firmly across your chest).
But deliver us from evil (clench the other fist and cross that one across your chest).

And we finish with a joyful shout of praise:
For the kingdom (open arms wide again), the power (make a ‘strong man’ pose with clenched fists) and
the glory (make a full circle with your hands from as high as you can to as low as you can in front of your
body) are yours (push out arms forwards) now (indicate the start of a ‘timeline’ with your left hand) and
forever (continue the timeline over to the right with a spiraling ‘on and on’ movement with your left
hand).
Amen! (Finish with both arms up again and a high clap.)

Pray it several times to practice. Try it very loud and very fast, then very quietly and with quiet music
behind it. Encourage people to pray it at home at bedtime, and remind them that the older they get, the
bigger the prayer will get!

Let us know how you get on with it.