How to Create a Christian Home Prayer Space
Creating a Christian home prayer space can be a meaningful way to bring greater intentionality and focus to faith in the everyday pattern of family life. Best of all, it’s actually quite simple: you can get started today with just a few key elements that you will already have at home.
Benefits of a Home Prayer Space
My professional background is in Anglican school chaplaincy, and it was in the school setting that I first discovered the benefits of prayer spaces. Such spaces were ideal when chapel time was held somewhere other than the actual school chapel, such as in a hall or a classroom. By bringing in the familiar elements of liturgical colours, candles, Bible and a cross, alongside seasonal symbolic elements, the space was transformed in a way that helped both children and adults to enter into a time of prayer and reflection. Visual and tactile elements can be a simple way to bring the Gospel to life.
All of these benefits can be experienced at home, too. The very act of establishing a family prayer space can be a simple way of encouraging a routine of daily prayer and reflection. Make the space comfortable and inviting, and gather there daily to read the Bible, pray and reflect.
For homeschooling families, a prayer space can be a wonderful way to enrich your Christian studies lessons. Get your children involved in setting up and maintaining the prayer space. Changing the liturgical colourings and other decor items according to the time of year can be the perfect way to help children to understand the various Christian seasons and festivals.
Key Elements to Consider
Space - Choose a space to set up for prayer and reflection
Resources - Gather together your Bible and other reading or journalling supplies
Decor - Set up your space with simple decor, such as a candle and a cross.
Colour - You can mirror the pattern of liturgical colours seen in church with your own table coverings. You might already have suitable placemats or table cloths at home, but if you’d like something purpose made take a look at my handmade Prayer Table Cloths.
Planning Guide for Families
I’ve put together a PDF planning guide that will walk you through all the steps to create your own meaningful family prayer space.
