Holy Week Prayer Stations St. George’s Church

Friday 15 April 2022 from 12 p.m.

1) Foot Washing  based on John 13: 1-15

Meditation
Look at the picture.
Jesus washes his disciples’ dusty feet. He wants to show them that no one is more important than anyone else. ‘Do as I have done’, he says.

Prayer activity
Who is God asking you to serve today?
Take a piece of string and quietly think of three people who need your help. Tie three knots in your string, one for each person, and take it away as a reminder to care for them.

2) The Last Supper based on Luke 22: 14-20

Meditation
Look at the picture.
Jesus has supper with his friends for the last time.
He takes bread and a cup of wine and holds them up.
‘This is my body – given for you.
This cup is my blood – poured out
for you.’

Prayer activity
Why do we remember Jesus with bread and wine?

Take away the enlarged version of this picture to colour. Remember Jesus when you eat and drink at home.

3) The Garden of Gethsemane based on Luke 22: 39-46

Meditation
Look at the picture.
Jesus asks his disciples to stay awake while he goes to pray in the garden.
Jesus is upset. He feels alone. He knows he will die. In the darkness, Jesus prays to his Father to save him, saying, ‘But please, not what I want, but what you want be done.’ Jesus comes back to find the disciples sleeping. He challenges them to ‘Get up and pray.’

Prayer activity
What might Jesus want us to pray for?
Think about your answer to the question above. Then find the basket with praying hands inside and take one out. Work out a short prayer to write inside. Then take the praying hands with you to finish at home. Remember Jesus praying as you pray this week.

4)Peter denies Jesus based on Luke 22: 54-62

Meditation
Look at the picture.
Peter follows Jesus and those who have arrested him into the high priest’s house. Peter is recognised – he’s a disciple. But he denies it. The cock crows and Jesus looks at Peter.
In the picture, which person is Peter? Why does he lie? How does he feel after Jesus looks at him? What would you have done?

Prayer activity
What do you need forgiveness for?
Take a small piece of play dough. Roll it into a ball and lay it on your hand. God has created us and we are perfect. Now put your thumb into it. Look at the messed-up ball. We make mistakes and spoil what God has created. We need to say sorry. Think of things you need forgiveness for. Now make the ball into a heart to take home, as a symbol of God’s forgiveness and the love he pours into us.

4) Jesus carries his cross based on Luke 23: 26-27

Meditation
Look at the picture.
Imagine that you are one of the people in the crowd.
You watch as Jesus carries his cross.
Then Simon is forced to carry it for him.
Jesus is hurt from the whippings he’s had.
The cross is heavy. This is your Lord they are taking away. This is the one you thought would save the world. He is going to die.

Prayer activity
Think about Jesus knowing he was going to die.

Who might feel helpless in our community and in the world today?
Think about your answer to the question above.
Then make a prayer bracelet out of beads.
Choose the same colour for each idea and place other colours in between.
Take the bracelet home with you to help you pray.

5) Jesus is dead based on Luke 23: 44-56

Meditation
Look at the picture.
See Joseph of Arimathea ready to wrap Jesus’ body in a linen cloth.
See Mary and John in the background, crying.
See the wounds on Jesus’ feet and hands and side.
‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit,’ Jesus had said.
He has cried his last. He has died.
Darkness has come on all the land.
Darkness in our hearts and in our minds.
Jesus is dead.
We do not understand.
A linen cloth will wrap his body.

Prayer activity
How do you feel? How do you want to react?
Pray today for those who are sad and mourn;
for those who are unjustly accused;
for those who are cruel and hurt others.

This is not the end of the story. The darkness goes and the light arrives. Take home one of the Cross Stained Glass Window Decorations to remind you of this and a colouring picture that tells the whole story from beginning to end.

Photos reproduced with the permission from Roots Christian Educational materials