PRAYER

Emory Presbyterian is a praying church. We share prayer joys and concerns during our Sunday morning worship, and we pray in silence, song, and words throughout our Taize services. We have a labyrinth for walking prayer, a sensory room for meditation, and we meet to pray in prayer groups.

Chalice Labyrinth

Our Chalice Labyrinth is an outdoor labyrinth made of subtly colored stone pavers. It is a path for meditation. People are welcome to walk the labyrinth at any time. For more information about its design and construction, see Bob Peach's labyrinth website.

A Sunday School teacher tells how a preschool child walked the labyrinth after a lesson about following Jesus:

Lee immediately ran toward the labyrinth. "Come on," he said, "Let's walk to the cross." So, we walked the labyrinth, Lee in front explaining to me that I couldn't walk on the red line or cross over — I had to follow the path. "You know what we're doing right now?" I asked. "We're learning to follow Jesus."

In the center of the labyrinth I knelt down and tied Lee's shoe. Lee looked at the cross. He leaned down to touch it. "Is this the cross that Jesus died on?" he wanted to know. "No," I replied. "His was different. This just helps remind us of it." "How was it different?" "It was in Jerusalem, not here, and it was made of wood, not stone. It stood upright and Jesus was crucified on it. This one is in the ground. It reminds us of God's gift to us." We stood silently in the center and looked at the cross.

It was time to make our way out of the labyrinth. "Race you!" Lee challenged, grinning that impish smile. "Okay, but no fair, you've got better shoes on." Lee ran around the turns of the labyrinth and I did my best to keep up, trying not to slip in my sandals. "You beat me!" Lee had giggled all the way back, racing ahead. "That was fun," he said, taking my hand. "It sure was," I agreed.

The labyrinth truly represents our walk to meet God, and when I have walked the labyrinth in the past I have been very intentional, introspective, and serious. But Lee showed me something different. Sometimes walking, or in this case, running, the labyrinth is fun! Just like our walk with God. Thank you to the child who showed me how to follow Jesus this Sunday morning.

- Cindy Hinton

Prayer Room

Take a moment, take a deep breath, take a break, and visit the prayer room, located behind the "coffee pot wall" in the Fellowship Hall. Reflect on quotes about prayer, read from the Bible or the other available books, scrunch your hands down in the sand or let it fall through your fingers, listen to the sound of the fountain, or simply sit, be, and talk with God.

If you haven't visited the room in a while, you may find it changed since the last time you were there. The room evolves as the seasons and the Spirit suggest.

Personal contributions of art, quotations, reading material or photos that reflect YOUR thought about prayer are very welcome and will be displayed with care.

Prayer Groups

Prayer groups include the men's breakfast and the adult Sunday School class on prayer. See the adult activities page for more information.

Prayer List

We share joys and concerns during the Sunday morning worship service. We also have an email list which members and friends of the church use to inform each other of prayer requests and announcements. Contact the church office info@emorypresbyterian.org to have your email address added to the list.