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Use our range of prayers to pray for all our sisters and brothers throughout the world
Abdul in Ethiopia is holding a glass of water
Water is essential for life on earth. We use water to clean, to drink and to make plants grow.
With these family prayer ideas for children of all ages, we thank God for the gift of water, reflect on water in the Bible and pray for those who long for clean water for their family.
Fill a bath or paddling pool. Take some time to enjoy playing together in the water – perhaps with some different objects that float, sink or squirt.
As a family challenge yourselves to see how many different uses of water you can think of. What about Bible stories featuring water?
Try to notice every time you turn on a tap for the rest of the day. When you do thank God for his gift of water and pray for people throughout the world who don’t have access to clean, safe water for their families.
Make or buy some bubble mix. To make, mix one part washing up liquid to six parts water.
Think of the people and situations in the world you want to pray for and, as the bubbles float up and away, imagine your prayers going up to God.
Notice the fact that each bubble is unique. Thank God for making each member of his global family unique and pray that all people may have what they need to live.
Make a gauge to measure how much rain falls where you live.
Recycle a plastic bottle by cutting off the top and placing it upside down in the main body like a funnel. (Be careful it might be sharp so adults might want to do this part)
Use a ruler to measure and mark every centimetre on the bottle with a marker.
Securely bury the rain gauge, away from trees, in a place where it can catch a lot of rain.
When you go to check it, say a prayer of thanks for the way water renews the earth. You could use these words from Saint Francis of Assisi:
Praised be you, my Lord,
through Sister Water
who is so useful,
humble,
precious,
and pure.
Your finished water gauge should look like this.
Float the boats in the bath or a bowl of water and read together the story of Jesus calming the storm from Mark 4:35-41. You may like to move the water or blow on the boats as you remember the storm on the lake.
Discuss as a family what it would have been like to be in the boat. Have there been storms in your life - times when you've felt afraid? How does it feel to know that Jesus is with us in those times?
Finish by praying together:
Loving God,
Thank you for being with us in scary times.
We pray for all people who are in danger or afraid.
Amen
