Prayer Stations (Part 1) (Repost)

This is part 1 of a two part post on Prayer Stations, specifically the prayer stations that we have done the last 2 years for Easter. We'll do that again tomorrow with a whole new set of stations. You can download the pdf of the walking guide here.

Each of the stations are self-guided and self-paced. We set this up in our Library/Media Center which has two entrances. We take them down the hall and enter through the East door. They make their way through the stations in the Media Center and end up in a small room just off the media center for the final station-the cross.

Here are the stations:
Preparation--a time for the pilgrim to breathe out the world, and breathe in Christ.
1. Pieces of Silver--station where the pilgrim considers the cost of betrayal. They pick up the silver coin and bag.
2. His Cross--where the pilgrim faces the cross(es) and considers the cost of the price paid. I know the first year that we did this, we set this room up just in front of the wall that backed up to the last station (see later). When I heard the nails being nailed into the cross in the next room, I was holding the cross in my hands--it sent chills down my spine.
3. Oil and Spices--this station was set up with torn pieces of cloth coming out of a big just and we had heavily doused the material with Frankincense and Myrrh spices. Pilgrims were to pick up the cloth and smell the spices.
4. Our cross--this station is where the pilgrim had to write down a burden that they were carrying (then take this to the last station)
5. The Veil--the pilgrim entered into another area which was represented by pole and drape just parted. This signified the veil. A small stool was set up in front of it for the pilgrim to look at the veil. They then entered into the veil which took them to the last station.
6. Spike and Mallet--this station was where the pilgrim was to bring their card with a burden on it and nail it to the cross. This was the center section of a cross we had built, and it would later be brought into the Maundy Thursday service with all of the burdens on it and affixed to the cross. Quiet a sight to see when all of those cards fill up the beam.
7. The Lord's Supper--we chose to do this together at night-but I think it would be appropriate to have a Lord's supper station here if you were not going to gather together again for worship.

I first experienced this Prayer Station set up at FBC Lewisville (Texas). It was the most moving thing. I went early in the morning to go through the stations and then I spent the day doing some other things--when I came back for worship that night I had saturated myself the whole day in the idea of Christ's death and resurrection. I can only tell you that at worship that night I was profoundly moved.

Feel free to use and adapt as needed. Next week I'll post what we did this year with pictures.

This post is part of Water Cooler Wednesday where creatives meet every week to talk about culture, creativity and the Creator.