"Praying Outside the Box" and "Prayer Ring"

Ideas for Promotion of Week of Prayer for North American Missions
Submitted by Denise Bronaugh, WMU Director, First Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee

During the 2002 Week of Prayer for North American Missions, Denise Bronaugh, director of WMU for First Baptist Church, Nashville, Tenn., helped her Women on Mission coordinator organize a "Praying Outside the Box" luncheon with box lunches containing the name of a NAMB missionary for special prayer. Several women participated by hosting a table while portraying missionaries. -- Reprinted from November 2002 issue of Missions Mosaic, Woman's Missionary Union, Birmingham, Alabama. Used by permission. To receive this issue, or subscribe to Missions Mosaic, call 1-800-968-7301.

The mention of this activity in Missions Mosaic sparked our interest, and we wanted to learn more. Denise shared the following details with us.

Praying Outside the Box:
On the Monday during the Week of Prayer, as the ladies arrived, patriotic music was playing. At the beginning of our time together, we had a pledge to both the U.S. Flag and the Christian Flag, followed by a blessing.

Box lunches that had been tied with red, white, and blue ribbons were waiting for our guests. Each table was decorated with a centerpiece representing the state to be explored. A table hostess was assigned to be the tour guide. The hostess played the part in first person of the missionary they represented. Not only were the ladies informed about the missionary's work, but were also given interesting facts about the state. The tour leaders moved from table to table as time would allow, sharing about their work.

Small boxes decorated with American flags were at each person's place. They were instructed to not look inside the box until the end. When time came to open the box, they were instructed to "pray outside the box." Inside they found information on a slip of paper about one of the missionaries that had been discussed. Following a prayer time, the ladies were encouraged to take the box home with them and continue to pray outside the box for the person they had been given. An opportunity was given for those who brought their offering to place it in a decorated patriotic box.

Publicity had been throughout the church, using a box to get attention.

Prayer Ring:
On Wednesday night that week, we had a special prayer service and had a guest speaker. On Thursday evening, we did a Prayer Ring for North America. We gave out copies of the On Mission Prayer Map (available from NAMB), and each group was assigned certain states in their prayer ring. By the end of the day, we covered North American in our prayers. The prayer ring was organized by assigning a facilitator who started the "ring" by calling the person listed under their name in our WMU directory. She is to give the specific area of the country the group is to include in their five minute prayer time along with any information as to the number of missionaries, etc. The last person on the list is to call the facilitator, thus the "ring" will be complete and North America will be covered with our prayers.