How to start a Prayer Chain

Please read "How to Begin" in the "How to Start a Prayer Group" Section

A prayer chain is a prayer group that meets only occasionally, but is always available for intercession when needed. It may meet as often as once a month or as infrequently as once or twice a year. When a prayer chain does meet, it is usually for a corporate Eucharist, a time of teaching, or an annual commissioning service.

Starting Small

A prayer chain usually starts small with a group of three to five members under the leadership of one person.

When a prayer request comes in (from the rector, parishioners, neighbors, etc.), the leader telephones the first member of the chain to communicate these needs. The first member will phone another member, who phones another member, and so on, until everyone has been notified. This pattern of contact is what has given the prayer chain its name. Each member is a link leading on to the next member or link in the chain. An ordinary metal chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The same thing is true of a prayer chain, which demands serious commitment to prayer from its members.

How does a prayer chain expand?

As a prayer chain grows, it is not practical to have it extend too far in length. When a chain grows beyond five links, it is wise to break it into two strands, with the leader calling the first link in each strand. As the chain grows. the first link will start calling two people: In this way, emergency needs for prayer can be communicated in the shortest possible time. Each member should have a list of the names and phone numbers of other links in their chain so that if they have difficulty reaching their link they can go on to notity the next in line.

Prayer chain members normally commit to pray daily for the needs placed before them, and this daily prayer for common concerns has a powerfilly unifying effect. Even though prayer chain members seldom meet, they forge a strong bond of fellowship through prayer!

Who should be in a prayer chain?

Prayer chains are particularly suitable

- for the elderly and other shut-ins
- house bound mothers with young children
- business people who have no time for extra meetings

The Leader:

The leader plays a pivotal role in keeping the chain organized by undertaking the following responsibilities:

Photocopies and mails a prayer list of non-emergency needs to the chain members.

Keeps the prayer roster up-to-date.

Recommends helpful books or tapes on prayer that are available through the church library or the leader

Maintains contact with the rector (in a parish prayer chain) or the bishop's representative (in a diocesan prayer chain).

- Receives special requests to be passed through the chain to other members.
- Reminds members to ask anyone who calls in for prayer to call again within a month for an update,
- Passes on update information.
- Calls meetings and arranges for annual commissioning service.