If it’s what people in your group are used to and you feel confident to lead it, you can just have a time of open prayer, with a period of silence in the middle or towards the end.
If you opt for this, you probably have some good ideas how to make it work, so I won’t say too much. But I do think a bit of structure will help to keep you all together. And I would encourage you to have some words you say or sing together before your time of silence, if only so that you can do some intentional listening beyond to get you ready.
For your intentional listening to one another, obviously you could use the Psalms.
Or you could pick some other Biblical text that means something to you. Maybe some of the less alarming passages in Isaiah (lots of good things in the 40s) or maybe something from John’s Gospel or one of his letters.
You could also sing some songs together. You may have your own in mind. You can download worship songs with a backing track and words for not very much from here. Or you could use some Taizé chants from here.
One possible outline would be:
- Open with a brief prayer
- Invite everyone to sing together
- Time of open prayer
- A more focused, short time, saying or singing some familiar words, focussed on listening to each other
- A time of listening silence
- Draw this to a close with a short song or a prayer
- Invite people to pray about what they may have been hearing from God in their time of silence
- Conclude with a final prayer
Season of Silence 