Prayer Vigil FAQs
Q: I have never participated in a Prayer Vigil; how will I know what to do?
A: There will be instructions to guide you. We are simply asked to be present in the moment and to pray.
Q. If I am alone in the church at night will I be safe?
A. The sanctuary will be open from the entrance to the nave. An off duty police officer will be in the parking lot during the nighttime and dark early morning hours. You may pray from home if it is not safe for you to drive after dark or if you wouldn’t feel safe at church.
Q. Can I sign up with a friend or prayer partner?
A. Absolutely. There are 4 spots for each hour. Please pick an empty hour if possible so we can have someone praying each hour of the Vigil.
Q. What is prayer?
A. In her book An Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor writes, “Brother David Steindl-Rast was the first person to tell me that prayer is not the same thing as prayers…Prayer according to Brother David is waking up to the presence of God no matter where I am or what I am doing. When I am fully alert to whatever or whoever is right in front of me; when I am electrically aware of the tremendous gift of being alive; when I am able to give myself wholly to the moment I am in, then I am in prayer.”
Q. What is a Prayer Vigil?
A. In “Rediscovering the Prayer Vigil,” Dr. Ralph Watson writes, “Vigil indicates a time of vigilance, wakefulness, a watch, originally kept on the night before a religious feast with prayer or other devotions.” He goes on to write, “Many people are uncertain how they could possibly pray for a whole hour because they feel inadequate about prayer… After one successful experience they’re eager to sign up the next time… We encourage people to pray the way they feel most comfortable… and though most people pray sitting with bowed heads some walk while they pray.”
Q. Will there be any prayer stations?
A. Yes, there will be several.
- We will have the names of all the members of All Saints’ who will be lifted up in prayer during the vigil.
- Prayer shawls will be available for use in the sanctuary, and there will be a station explaining the prayer shawl ministry.
- You may light a candle in memory or honor of a loved one.
- You may walk the stations of the cross. We will have copies of the All Saints’ Stations of the Cross Meditation and Prayer Guide in the sanctuary, or you can use this link from home.
- Several liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) lend themselves to this prayer vigil, specifically:
- An Order for Compline, BCP p. 127
- Daily Morning Prayer: Rite Two p. 75, Rite One p. 37
- A document with some our team’s favorite prayers is available.
Q. I am having trouble using SignUpGenius, who can help?
A. Prayer Vigil Team members will be in the Welcome Center before and after Sunday services from March 10, 17, and March 24 (Palm Sunday) to assist you with the sign-up process.
Q. Can I request prayers to be offered during the Vigil?
A. Yes. If you wish to have prayers for yourself or others, you may use this link to submit an online Prayer Request Form. You may also fill out a Prayer Request card, found in the pew racks in the Nave, or in baskets in the seating rows in the Parish Hall, and drop it in the alms basin no later than Palm Sunday, March 24.
Q. If I have other questions who can I ask?
A. Please ask any of the members of the 2024 Prayer Vigil Team: Ruth Bratton, Tiffany Fulton, Nancy Hunter, Jan Millar, Brad Smith, Mark Robinson, and The Rev. Nancy Cox.