PRAYER BEAR MINISTRY

One of the most successful ministries we have had in our church is the Prayer Bear Ministry.  The purpose of the ministry is to have bears that have been prayed over by the congregation ready to go out to bring comfort and love to someone who is hurting.

Started almost nine years ago, members of the congregation donate NEW teddy bears to the ministry.  After being tagged the bears are placed in a bin by the doors into the sanctuary and during the services members of the congregation take a bear back to their pew and pray over and hold the bear while the service is going on.  At the end of the service the bear is returned to the bin.

Over the years, numerous bears have been given to those in need.  Our bears have gone overseas to members of the military in harm’s way.  They have traveled all over the country and comforted those who were battling medical, financial, marital or personal problems.  They have comforted young and old alike during the loss of a loved one and one even went to Kennedy Space Center when the shuttle Columbia was lost.

Every time we have a worship service, you will see people picking up their bear and returning with it to their seat, prepared to hold the bear during the worship service and pray for the person who will receive it.  So much love and so many prayers that bear will receive before it travels to its destination – to comfort someone in need.

If anyone would like to donate a bear for this ministry please follow the guidelines below:

  1. The bear should be NEW.
  2. It should be between 10 and 12 inches long as this is a comfortable size for young and old alike and especially easy to hold for those who are weakened from illness.
  3. The bear should be soft with nothing on it that would chafe or scratch someone.  Hearts, wings and other additions to the bear are cute, but not always soft to the touch so we have to remove them before they go in the bin.
  4. No voice boxes please.  Remember, we do not know where a bear is headed and the voice box may be inappropriate for the recipient.
  5. Bring your bear to the church office and let them know that it is for the Prayer Bear ministry so that we can attach its tag before going over to the sanctuary.  And lastly before bringing the bear in to the church office, won’t you take the time to start this bear on his way by praying for the individual who will receive your bear.
  6. Because the bears go out to many who are battling serious illnesses, we ask all not to take a bear during a worship service if they are feeling under the weather and also not to allow their children to use the bears as a plaything.  However, we do encourage parents to explain to their child the purpose of the prayer bear and to allow the child to pray for the person who will receive it and then allow the bear to sit beside them during the worship service.

For all the recipients of our bears we ask that you pray that they will feel the love and prayers that this bear has received and pray especially that they will feel God’s strength surrounding them, His love enfolding them, and His peace falling over them.