Pastoral Care

9. Aspects of pastoral care

9.6. To pray, or not?

Praying with people during a pastoral visit or encounter is a real privilege.  It can also be a challenge which is often left unmentioned and therefore undone because elders (and even ministers!) might lack confidence in knowing how and when it is appropriate to pray with and for people, and what to say when they do.

Perhaps the first thing to say is that confidence in this area comes with practice!  

Praying with people might not always be appropriate and it is important to ask them whether they would like you to pray with them.  If they don’t then that is their choice so no pressure should be applied.

If however they do indicate that prayer would be appreciated then a short, simple prayer offered during or at the conclusion of a pastoral visit can be a real source of blessing both to the people visited and the visitor themselves. Praying for the person you are visiting, their family, the situation they are in (e.g. sickness, bereavement, other difficulties) or just holding them before God in prayer using simple words and short moments of silent reflection is all that is needed.

If this kind of prayer isn’t something you would feel comfortable doing, then offering to be quiet for a few moments and then praying the Lord’s Prayer can also be a comfort and is appreciated.  You may also find it helpful to use some forms of pre-prepared prayers as guide to get you started.