The Prayer Bench is entering its fifth year. I decided to take a morning and read through the long file of evaluations and compile the top 17 things said repeatedly about using Prayer Bench resources. 

I ended up with 17 similar phrases. I thought 15 would be good, but I couldn’t pick which two to leave out.

Here is how you said Prayer Bench resources help you:

1. To connect with others. Our group likes knowing we are connected to many other groups, from so many different places, doing the same study.
2. To have good discussions. We like the audio part of the Small Group Studies. We love learning another perspective. The audio leads to good discussion.
3. To use in worship services. We always use your Email Retreat series as our theme for worship. So many nuggets, truths, thinking points that really reach people.
4. To include those who can’t be there. Because of illness, one member prefers to remain at home and was very grateful to access every Small Group session on their own computer.
5. To have spiritual community. I invite a small group of spiritual and reflective friends to gather with wine and supper using the small group study resource.
6. To encourage first time leaders. The materials were well thought out, very organized, easy to follow, made our role easy, and reduced our stress considerably. 
7. To offer support if you are without a minister. Everyone helped in so many ways. It’s really been a good experience of pulling together. Prayer Bench resources were a significant part of this. 
8. To use on personal retreats or continuing education. It’s hard to find good spiritual materials and yours are definitely filling a badly needed area in my life.
9. To stay in touch with snowbirds. We offer the Email Retreat series to our snowbirds who are often away from our community in Lent.
10. To host a pop up group online. We use a private Facebook group and share the Small Group Studies and Email Retreat series for group discussion online. 
11. To reach out to the community. We love Stroll for Your Soul. We send it as a gift to folk in our local nursing home, to our university students, and to the young mom’s who gather in our building.
12. To get ideas for a newsletter. You are so creative. We share some of ideas and practices from the Prayer Bench in our newsletter (with credit!)
13. To create a habit. It takes 21 days to make a habit. Stroll for Your Soul is just the right length to get me outside to spend a few moments of reflection, wonder and praise.
14. To connect. I must slow down and I’m not able to go to events at the church. It’s so wonderful to have the Email Retreats in Lent and Advent that connect me with my community of faith.
15. To walk and talk in a group. We have a group of “Strollers” who walk together. We experience so much new life — not just in creation, but in our conversations.
16. To get to know one another on a deeper level. Your group spiritual practices help us have a wonderful time of sharing and getting to know one another on a deeper level.
17. To nurture our souls on our own time. The quiet space each Email Retreat takes me to is both wonderful, necessary, and appreciated. I can make my way through at my own pace.

Thank you.

If you think Prayer Bench resources might fit you or your community of faith, please check out the 2019 Subscription Packages.