Walking together in prayer
One of the highlights of this year at Wodonga Lutheran Parish in Wodonga, Victoria, was the introduction of a prayer walk as part of the lead-up to Easter. This wonderful initiative was made possible through our partnership with Victory Lutheran College.
The idea originated with Victory Lutheran College’s Director of Faith and Community, Joel Klemke, after he visited several Lutheran schools and saw the impact prayer walks were having in helping students engage more deeply with prayer.
He shared the concept with the Victory Lutheran College/Wodonga Lutheran Parish Mission and Ministry Team, and we saw an exciting opportunity to adapt it for our own church and college community.
Victory Lutheran College is a Foundation to Year 12 college, so I designed seven interactive prayer stations to be engaging, meaningful and accessible for students of all ages.
The stations were thoughtfully set up throughout the church, with quiet, reflective music creating a peaceful atmosphere for prayer and contemplation.
Students prayed for others by adding names to a paper chain, reflected on God’s creation and his promises, expressed thankfulness, practised breath prayer, explored the ancient prayer reflection technique the Examen, used guided prayer prompts, and concluded by offering community prayers symbolised by colourful ribbons.
I had the privilege of guiding our primary classes through each station, explaining its purpose. It was then heartwarming to see classroom teachers lead their students in thoughtful discussion and prayer.
Equally encouraging was watching our secondary students engaging quietly and respectfully as they moved independently between the prayer stations, taking time for personal reflection.
The prayer walk received overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents, teachers and students. One parent shared, ‘Both of our girls’ classes did the prayer walk, and they absolutely loved it! It was all they talked about at the tea table this week.’
A teacher reflected, ‘My students really enjoyed moving through the prayer stations, taking time to pray and reflect. They also liked the beautiful music, which created such a peaceful atmosphere.’
As our first prayer walk, it provided a strong foundation that we look forward to building on in the years ahead. This initiative is a wonderful example of how the partnership between Wodonga Lutheran Parish and Victory Lutheran College can inspire new opportunities for faith formation.
We are grateful for our shared vision and for the encouragement to bring love to life across our two communities. God is so good, and we look forward to seeing how this ministry continues to grow in the years to come.
Lisa Enever is the ministry coordinator at Wodonga Lutheran Parish in Wodonga, Vic.
Wodonga Lutheran Parish was one of 10 congregations that received grants through the 2025 round of the LCANZ’s Local Mission Fund. Now in its second year, the fund was established to help congregations, districts and agencies as they seek new ways to reach their neighbours and local communities with the gospel. Expressions of interest for 2027 grants are now open and close on 20 August 2026. Click here for more information.
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