Part of living in faith is a habit of daily prayer. These prayers are often quick, heart-felt expressions of faith directed toward God. The strongest practice includes a dedicated time for personal prayer each day, along with regular times every week for joining with our fellow Christians to call upon the name of the Lord. These dedicated times of prayer are enhanced by the practice of composing our prayers beforehand. Christians have been using composed prayers ever since Jesus taught us the Lord's Prayer.

Through the years of catechesis, students gradually write a prayer book of their own. The assignments listed below are topics for these personal prayers. These are the student's private prayers, and the catechist/teacher will only check to see that the assignments are being done. It is commendable for a student to retain these personal prayers at the end of each school year by copying them into a special personal prayer book that will be kept for a lifetime.

Structures of Prayer

• ACTS or CATS: Acclamation (praise), Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication
• The collect structure. Generally address, gospel foundation, petition, benefit, and Trinitarian termination. Some parts may be adapted or omitted as follows:
  • (address) Almighty and everlasting God, (gospel foundation) You have sent Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all should follow the example of His great humility: (petition) Mercifully grant that we both follow the example of His patience, and also, by Your grace alone, be made partakers of His resurrection; (Trinitarian termination) through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. [Collect for Palm Sunday]
  • (address with petition) Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, (benefit) so that by His coming we may worship You with pure minds; (Trinitarian termination) through the same, Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. [Collect for Advent 2]
  • (address with gospel foundation) Lord, (petition) we beseech You, give ear to our prayers, and enlghten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; (Trinitarian termination) for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. [Collect for Advent 3]

7th

1. For parents and teachers
2. For classmates
3. On the First Article of the Creed
4. During times of sickness
5. Thanksgiving for recovery from sickness
6. On the Second Article of the Creed
7. Prayer for others suffering with illness
8. Prayer on the Third Article of the Creed
9. Prayer for someone being baptized.
10. Prayer on the First Commandment
11. Prayer on the Introduction to the Lord's Prayer
12. Prayer on the Second Commandment
13. Prayer on the Third Commandment
14. Prayer after someone is baptized
15. Prayer on the Fourth Commandment
16. Prayer on the Fifth Commandment
17. Prayer for someone who has fallen from baptism
18. Prayer on the Sixth Commandment
19. Prayer for a penitent Christian who needs comfort
20. Prayer about Sunday's prayer theme (for the joy of the resurrection and for true and godly worship)
21. Prayer about Monday's prayer theme (praying for faith to live in the promises of Holy Baptism; for our vocations [callings in life] and our daily work; for those who are unemployed)
22. Prayer about Tuesday’s prayer theme (praying for God’s aid against temptation and deliverance from sin; praying for the lonely, addicted, and depressed; praying for those enduring trial and affliction; praying for the aged and the weak)

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1. Prayer about Wednesday’s prayer theme (praying for God’s gift of marriage and family; praying for our government, our nation and community, and for peace)
2. Prayer about Thursday's prayer theme (praying for the church and her pastors; praying for the right use of Christ’s body and blood)
3. Prayer about Friday’s prayer theme (praying for missions and missionaries; praying for those who are persecuted because of their faith; praying for the heathen [=unbelievers]; praying for blessings upon the outreach efforts of your own congregation)
4. Prayer about Saturday’s prayer theme (praying for faithfulness to the end; praying for those who have lapsed or fallen away from the faith; praying for those who are sick or dying; praying for a heart that is receptive to God’s Word)
5. Prayer before confession
6. Prayer after confession

8th

1. Before the Divine Service
2. For classmates
3. On the First Article of the Creed
4. After the Divine Service
5. For those who do not believe in Christ
6. On the Second Article of the Creed
7. Prayer for others suffering with illness
8. Prayer on the Third Article of the Creed
9. Prayer for your pastor
10. Prayer on the First Commandment
11. Prayer on the Introduction to the Lord's Prayer
12. Prayer on the Second Commandment
13. Prayer on the Third Commandment
14. Prayer for your government
15. Prayer on the Fourth Commandment
16. Prayer on the Fifth Commandment
17. Prayer to grow up to be a faithful husband or wife
18. Prayer on the Sixth Commandment
19. Prayer to grow up to be a faithful mother or father
20. Prayer to be a faithful child (son or daughter)
21. Prayer to be a faithful worker or servant
22. Prayer for the love of your neighbor as yourself

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1. Review your Personal Prayer Book collection and add a list of other topics you would like to write prayers about.
2. Decide how best to organize your Personal Prayer Book and begin arranging the prayers as you would like. This may be in a separate book like a composition book or even something fancy, like a leather-bound empty journal.
3. Continue arranging your Personal Prayer Book the way you would like. You can revise the prayers and add to them from your list of additional topics.
4. Prayer before confession
5. Prayer after confession
6. Finish the rearrangement of your Personal Prayer Book so that it may be handed in next week.