• You will need sufficient 1p coins for every child, placed in a number of baskets or containers.
• Note: You may like to link this to the worldwide day of prayer for children at risk, held each year on the first Saturday in June. 2003 will be its eighth year - hundreds of churches, schools and organizations join in. You could relate this to points 2(d) and (e) below. The initiative is spearheaded by Viva Network (www.viva.org).

1. Pass around the baskets containing the pennies. Ask each child to take a penny and hold it carefully in their hand.
   
   Explain that you are going to teach the children a special way of praying using a penny. This is so that whenever they find they have a penny in their pocket they can remember to pray.
   
   
2. Go through the following stages, asking the children if they can add to your ideas as you explain the process.
   
   (a) The penny is round - this helps us to remember to pray for the world and to give thanks for creation. It reminds us to be responsible for the earth.
   
   (b) The penny has the word 'one' written on it - this helps us to remember that God loves everyone; that all people should be united, at one with each other. We pray for peace.
   
   (c) The penny has the queen on one side. We pray for all leaders of countries. We pray for our teachers and parents.
   
   (d) On the 'tails' side there is a portcullis - this reminds us to pray for those in prison and all people trapped by fear, loneliness or illness. We ask God to keep us safe and protect us.
   
   (e) The penny is a very small amount of money. We remember to pray for those who are poor, who don't have enough food, and the homeless.
   
   (f) The penny has the date on it. We remember to pray for today - for all that has happened and all that is going to happen.
   
   
3. Tell the children that they may keep their penny. Encourage them to use it to pray and to think about the things you have discussed.
   

Dear God,
Thank you that wherever we are, we can pray and you will listen.
Thank you for always being there, and never letting us go.
Amen.