Perhaps you have used that prayer or another like it before meals. It is a simple prayer – easy to remember. It takes a moment before eating to give attention to God, honors the presence of Christ at our meal, and remembers those who may not have a meal with a prayer for all to have enough. That’s a lot of content for four simple lines.

Over the past few weeks I have been talking to people about their prayer life. I have wondered how people pray in their homes and how adults have shared faith practices with children. I have been shocked to find out that most families have not developed a simple routine of praying before meals. Most families get the food to the table and dig in. I asked the catechism kids in one group – only one said their family prayed before every meal. I asked some adult leadership at a congregation I am consulting with currently – half admitted they don’t pray before meals. 

There is a wealth of research about congregational renewal out there. All of it points increasingly to the need to renew the people in the congregation. If you renew the people, the church will change. If you don’t renew the people, having a better system for the congregation is likely to produce minimum long-term fruit.

Praying before meals is the simplest of spiritual disciplines. Unlike bible study, contemplation, intercessory pray, meditation, spiritual walking or labyrinths, praying before meals takes little time or effort. We already have a simple cue – it’s time to eat! If over half of the families and individuals in your congregation aren’t praying before meals, you can imagine what the rest of their spiritual disciplines probably look like! And a simple prayer before a meal takes minimal time. It isn’t the length of the prayer that is transformational – it is stopping everything for a moment and remembering God’s work in the world with gratitude. 

So, if you want to change the vitality of your congregation, help your people start to pay attention to God in their lives. Praying before meals means that three times a day you get life somewhat right. Before you eat you remember God and where the food comes from. You experience a moment of gratitude. And then you take in that for which you are thankful.

In the parish where I currently serve, this week we are going to use the above prayer in the liturgy as the offering prayer before communion. We are making simple cards for each person to bring home with them. And we are pointedly teaching that each of us should stop and give thanks before EVERY meal. Our people need help doing even this and as leaders, it is our job to help them. 

So here are three things every member needs to do if you want your parish to renew:

* Pray before breakfast.
* Pray before lunch.
* Pray before supper.

It doesn’t have to be long or fancy, but remembering God with intentionality before every meal will help them remember whose they are and who they are. This is the start of renewal – putting God first. Every meal offers a chance to get this right. Help your people practice this (and other ways to pay attention to God) and they will never be the same.