Hope Spaces – prayer spaces in community places – offer people who don’t know Jesus a way to process their questions and experiences through prayer.

Hope Spaces are like creative  24-7 Prayer Rooms  but they are designed for people who have little or no experience of Christian faith and prayer. They can be run by a group of friends, a church or even churches working together across an area. 

Here are some steps to running a Hope Space in your community:

1. Pray

Listen to where and when God wants you to run a Hope Space. Ask Him to help you organise it and to prepare the people who will be invited to try praying.

2. Find a space

Look for somewhere public and visible to the community like a shop front, a café, a marquee or a van or lorry that can be safely parked.

3. Choose your time

Hope Spaces can run for anything from a day to a month – the duration is down to you. Why not try a short period, like a weekend to begin. Is there a special event or season in your area that the Hope Space could be themed around?

4. Gather a team

You can run a Hope Space with friends, your church or as churches together in your town. You will need a team to help you communicate the vision, manage volunteers, create the prayer stations and host the space – welcoming people.

5. Design your Hope Space

Create interactive prayer stations that explore different questions or ways to pray and process. Engage all the senses and make sure language is clear, simple and accessible.

6. Open your doors

Welcome people of all faiths and none to come in and try praying.

Covid-19 and Hope Spaces
These prayer resources were written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are hosting a Hope Space please refer to your local and national guidelines on how to minimise the risk of spreading coronavirus, and amend any resources you may wish to use accordingly.