Prayer Chaplains
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Mission Statement
The Mission of the Prayer Chaplain Ministry is to raise the prayer consciousness of the Community in support of the Vision and Mission of Unity of Fairfax.
Prayer at Unity of Fairfax
Prayer is an essential element of Unity of Fairfax spiritual practices. In support of our mission, the Prayer Chaplain team is committed to providing prayer support to our congregation.
Serving as a Prayer Chaplain is a sacred opportunity to enhance one’s prayer life and simultaneously provide blessings to others. Prayers can help members in moments of spiritual need, as well as in time of gratitude.
What is a Prayer Chaplain?
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Chaplains Are Not
Before discussing what a Prayer Chaplain is, let’s explain what they are not. Prayer Chaplains are not ordained and are not trained to counsel people, solve problems, or provide advice. They are not trained to go out and minister to the congregation or the greater community-at-large. Prayer Chaplains are trained as a lay resource to provide pastoral care within the Unity of Fairfax church community.
Chaplains Are
A Prayer Chaplain is a member of Unity of Fairfax who has accepted the mission to provide prayer support to the congregation.
The most noticeable role people recognize as a Prayer Chaplain is seeing them pray with congregants after church service on Sundays. In that role of praying with others, a Prayer Chaplain is someone who will call on God’s presence and create and hold a spiritual space. They will lovingly listen to them. They will always pray from the heart space. Most importantly, what is shared will be held in confidence.
Virtual Support
Prayer chaplains participate in virtual prayer support, such as:
- The weekly Community-wide Chaplains' Chapel, a 30-minute Zoom-based gathering open to everyone as a time for spoken and silent prayer.
- Register for the event on the Classes & Events page under the heading "On-going Online Events."
They also participate in special services:
- Maundy Thursday
- Good Friday
- Easter
- World Day of Prayer
- Thanksgiving
- Blue Christmas
- Christmas Eve
- Burning Bowling
- Other special services the church may hold
Sacred Space
Prayer Chaplains will
- Hold sacred space during congregational business meetings
- Hold Unity of Fairfax, including the Prayer Chapel space, in prayer as part of a personal spiritual practice
- Participate in the Community-Wide Chaplains’ Chapel held, a 30-minute Zoom-based gathering held on Fridays at 10:00 a.m. and open to everyone as a time for spoken and silent prayer.
- Register for the event on the Classes & Events page under the heading "On-going Online Events."
Affirmative Prayer
Any discussion on the responsibilities of Payer Chaplains must include Affirmative Prayer. Unity is often stated as “A positive approach to one’s spiritual practices”.
To affirm is a positive thought or statement, one must remove and release negative thoughts, and hold in consciousness thoughts of spiritual truth. Prayer Chaplains use Affirmative Prayer to conduct their responsibilities as chaplains. As in Unity, a combination of Affirmative prayer and meditation is how one may experience God’s presence and gain an awareness of truth.
Becoming a Prayer Chaplain
The prayer ministry is always looking for those who feel called to serve as a Prayer Chaplain. It is a rewarding spiritual experience for the prayer chaplain and for the individuals with whom they pray. Prayer chaplains raise the prayer consciousness of Unity of Fairfax and, as they interact with congregates in multiple events, receive the same awareness themselves.
If you feel called to this prayer ministry and want to learn more about serving as a Prayer Chaplain: