Most of us pray on the go – in the car, on the bus, walking the dog, lying awake at 3am. There’s no one “right” way to pray. But having a small, intentional space at home can gently remind us of God’s presence and help our faith feel rooted in everyday life.
A justice-shaped prayer corner is more than a cosy nook with a candle. It’s a space that reminds us who God is: the One who stands with those on the margins, who calls us to join in with love, liberation and repair. It’s a place where we can come as we are, in all our difference, and know we are held.
Here are some ideas for creating one, with a few suggestions for how Holyvity resources might help.
1. Choose a simple, accessible space
Your prayer corner doesn’t have to be big or Instagrammable.
- A small shelf
- A corner of a desk or sideboard
- A windowsill
- A spot on a bedside cabinet
Think about accessibility: can you reach it easily? Is the lighting comfortable for your eyes? If you’re sensitive to clutter or sensory overload, keep it simple and spacious. If you use a wheelchair or have limited mobility, choose somewhere that works for your body rather than somewhere that “looks nice”.
2. Ground it in story and scripture
Place something that connects you with the biblical story and with God’s heart for justice:
- A Bible or a small New Testament
- A copy of Priming the Lectionary turned to the current week or season
- A card or print with a verse or phrase that anchors you
You might use a Holyvity card or print that speaks of inclusive, justice-shaped faith – something that reminds you God’s love is wide and that your story matters.
3. Add visual reminders of inclusion
Let your prayer corner gently challenge narrow images of who “belongs” in God’s story.
You could include:
- A print or card that avoids stereotypical bodies and family setups
- An image or symbol that connects you with queer joy, disability pride, neurodivergent creativity, intercultural belonging or another part of your/your community’s identity
- A small object from a place or community working for justice – a stone from a protest, a leaflet from a local project, a photo of a group you’re part of
Holyvity resources are designed to be visually simple, theologically rich and deliberately inclusive. A card propped in a frame, a small print on a stand, or a notebook cover can all play a part here.
4. Think about your senses
Prayer isn’t just in our heads. Our bodies and senses are involved too – and everyone’s needs are different.
Consider:
- Sight: soft but sufficient light; colours that calm rather than overwhelm; clear fonts and good contrast if you’re using text.
- Touch: a stone, cross, small fabric square or sensory object you can hold when words are hard.
- Sound: keeping the space relatively quiet, or having a pair of headphones nearby so you can listen to music or a song video.
- Smell: a candle or essential oil if that works for you – but be mindful that strong scents can be inaccessible or triggering for some people.
You might keep a link (QR code placed in your journal or a bookmark on your phone) to a song or video, so listening becomes part of your prayer rhythm.
5. Make room for honest emotion
Justice-shaped prayer isn’t always neat. Sometimes we need to lament, rage, question or sit in silence.
You could include:
- A small notebook or journal where you can write prayers, questions, names, doodles or scraps of song lyrics.
- A simple “anger box” or jar where you tuck slips of paper naming situations of injustice, trusting that God receives your protest.
- A short written prayer or meditation that you return to when you’re too tired to find new words.
A Holyvity notebook or card with a printed prayer can act as a gentle starting point – especially on days when your faith feels fragile.
6. Connect prayer and practice
A justice-shaped prayer corner isn’t just about how we feel; it’s about how we live.
You might:
- Keep a list of local projects or global issues you’re praying for – food banks, LGBTQ+ groups, disability advocacy, climate justice, refugee support.
- Choose one small action each week that flows from what you’ve prayed: signing a petition, sending an encouraging message, donating, learning from a new voice.
- Use a Practice suggestion from Priming the Lectionary and let your prayer corner be where you check in with how it’s going.
You could even tuck a Holyvity card there, ready to send to someone who needs to know they’re seen and loved. Let it be a reminder that prayer overflows into relationship and solidarity.
7. Keep it gentle and changeable
Your prayer corner is there to serve you, not to become another spiritual chore or a perfection project.
- It’s fine if it’s messy.
- It’s fine if you change it with the seasons or according to your energy.
- It’s fine if some weeks you only manage to glance at it as you rush past.
Over time, you might add:
- A new print or card that captures something God is doing in you
- A symbol of a community you feel called to stand with
- A quote from a book, a hymn line, or words from a conversation that stayed with you
An invitation
Holyvity exists to help people share an inclusive, justice-shaped faith through creative, rich resources. A small prayer corner at home is one way of letting that vision soak into everyday life – not just Sundays.
You don’t need “all the right things” to begin. Start with what you have. Add one small item that reminds you of God’s liberating love. Let it grow slowly, in ways that fit your body, your story and your space.
If you’d like ideas for prints, cards, notebooks and books that could live in your prayer corner, you’re very welcome to explore the Holyvity collections and see what resonates – it’s a growing resource that’s started small and simple. My prayer is that, wherever and however you pray, you’ll know that you are held in the wide, justice-shaped heart of God.