Lord's Prayer
2: Hallowed by your name

Tell the rest of the group about your full name - what it is, why you were called that name, what your name means, whether you like your name etc.

When everyone in the group has finished, you can explain that this session will be looking at the subject of God's name and what it means to us as Christians.

In a time of silence, invite each member of the group to think about God and the names that are used to describe him in the Bible, eg Creator, Redeemer, Rock, King etc, and to say them one by one. Keep going until you can't think of anymore! Then you could sing Jesus, name above all names or Jesus, what a beautiful name or How sweet the name of Jesus sounds.

Alternatively, choose a psalm (for example Psalm 33 or Psalm 103) and say it together and then do the exercise above using the phrases of the psalm to guide you.

In Hebrew, the name of God is written in a number of ways which aren't always drawn out by the English. The following are examples - look up each of them and put into your own words what aspect of God they are describing:

a) The Lord: Isaiah 54:5, Jeremiah 32:27, Genesis 17:1, Genesis 14: 19, Genesis 22:14, Exodus 17:15, Judges 6:24, Psalm 23, Isaiah 17:7

b) God: Matthew 23:8, John 17:3, Hebrews 3:4, Luke 19:33, Philippians 2;11

c) Father: Matthew 7:11, James 1:17, Ephesians 2:18

If Jesus shows us what God is like then give examples from his life as to how he showed what God is like to others?

When we 'use' someone's name, what are we doing? How does that apply to us using God's name.

What does putting our name on a cheque signify? How does that apply to prayer?