Over time we'll be adding more resources and opportunities for whole church communities to engage with addressing the impact of gambling within our churches and society more broadly.
For now, there are a number of actions on our Take Action page that you could do as a whole church, such as hosting a screening or together writing letters to your MP. We also recommend this great prayer guide produced by A Just Cause as a way of journeying your church through the issue.
Praying as a Church: A Prayer Guide
This prayer guide will help you congregation pray effectively for those who are suffering from a gambling addiction and for change in our community’s approach to gambling. There are three ways you can use this guide:
First, by setting up participatory press stations and having congregation members move from one to the other and following the prayer instructions for that station.
Second, by praying from the front using the symbols of the press stations and praying the prayers for each station.
Third, simply taking the prayers from each station and reading them as a single prayer.
Station 1
Place pictures of a family on the station, with each picture torn in half. Have a dispensable sticky tape available. Place this instruction on the station.
“Gambling addiction brings pain, conflict and suffering into households. Take some sticky tape and use it to repair one of the pictures on the table, then pray:
Loving God, Healer Of Our Souls,
We pray for all those who suffer from an addiction to gambling.
Grant and the courage to admit their problem,
The humility to find the help they need,
And a pathway to healing for themselves and for those impacted by their gambling addiction.”
Station 2
Place some moneybags on the table, with weights inside them. Place this instruction on the station:
“Pick up one of the money bags and feel the weightiness. Hold it in your hands while you pray. 52% of all gambling revenue in Australia comes from poker machines, and 40-60% of poker machine revenue comes from people who have a gambling problem.
Loving God, Fierce Opponent Of Exploitation,
Businesses, clubs and governments are making billions of dollars through the exploitation of gamblers. Grant their leaders compassion for those being harmed by gambling, repentant hearts and minds, and the courage to implement measures to minimise the risk to gamblers”
Station 3
Place bandaids on the station, along with this instruction:
“Counselling services are available to help those struggling with gambling. Open a bandaid, stick it on the table top and pray:
Loving God, Giver Of Gifts,
We pray for all those who have been gifted with the ability to counsel and support those who have difficulty regulating their gambling. Grant them wise minds, grace filled spirits, persevering hearts, and effective counsel.”