Epiphany Prayer Flags at Good Shepherd

This Advent season, we invite you to join with other Good Shepherd families in prayerfully making an Epiphany Prayer Flag for your family to be hung on our campus grounds. We ask that you create your Epiphany Prayer Flag to represent your prayers and hopes for the coming year for your family, your parish, and your community. We will string the flags in the pine trees around our beautiful outdoor chapel, bringing color, joy, and prayerful presence to our campus, and sharing our blessings with all who drive by. Our hope is that these flags will be a visible sign of our hope for the coming new year.

In brief, here is a little background for the idea of a prayer flag:
Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to gods, which is a common misconception; rather, the Tibetans believe the prayers are blown by the wind to spread good will and compassion. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all. It is thought that by hanging the flags the blessings depicted on the flags will be carried to all beings.

Here’s how you can make the prayer flag your own – it can be as simple or elaborate as you wish!

• There is no right or wrong side of this fabric but there is a top and bottom – the top has the rod pocket sewn in.
• Write a word or a phrase that is your prayer for the world (hope, faith, strength, etc.).
• Highlight your words using markers, colored pencils, crayons, or paint.
• Then go crazy adding to your flag to personalize it with drawings or adding any type of craft item; felt, sequins, material, trim, glitter, buttons, etc.Know that your flag will be outside during the winter and will be exposed to the elements. The flags will be visible signs to all who pass by the church of Good Shepherd’s prayers and blessings for the new year! As the flags weather and fray, our hopes and prayers will be sent up and out from our parish family, to the community and the world. The outdoor chapel will be bright with flags and will spread our goodwill.