Six Reasons to Pray Compline With Kids

by Jeff Jackson, aka The Hiking Priest

Father Jeff Jackson of Hamilton, Ga., makes a beautiful suggestion to enhance your family's prayer life, and create peace as your children get ready for bed. Say Compline daily with your children (wish we had started this when ours were young!). 

In this recent post from his blog, he writes:

For many years, we have said nighttime prayers with our kids before bed. For much of that time, we would go around and simply give thanks to God for the day’s blessings. Like any prayer method, this form became stale after a few years. The kids would try to outdo each other in thanking God for silly things, and our two youngest, both boys, had a hard time sitting still. A few months ago, Molly and I decided we needed a change. Now that two of our kids are reading, with a third in the next year or so, it felt like the perfect time to introduce them to the ancient rite of Compline.  Full article...

Our family's favorite:

Keep Watch, Dear Lord 
from the night service of Compline, Book of Common Prayer

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen