Speak to the Israelites and say to them: Make fringes on the edges of your clothing for all time. Have them put blue cords on the fringe on the edges. This will be your fringe. You will see it and remember all the Lord’s commands and do them. Then you won’t go exploring the lusts of your own heart or your eyes. In this way you’ll remember to do all my commands. Then you will be holy to your God.” Numbers 15: 38-40, CEB
 

Beads were available to all. (Photos: Lou Whitmer)

In Numbers 15, the Lord speaks to Moses and tells the Israelites to take a common, ordinary, everyday object, hold onto it, focus, and pray. Throughout the early church, Christians used pebbles, rope, or beads to help them focus in prayer.

At McCabe United Methodist Church in Bismarck, North Dakota, Rev. Lou Whitmer invites people to deepen their prayer life with Protestant prayer beads.

“I got the idea at the Dakotas-Minnesota Clergywomen’s Retreat. I held one workshop in the summer and one this fall. I was surprised by the response. I imagined about 8 people, but an average of 35 came to each workshop. The people loved it,” said Rev. Lou Whitmer, McCabe United Methodist Church. “The idea is not new in the Dakotas Conference. Protestant prayer beads have had a presence in the camping ministry.”

Whitmer plans,  prepares,  and instructs the one-hour workshop. She purchased the beads and other materials and organized everything on a table so it was ready as people arrived. The workshop began with a bit of history, followed by creative time making prayer beads, and ended with resources and ideas for using the prayer beads. Participants registered for the event so enough supplies were on hand. A ten-dollar donation was suggested.

“People of all ages were present. It was exciting,” said Pastor Lou. “Some people who came were not sure about their crafting ability.  Everyone was pleased with the beads that they made.”

Protestant prayer beads are a set of 33 or 34 beads arranged in a repeating pattern that guides prayer through a gentle rhythm. Unlike some other prayer beads, they have no required prayers or fixed formulas. They are designed to support personal, meaningful prayer in a way that fits your needs.

Sometimes called Anglican prayer beads, they are a simple but powerful tool for prayer. They are a tactile way to help you slow down, stay focused, and spend meaningful time with God. Rather than telling you exactly what to say, they offer a gentle structure—one that supports your prayer without limiting it. They were first created in the 1980s within the Anglican (Episcopal) Church to reintroduce tactile, meditative prayer, and offer a Protestant alternative to the Catholic rosary. Watch a video about prayer beads, produced by United Methodist Communications. 

“I explain that these beads are not the rosary but that they are a way to focus. Almost like a ‘fidget for prayer.’ People in the baby boomer generation grew up with a division between Protestants and Catholics and might see this as something Catholic. Prayer beads differ from the rosary because they aren't a repetitive prayer. Each set of seven beads represents a different prayer focus, like prayers for family, for the community, or the earth,” described Pastor Lou.

Protestant prayer beads. Photo by Kathleen Barry, United Methodist Communications.

Participants in the Protestant Prayer Beads Workshops share how they use the prayer beads, and others ask, “When is the next workshop?” The next step at McCabe UMC is to think about opening the prayer bead workshop to the Bismarck community.

“It is fun to see people using them and being inspired to pray. We are thinking about doing a workshop as an outreach to the community. We would need people to preregister so we could have the supplies on hand,” explained Pastor Lou.

If you are interested in conducting a Protestant Prayer Bead Workshop, contact Rev. Lou Whitmer.