Five Hints for Prayer Letter Writing

Ever groaned over the thought of writing a prayer letter? Here are some suggestions to make the task easier:

Template

Save time by using a similar layout every time. Include sections or headings for the various elements (for example, Prayer Points, Family News, and Church News). This can also inspire you. When I start writing a newsletter, I often begin with the easy parts (such as Upcoming Dates). I also add photos from the previous month. I often find that as I move forward with the standard inclusions, I discover inspiration for the rest of the newsletter.

Frequency

Sending newsletters too infrequently may result in some people neglecting to pray for you, whereas sending news too often can overwhelm your readers. Find a regular rhythm with something to remind you. For example, one missionary I know starts writing his prayer letters when the dates hit the 20s and ensures he has it completed by the end of the month.

Length

If you write too much, your readers may not read all you’ve written. This is related to frequency: if you leave it too long between letters, you’ll have too much to say. A good length for a monthly letter is one to two A4 pages (about 500 to 1,500 words, depending on layout).

Photos

Include photos to illustrate your words. But remember to keep the size down if you are emailing. Emails are best kept under 1 MB in size (many email programs will display the size of an email if it is saved to drafts).

Follow up

Follow up on previous prayer requests. Let people know how their prayers have been answered. Again, don’t overwhelm (remember that Japanese names aren’t easy for many supporters to remember); keep it as simple as possible.

Not every missionary enjoys writing, but if you follow the above principles, you’ll find the task easier than you thought.