The Haystack Prayer Meeting
On a Saturday afternoon in August 1806, five college students gathered in a field to discuss the spiritual needs of those living in Asian countries. When a thunderstorm arose, they took shelter on the side of a haystack and prayed. This gathering came to be called the Haystack Prayer Meeting, launching the modern American mission movement.
Global Ministries traces its mission roots to the Haystack Prayer Meeting. Learn how the history of the Haystack event is meaningful to mission today.
Plan to devote a Sunday to discussion and examination of the meaning of call and mission in the church, both local and global. Worship and study resources are available here. You may choose the full-color Haystack bulletin covers, liturgical elements for worship, mission stories both past and current, Bible study, and suggestions for youth activities.
Celebrate with the many available resources, including worship, education, and history.
Events
- Haystack Bicentennial Celebration
- Plan a Church Family Night in honor of the 200th Anniversary of the Haystack Prayer Meeting
- Plan a Prayer Vigil for Global Mission
- Tamil Community in Australia Celebrates Haystack Anniversary
- Two Anniversaries: Haystack 200th Celebrated On The Eve of UCC 50th
Worship and Study Resources
- Haystack Hymn: In the Shelter of a Haystack [PDF] Permission granted for one-time use in conjunction with this celebration of the Haystack bicentennial.
- Haystack Bulletin Covers [PDF]
- Haystack Litany [PDF]
- Litany of Rededication
- Prayer of Confession
- Children’s Moment [PDF]
- God’s Call to Mission: Haystack Bible Study
- Haystack Song
- The Field is the World: A 6-part series of reflections on the Haystack Prayer Meeting
Youth and Children
- Haystack Skit
- 1: A Haystack Prayer Meeting Resource for Children Grades 1-5 [PDF]
- 2: A Haystack Prayer Meeting Resource for Children Grades 1-5 [PDF]
- 3: A Haystack Prayer Meeting Resource for Children Grades 1-5 [PDF]
- Haystack Pop Quiz (6th Grade to Adult)
More About the History of Mission
- Timeline of Mission
- The History of the Haystack Prayer Meeting
- The Haystack Prayer Meeting In-Depth, written for 100th Anniversary in 1906
- Haystack Participant: Harvey Loomis
- Haystack Participant: Samuel J. Mills
- The beginnings of the ABCFM South Africa Mission
- Before Haystack: London Missionary Society
- Haystack Monument dates to storm in 1806
Historical Partnerships
- American Ceylon Mission: Photos depicting the history of the American Ceylon Mission in Sri Lanka
- Haystack message from Jaffna College, Sri Lanka
- Global Ministries involvement in Nepal: United Mission to Nepal (UMN)
- History of the Kukhany’okusha Zion Church in Southern Africa
- Australian Tamil Christian communities Celebrate the Haystack Bi-Centennial
From Our Missionaries
- Reflections from Turkey on the Second Haystack Centennial – Ken & Betty Frank, Turkey
- From Chile and the “ends of the earth” – Elena Huegel, Chile