What to Buy for an Evening Prayer

Use this shopping list to prepare an evening prayer with a reception afterward. Plan the quantities around your guest count, especially for coffee, tea, water, cups, plates, and printed prayer materials. Check what the venue already provides before buying equipment such as microphones, speakers, kettles, or extension cords. Arrange drinks and serving items early so setup is not delayed by chilling bottles or finding missing tableware.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Chairsqty 60
Tablesqty 6
Tablecloth for reception desk

Tableware

Coffee cupsqty 60
Tea glassesqty 60
Water glassesqty 60
Platesqty 60
Teaspoonsqty 60
Serving spoonsqty 4

Equipment

Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Wireless microphonesqty 2
Speakersqty 2
Extension cordsqty 4

Lighting

LED lampsqty 4
Power stripsqty 3

Decorations

Table runnersqty 4
Electric candlesqty 12
Flower arrangementsqty 3
Welcome sign

Church supplies

Biblesqty 20
Prayer booksqty 20
Collection basketsqty 2
Music standsqty 3
Pensqty 20

Kitchen

Thermos flasksqty 4
Serving traysqty 4
Coolersqty 2
Water jugsqty 4

Cleaning

Bucketsqty 2
Cleaning clothsqty 8
Broom and dustpanqty 2

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Decaf coffee - 1 pack
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Herbal tea - 2 boxes
- Chocolate milk - 4 liters
- Semi-skimmed milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 3 liters
- Sugar - 2 packs
- Sweetener - 1 box
- Still water - 6 bottles
- Sparkling water - 4 bottles
- Apple juice - 4 liter
- Orange juice - 4 liters
- Cola - 2 bottles
- Cola Zero - 2 bottles
- Lemon - 6 pieces
- Stirrers - 100 pieces
- Honey - 1 jar
- Biscuits - 6 packs
- Tea biscuits - 4 packs
- Gluten-free biscuits - 2 packs
- Vegan cookies - 2 packs
- Paprika chips - 3 bags
- Plain chips - 3 bags
- Salty pretzels - 2 bags
- Apples - 30 pieces
- Bananas - 20 pieces
- Grapes - 3 kilos
- Coffee filters - 2 packs
- Trash bags - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 4 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 3 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 2 bottles
- Napkins - 200 pieces

Tips

Plan two drinks per person for the first hour, then one additional drink per person for each following hour. Include coffee, tea, and water rather than relying on one option.
Buy or prepare one Bible or prayer book for every two participants if people will share, or one per person if the prayer format requires everyone to read at once. Print at least 10% extra prayer sheets.
Allow one coffee cup, one tea glass, and one water glass per guest, plus 10% spare glasses and cups. Add one plate and teaspoon per person if food is served.
Check the venue’s power supply at least 3 days before the gathering. Count the sockets needed for coffee machines, kettles, speakers, LED lamps, and power strips before bringing extension cords.
Set aside cleaning supplies before guests arrive: keep at least two buckets available, along with cloths or other cleaning materials, and place collection baskets and pens where they can be found without interrupting the prayer.

Frequently asked questions

How much coffee and tea do I need for an evening prayer?: Plan about 250 ml of hot drink per person for the reception, plus 10% extra. For a group of 30, prepare roughly 8.25 litres in total and offer both coffee and tea.
How many prayer sheets should I print?: Print one prayer sheet per participant, plus 10% spare copies. For 40 registered guests, print 44 sheets so late registrations or damaged pages do not create a shortage.
How many chairs and glasses do I need?: Prepare one chair and one water glass per participant, then add 5 to 10% spare capacity. For 30 people, that means at least 33 chairs and 33 water glasses if the venue allows it.
When should I check the sound equipment and lighting?: Test microphones, speakers, extension cords, power strips, and LED lamps at least 60 minutes before the evening prayer starts. Keep an extra 15 minutes available for moving speakers or replacing batteries and cables.

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