Prayer 20/20

by Diane Cunningham



Over the past months, various teams in our church have been meeting and discussing our vision for the coming year. One of these teams is focusing on prayer.

“When Billy Graham was asked about the most important steps in preparing for an evangelistic outreach, he always answered that there were three things that mattered most: Prayer, prayer and prayer.” —Cliff Barrows

With this in mind, prayer is essential in determining where we are being led in ministry.

A series of prayers have been placed in the bulletins, for some months now, for people to use to guide them in their praying for SPPC. We have reached a point where we would like to have people express some of their own prayers for our church and share them with our fellowship.

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be looking for input from members of the congregation through a series of response cards inserted in the bulletin. We are hoping to create community prayers that will emerge from the hearts of all who wish to contribute to this Life bringing, Spirit guided ministry.

We will be looking for topics for prayers that are close to people’s hearts. This will then guide us to create specific prayers that will become part of a collective response.

For your summer reading and growth, we have a table set up with many books about prayer. Please take a look at them. As Bible Study takes a break over the summer, this could be a terrific way to add to your knowledge and increase your awareness of the power of prayer. Talk with your friends, at coffee hour or Friendship Coffee about what you have learned, the books that you have enjoyed and found helpful.

We would welcome any feedback or possible book reviews of the material covered!

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)