Dear Brother or Sister in Christ,
Thank you for your faithful prayer for our church as we approach our 100-year anniversary in the year 2024! Let’s begin by thanking God for the wonderful ministries of Matt Graf, Kay Sue Eriksson, and Pastor Albin. God has shown Himself good and faithful through the godly ministries of these three staff members. Pray God’s blessing on each of them in their next chapters of ministry. Please also pray as our church diligently seeks the next people who will serve our Church Family as 10:45 Music Director, Visitation Caregiver, and Youth and Young Adults Pastor. May God send us godly people who will humbly serve with the power of Christ flowing through them. In fact, pray Colossians 1:28-29 for all of us, that Christ “is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.”
Please pray for our various ministries to each generation. Pray for our Senior Connections as they enjoy monthly potlucks, weekly Bible studies, and other opportunities for fellowship and spiritual growth. Pray that all of our adults will consider joining a Life Group this fall where each and every adult in our church can be “learning together, loving one another.” Pray for Pastor Eric as he recruits Life Group leaders and locations. May attendance at Life Groups really explode this fall! Pray for our young adults and youth as we go through a brief season without a pastor to focus on them. Praise God for those who have stepped up and stepped in during this lull. Praise God for summer youth group activities as well as summer camps! May each young man and young woman continue to grow and mature in their faith. Pray that our church will be effective with this and every other generation’s particular hurts and needs. Please pray for our Kids Ministry. Praise God for a fun lake day this past Sunday. Pray for fall plans for Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. Pray for enough volunteers to run these ministry programs effectively. May those whom God has gifted answer the call to His service. Pray also that our nursery ministry will continue to be safe and effective in helping parents and guardians enjoy our worship services. Finally, pray for our ministry to those of all ages who are going through physical and mental health challenges. May God bring them His help and healing.
Pray for our ministries to both men and women. Praise God for the Desserts by the Lake this past week as well as other Bible studies and activities. Pray for the Women’s Ministry leadership team to have sufficient help as well as clear vision on where God is directing them to focus their women’s discipleship efforts. Pray for our men’s Bible studies, softball, and other gatherings and activities. Pray for our purity ministry to help and encourage men who want to conquer sin and live fully for Christ. Pray for leaders to step up and help lead our Men’s Ministry forward.
Pray for the many new marriages as well as all the marriages represented in our church. Pray for husbands and wives to love and respect one another and to find their way forward through the ups and downs of living for Jesus day after day. Pray for those who are engaged or dating or considering dating. May they have great wisdom and direction for decisions they make. May they patiently trust God for His best and for His timing. Pray also for those who are single, that they will enjoy contentment and fulfillment. Pray that our church ministries and our Church Family will be sensitive as we love and serve one another whether we are married or single. May we empathize and care for each person’s particular life situation. Pray that we will embrace a God-honoring atmosphere like the one in 1 Timothy 5:1-2, “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.”
Pray for our church finances. Pray that God will provide for our current shortfall of around $50,000. Pray that our Trustees will have great wisdom in how to steward our dollars and our property for God’s glory. Pray for them as they begin preparing our 2022 budget. Pray also for our Church Family to worship God through our giving to His Kingdom purposes. Pray that we will be faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us and generous as we are able. Pray the words of 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 for our church: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” Pray also for those in our Church Family who are struggling financially or with work. Pray that they will find the help and encouragement they need to get on stable ground moving forward.
Please pray for the sermons that are preached at our church. May each preacher say what God wants them to say, no more than that, and no less. Pray that each one of us will be hungry for God’s Word and hungry to grow in Christian maturity. Pray 1 Peter 2:2 for all of us, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.” Pray for the songs we choose and for the worship they enable us to bring to God. Pray for peace and unity between us. Pray for us as we hold each other accountable and as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). May God be honored by how we love one another and by how we speak the truth to one another in love (Ephesians 4:15).
Pray for our Global Partners who are serving near and abroad. Pray Romans 12:11 for them and for all of us, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Pray that they will remain healthy and will enjoy serving the Lord wherever He has sent them. Pray for favor with foreign languages, cultures, and governing authorities. Pray for travel mercies and for the ability of those who’ve been displaced by COVID-19 to get back onsite and fully up to speed with ministry opportunities. Pray for their spiritual health, their funding, their training, their families, and their effectiveness to present the Good News about Jesus wherever they are.
Pray that ongoing discipleship for every person in our church will be effective and God honoring. Pray that all of us will be committed to and aligned with gospel priorities over against any other agendas or distractions. Pray for fall planning. May God be honored as we make plans for His Kingdom purposes. Pray that we’ll have clear vision for how to engage in ministry this fall. Please pray fervently for those who quit going to church during this time of COVID-19 and still haven’t come back. Pray that God will guide them back to regular, in person fellowship, with a healthy, Bible teaching, local church.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, thanks for praying!
Together for Christ, Pastor Jerry