Faith Events

Winchester District UMMen Prayer Challenge

Dear Current/Prior UMM Fellowship Presidents,

   Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF):  I’d like each UMM Fellowship on the Winchester District to COMMIT to a public prayer, once a week, with as many of your congregation members as you can round up (men, women and children).  Can we as UMM lead this effort, on behalf of our churches, faithfully for 13 weeks?

 Counting today (22 Jan 2014) there are 13 Wednesdays between now and Easter Sunday on 20 April 2014, and I have a challenge I hope you will take me up on.  Each week (Wednesday) I will send you an email containing a short prayer, meant as public prayer (to be shared with your Fellowship/Pastor/Congregation), that I would like you to pray as a Fellowship, as a Congregation, as Christ’s Holy Church.  We can lift our voices as UMM, as a Congregation, as a District, as the United Methodist Church.

    John Wesley is credited with saying "I continue to dream and pray about a revival of holiness in our day that moves forth in mission and creates authentic community in which each person can be unleashed through the empowerment of the Spirit to fulfill God's creational intentions".  John Wesley>How To Pray: The Best of John Wesley on Prayer

   One prayer a week as a community.  Today is Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Prayer For Our Church (week 1 of 13): 

PRAYER FOR REVELATION OF JESUS’ BEAUTY THAT WE MIGHT WALK IN OUR CALLING AND DESTINY BY GOD’S POWER

17 That the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may KNOW (experience) what is the hope of His calling (assurance/ clarity of God’s call for our life) what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints (our destiny as Jesus’ inheritance), 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power... (Eph. 1:17-19) 

     One prayer a week as a community. Today is Monday, January 27, 2014

Prayer For Our Church (week 2 of 13):

PRAY TO RECEIVE THE SPIRIT’S POWER THAT JESUS’ PRESENCE BE MANIFEST IN US SO WE EXPERIENCE GOD’S LOVE

16 THAT He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 THAT Christ may dwell (manifest His presence) in your hearts through faith; THAT you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend (experience) with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height– 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; THAT you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Eph. 3:16-19)

     One prayer a week as a community. Today is Monday, February 3, 2014

Prayer For Our Church (week 3 of 13):

PRAYER FOR GOD’S LOVE TO ABOUND IN US BY THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD RESULTING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS IN OUR LIFE
9 That your love may abound still more and more in knowledge (of God) and all discernment, 10 that you may approve (rejoice in) the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere (no compromise) and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness... (Phil. 1:9-11)

One prayer a week as a community. Today is Monday, February 10, 2014

Prayer For Our Church (week 4 of 13):

PRAYER TO KNOW GOD’S WILL, TO BE FRUITFUL IN MINISTRY AND STRENGTHENED BY INTIMACY WITH GOD
9 That you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy... (Col. 1:9-11)

One prayer a week as a community. Today is Monday, February 17, 2014

Prayer For Our Church (week 5 of 13):

PRAYER FOR UNITY IN THE CHURCH AND TO BE FILLED WITH SUPERNATURAL JOY, PEACE AND HOPE (CONFIDENCE)
5 May the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another...6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the...Father...13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 15:5-6, 13)

One prayer a week as a community. Today is Monday, February 24, 2014

Prayer For Our Church (week 6 of 13):

TO BE ENRICHED BY ALL THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT INCLUDING POWERFUL PREACHING AND PROPHETIC REVELATION

5 That you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance (anointed preaching/singing) and all knowledge (prophetic revelation), 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you (by miracles), 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of...Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 1:5-8)

One prayer a week as a community. Today is Monday, March 3, 2014

Prayer For Our Church (week 7 of 13):

FOR THE RELEASE OF GRACE TO BRING THE CHURCH TO MATURITY ESPECIALLY TO ABOUND IN LOVE AND HOLINESS

10 Praying exceedingly that... (God will release His Spirit and grace to) perfect what is lacking in your faith?...12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all... 13 that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father. (1 Thes. 3:10-13) 

One prayer a week as a community. Today is Monday, March 10, 2014

Prayer For Our Church (week 8 of 13):

PRAY TO BE WORTHY (PREPARED OR MADE SPIRITUALLY MATURE) TO WALK IN THE FULLNESS OF OUR DESTINY IN GOD

11 We pray always for you that God would count you worthy of (prepare us for) this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness (plans for us) and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of...Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God. (2 Thes. 1:11-12) 

One prayer a week as a community. Today is Monday, March 17, 2014

Prayer For Our Church (week 9 of 13):

THAT THE WORD WILL INCREASE ITS INFLUENCE (EFFECTIVENESS) AS GOD RELEASES HIS POWER ON IT

1 Pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may run swiftly (rapidly increase its influence) and be glorified (confirmed with apostolic power and miracles), just as it is with you...3 The Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one...5 May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience (perseverance or endurance) of Christ. (2 Thes. 3:1-5)

One prayer a week as a community. Today is Monday, March 24, 2014

Prayer For Our Church (week 10 of 13):

FOR IMPARTATION OF BOLDNESS (SINGING AND SPEAKING THE WORD) BY RELEASING HEALING, SIGNS AND WONDERS

29 Lord...grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:29-31)

One prayer a week as a community. Today is Monday, March 31, 2014

Prayer For Our Church (week 11 of 13):

RELEASE OF GOD’S PROMISE TO BE ENDUED WITH POWER FOR ALL WHO TARRY (LABOR IN PRAYER) FOR BREAKTHROUGH

49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high. (Lk. 24:49). 8 You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem...and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

One prayer a week as a community. Today is Monday, April 7, 2014

Prayer For Our Church (week 12 of 13):

FOR THE LORD TO RELEASE HIS ZEAL FOR HIS PEOPLE AND FOR HIS MANIFEST PRESENCE TO SHAKE ALL THAT RESISTS HIM

15 Look down...and see from Your habitation, holy and glorious. Where are (the manifestations of) Your zeal and Your strength, the yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me? 16...You, O LORD, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name. 64:1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down (manifest Your power)! That the mountains (obstacles) might shake at Your presence-- 2 as fire burns brushwood, as fire causes water to boil-- to make Your name known to Your adversaries (sin, sickness, Satan), that the nations may tremble at Your presence! 3 When You did awesome things for which we did not look (expect)... 4 Since the beginning of the world men have not heard...nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him. 5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, who remembers You in Your ways. (Isa. 63:15-16; 64:1-7) 

One prayer a week as a community. Today is Monday, April 14, 2014

Prayer For Our Church (week 13 of 13):

FOR THE RELEASE OF GOD’S PROMISE TO POUR OUT HIS SPIRIT AND RELEASE DREAMS, VISIONS AND PROPHECY

17 In the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. 18 On My menservants and My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood, fire and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, BEFORE the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. 21 Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. (Acts 2:17-21)

Coram Deo,

Herb Drake