Dear Brother or Sister in Christ,
Summer is now in full swing! Let’s begin by praying that our church will continue to be a gospel beacon in the midst of this busy season, with people coming and going in a thousand directions.
There is so much for which we can give God praise! Praise God for the amazing truths we’ve been mining from the book of Romans! May He continue to use this, to form in us, a better understanding and practice of our gospel core. Praise God for the unified worship and fellowship that we’re enjoying in our combined 9:30 summer services! Pray that God will be honored as we humbly value one another above ourselves and love one another deeply from the heart (Philippians 2:1-5 and 1 Peter 1:22). Praise God for our Senior Connection group that continues to meet each month for potlucks and sharing in discipleship. Pray that our senior adults will continue to find meaningful connection to Christ and their fellow followers, as well as continued growth and maturity in their personal faith. Praise God for providing us with our new Facility Supervisor, Corbin McCray. Pray for Corbin as he learns the job and carries out this ministry. Pray that he’ll be effective in caring for our building and grounds in order to maximize our church’s discipleship mission.
Praise God for the many summer activities with our Trail Life boys ministry, our Anchor young adults group, summer youth group, Kids Ministry Diamond Point cookouts, softball, summer Life Group get togethers, summer camps, and more! Let’s pray that God will use each and every one of these ministries as opportunities for us to win the lost, build up believers, and equip leaders for ministry. Pray for more believers to use their gifts in service, that each deeply devoted follower of Jesus would offer every part of themselves as an instrument of righteousness (Romans 6:13).
Let’s pray for future ministry opportunities still to come this summer. Pray for our pastors as we have ongoing counseling to various people, including premarital counseling. Pray for the preaching and teaching from God’s Word in our Sunday service as well as multiple Bible studies and discipleship groups. May we teach God’s Word accurately and may it change us from the inside out (Hebrews 4:12-13). Pray for our musicians, including their voices and instruments, that each Sunday they would be empowered to lead us in worshipping an audience of One (Psalm 150). Pray for our Trail Life and Kids Ministry as they walk in the 4th of July parade and invite people to our church. Pray for favor with the crowd and an impact in our community outside of our church walls.
Pray for our July 22nd Diamond Point event. Pray that our kids and youth ministries will have a positive impact for Christ that evening. May new relationships be formed, and new people be brought to faith in Christ. Praise God for last Wednesday’s Family Fun Park Night at Diamond Point when we had the opportunity to minister to about 15 new people! Pray for our July 30 congregational meeting and picnic. May our church business be honoring to God, and may we have the wisdom we need in making various decisions and deciding on ministry direction.
Please pray for our current preparations for our upcoming Vacation Bible School in early August. Pray that our church family will eagerly and willingly respond to the need for volunteers to serve God’s Kingdom purposes. Pray that we’ll have the physical resources and funding that we need to be well-resourced. Pray for favor with our community as we not only disciple our own kids in the faith, but also bless the kids in our community who need to know Christ (Matthew 19:13-15). Pray that we’ll not only reach the children and youth, but also their families. May the gospel be declared to those who need to hear it, and may it be received by faith and then lived out in joy and victory!
As I scan through our recent prayer chain requests, I’m reminded of our need to pray for those from our church family with ongoing health struggles. Let’s pray that the Lord will sustain them with His comfort and strength as they long for relief and healing. May God do His work in His time, and may we come alongside one another to help carry these burdens together (Romans 12:10 and Hebrews 13:1). Pray that we’ll be considerate and find tangible ways that we can show our genuine care and concern for one another.
Let’s also remember to pray for each one of our Global Partners serving near and far. Pray for endurance and productivity for those whose ministries involve content creation either through writing, audio, online, or otherwise. Pray for those who are translating God’s Word into other languages, that they will do so accurately and effectively for different people groups. Pray for those serving in closed countries, for safety and legal permission to remain there. Pray for favor with the local people and governing authorities. Pray for effective gospel transmission in the midst of a variety of cultures and worldviews. Pray for those who are ministering in settings where people have been affected by deep, life-altering trauma. Pray for personal mental health, as well as keen insight into how they can best help those they serve who are in complex life situations.
Pray for our Global Partners who are retiring from the field or transitioning to a different role, that they will live out God’s plan for them in this next chapter. Pray also for new workers to recognize God’s call on their life, and then to receive effective training and supportive sending out. Pray for our mission mobilizers to be energized and diligent in recruiting and training up new workers. Pray that each one of our Global Partners will be fully funded and well-resourced in every way so that they can steward their time and energy toward gospel ministry rather than being distracted by fundraising needs and shortfalls in their support. Pray for healthy, happy marriages and families, as well as health and happiness for those who are single. Pray that our Global Partners will feel the power of being lifted up in our daily prayers. Pray for the work of our Global Connections Team.
As always, please continue to pray fervently, that our church will become more and more the church that God would have us be. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, thank you for praying.
Together for Christ,
Pastor Jerry