This question came up in our recent Teach Us To Pray II class. Of course, some people fast to lose weight. Others fast to gain attention for political causes. But Christ-followers fast for completely different reasons. One night I shared six spiritual reasons behind why I fast each week. As we move through Lent, a six-week season of self-denial to remind us of the sacrifice Jesus made for us; these reasons might be helpful to everyone on our Prayer Team. I will share three this month and the balance next month.
But first, let me offer a little framework. Although fasting is typically associated with abstaining from food for a certain period of time, it could also include abstaining from such things as TV, Facebook, internet surfing, shopping, sweets, or a critical attitude. Regardless of how we define our fast, the common goal is to “give up” something dear to us, often distracting to us, so we can “go up” in our relationship with God. Here are some key reasons to fast.
1. To follow the example of Jesus and many others in the Bible.
Fasting is a scriptural practice that Jesus modeled and advocated. In preparation for his ministry, Jesus spent 40 days in the desert fasting. Jesus’ disciples would fast and pray. Paul fasted and prayed and people in the early church did so routinely. In fact, at one point in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says to his disciples and anyone who would listen, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do” (Matt. 6:16). Note that Jesus didn’t say, “If you fast…” Fasting was a common and expected spiritual practice. It is only in the last couple of centuries that fasting has fallen on hard times. However, in the last 25 years or so, there has been a resurgence of people practicing this ancient discipline. Books are being written about it again, such as Elmer Towns’ book, Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough.
2. To draw closer to God.
Fasting is giving up a natural activity of your body for spiritual purposes. For instance, there is nothing wrong with eating. It can simply be distracting. We put so much time and energy into what we are going to eat, when we are going to eat, where we are going to eat, getting ready to eat, eating, evaluating whether what we ate was good or bad, and so on. Many people’s entire lives revolve around it. When I fast, I try to substitute spiritual activity for the time that I would otherwise spend eating. This can be done regardless of the kind of fast. I may read my Bible during a mealtime or go off and pray or journal or have a spiritual conversation with someone. I give up food to focus my full attention on God, to allow God to be my source and supplier of every need. As Jesus said when Satan tempted him to turn stones into bread, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4).
3. To deepen my prayer life.
Fasting is a form of physical prayer. When I fast, it feels like my body is praying. Something is going on at a deeper level than my conscious awareness. When I get hunger pains, my body is reminding me that I am turning my deepest attention to God. It also reminds me to pray for the specific person or situation to which I have devoted the fast that day. Actually, when I fast, it is the closest I have ever come to Paul’s command to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
As for all the ways you pray, thanks for giving up to go up,
The Soulful Seven
First UMC Prayer Team
March 2012
Please feel free to pray for a different area each day of the week.
Thanks for your prayers.
• Sunday— Seek God to reveal to us the height, depth, and breadth of Jesus’ love for us through our 24 Hours series. Ask God to let love spill over from us into the lives of others we can invite to our celebration of Easter.
• Monday—THANK GOD for the safe return of our mission team to Honduras on March 4 & the missional imagination that constructed a larger church in Danli to reach more people. Please pray for the 4 people from FUMC as they partner with another church on a medical mission trip to Liberia through March 20. Pray for healing for thousands through this team. Also, seek God for hundreds of people to come to Christ through a crusade to start a new church in the Germantown area of the Weala District.
• Tuesday— Cover in prayer a new mid-week small group for High School boys, the outreach of our StudentLife Ministry on Sunday morning and Sunday evening, our 14 Confirmation Students who are meeting on Sundays at 11:00am, & the possibility of a new High School girls small group. Please ask God to reveal the right leaders for this girls group.
• Wednesday—Praise Jesus for the great things happening in our Sunday morning nursery and children’s ministry! Please pray for Lindsay Walker and her team as we minister to a growing number of kids and their families on Sunday mornings.
• Thursday—Pray for Spiritual Revival at First UMC that would manifest itself in
1) Unity, 2) Conversions, and 3) A Spirit of Generosity.
• Friday—By faith, thank the Holy Spirit for anointing our Downtown facility at
5th and Capitol to sell in God’s perfect timing.
• Saturday—PRAISE GOD for our staff team of Alyce Foster, Andrew Schmidt,
Bob Swickard, Brad Curtis, Carli Burton, Charles Lange, Chase Carlisle, Cheryl Long, Dennis Fors, Donald Powell, Eric Hendrickson, Holly Taylor, James “J” Dunlap,
Jim Rogers, Lindsay Walker, Michael Paulson, Pam Long, Patricia Harding, Randy Osborn, Roger Ross, See Tsai Chan, Sharon Sweeney, and several caring nursery workers. Please pray for God’s supernatural favor on their lives and ministries.
Got fears?
Maybe you are starting this year with perfect confidence that everything will be great. A friend of mine recently suggested we start regular breakfast meetings where participants could only talk about superb things—the superb breakfast club. We both liked the idea. It would be an encouraging group, even inspiring, but over time there would be something missing. Not everything in life is superb. What do we do then?
On the other hand, you may be starting 2012 with a specific set of concerns. If pushed, you might even call them fears: a potential change in your relationship status, a career decision, a possible move, no change in your relationship status, a health issue that threatens your future, credit card bills from a Christmas that was too merry, or a whisper from God that is way beyond your comfort zone. The problem with fear in any area of our lives is its paralyzing power. How do you face down very real fears that keep you from taking appropriate action?
Paul gives this surprising counsel to the Christ-followers in Philippi: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6 NIV). Do not be anxious about anything? Yup. Here’s why.
All our fear and anxiety boil down to calculating without God. A while back, a young couple came to me filled with anxiety about whether they would have children. I asked them how important this was to them. They said, “Very important.” So I asked them if they had gotten on their knees, separately and together, and prayed about this for an hour a day for just one week. They looked at me as if I was crazy. “What good would that do?” the man asked. “Do we have to get God’s attention?”
“No,” I said. “It’s so God can get your attention. It’s so God can reveal to you what God is up to in your lives. When you fervently pray over time, God can give you peace in the midst of a storm, strength beyond your own, and options you may not have considered. You already have God’s attention. Now, God wants yours.”
In this new year, where does God want your attention? When we give ourselves to prayer, God speaks to our souls and calms our fears.
P.S. Hope you can join us for our upcoming “Teach Us to Pray II” class beginning Wed., January 18 at 6:30 p.m. Childcare is provided. You can sign up for this 6-week class at springfieldfirst.org or just show up. Patty Altstetter, Michael Paulson, and I can hardly wait!
The Soulful Seven
First UMC Prayer Team
January 2012
Please feel free to pray for a different area each day of the week.
Thanks for your prayers.
-Sunday—Praise the LORD for a spirit of invitation & radical hospitality that led to 3,015 people attending our 6 Christmas Eve worship experiences! Please pray for them to get connected to Christ’s body at FUMC. Also, ask God to use the Fear Factor postcards sent to 10,000 households in our area on Jan. 3rd to draw scores of new people to worship.
-Monday—Seek God to give us a missional imagination that creates ways to cross boundaries with Christ’s love to reach spiritually adrift people and minister to those in need.
-Tuesday—PRAISE GOD for a beautiful demonstration of extravagant generosity throughout the Christmas season. As of Jan. 1, our Christmas Special Offering for women and children in need in the Springfield area totaled $34,985.68! Also, thank God for the outpouring of gifts for our general fund at the end of 2011. Finally, praise God for a 75% inc. in Promise commitments for 2012 (2011=229 promises, 2012=401 promises), and an inc. of over $250,000 in total committed.
-Wednesday—Praise Jesus for the great things happening in our Sunday morning nursery and children’s ministry! Please pray for Lindsay Walker and her team as we minister to a growing number of kids and their families on Sunday mornings.
-Thursday—Cover in prayer a new mid-week small group for High School boys starting January 10, the outreach of our StudentLife Ministry on Sunday morning and Sunday evening, and our 14 Confirmation Students who are meeting on Sundays at 11:00 a.m.
-Friday—By faith, thank the Holy Spirit for anointing our Downtown facility at 5th and Capitol to sell in God’s perfect timing.
-Saturday—PRAISE GOD for our staff team of Alyce Foster, Andrew Schmidt, Bob Swickard, Brad Curtis, Carli Burton, Charles Lange, Chase Carlisle, Cheryl Long, Dennis Fors, Donald Powell, Eric Hendrickson, Holly Taylor, James “J” Dunlap, Jim Rogers, Lindsay Walker, Michael Paulson, Pam Long, Patricia Harding, Randy Osborn, Roger Ross, See Tsai Chan, Sharon Sweeney, and several caring nursery workers. Please pray for God’s supernatural favor on their lives and ministries.
It happened when our kids were very young. The three of us, two-year old Zach, nine-month old Jane, and very old Daddy were on a quest to get “the Christmas picture.” Somehow Mommy had conveniently scheduled this event at a time when she was at work. So Daddy got the kids diapered and dressed in their Christmas best with a green bow tie and black patent leather shoes. (Jane wore the shoes.) When we arrived at the Mall, Zach led the charge to the second floor of JC Penney’s. Against all odds, both kids smiled while Elmo slid off the photographer’s head—the 18th time.
But that’s not when it happened. While Daddy called Mommy about the loan we would need to buy the pictures, Zach discovered an aisle filled with teletubby dolls (a hot item at the time). Soon a sizeable colony of teletubbies was growing in the middle of the photographer’s waiting area. It didn’t happen then either.
Known to be a glutton for punishment, Daddy decided to get his watch fixed at a store on the other side of the Mall. “Why should having no stroller stop us from doing this?” he thought. Fearlessly, Daddy hitched up Jane “dead weight” Ross in one arm, carried the diaper bag in the other, and set off on the horizon with Zach somewhere between 3 and 30 feet behind at all times.
It cost $1.07 to fix the watch. The only thing left to do was head back to the car. Unfortunately, as we waved to Santa, Daddy took a wrong turn, and we ended up in Sears. It was on our third cross-country trip through the Mall that it happened. Zach’s little legs were going as fast as they could to keep up with Daddy and Jane. By this time, sweat was dripping down Daddy’s forehead, and all he could think about was car seats with restraining straps. So he didn’t understand what Zach was saying. “Nanny-and! Nanny-and!” Finally, it sunk in. After being dragged half way around the world, all Zach was asking for was “Daddy’s hand.”
Christmas is a wonderful, rushed, magical, exhausting season. There may be times when you are worn out from criss-crossing the globe or sweating the details of a big celebration. If that happens (when that happens), it’s a good idea to look up and ask for Daddy’s hand. Jesus was born just so we could do that.
O come let us adore Him,
Roger
The Soulful Seven
FirstUMCPrayer Team
December 2011
Sunday—Petition the LORD for a spirit of radical hospitality & personal invitation to infuse our family of faith as we head into our December series: Dreaming of a White (flag) Christmas. Please pray for thousands of invitations to be made & hundreds of newcomers to join us for one of these worship experiences:
Contemporary Cantata, Sat. Dec. 10 @ 5:30 p.m. and Sun. Dec. 11 @ 9:45 a.m.
Traditional Cantata, Sunday, Dec. 18 @ 8:30 & 11:00 a.m.
Eve Before You Leave, Wed. Dec. 21 @ 7:00 p.m. (An early Xmas Eve service)
Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24, @ 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:00, & 11:00 p.m.
Monday—Praise the Holy Spirit as we have grown to 28 small groups. Please pray for every person in our GroupLife ministry (Sunday School classes, small groups, study groups, UM Women, UM Men, healing groups, and accountability groups) to grow spiritually in his or her walk with Christ.
Tuesday—PRAISE God for a beautiful demonstration of extravagant generosity through our Promise Weekend. As of Nov. 28, we have received 361 Promise commitments for 2012 totaling $1,389,752—a 44% inc. in # of commitments and 41% inc. in total committed over the same time last year! Ask the Lord of all resources to help us finish strong in 2011 in general giving and mission giving.
Wednesday—Praise Jesus for the great things happening in our Sunday morning nursery and children’s ministry! Please pray for Lindsay Walker and her team as we minister to a growing number of kids and their families on Sunday mornings.
Thursday—Invoke the name of God to touch increasing numbers of Jr. High and High School students with the love and leadership of Jesus Christ through our StudentLife Ministry on Sunday morning and Sunday evening. Also, please lift up our 14 Confirmation Students who are meeting on Sundays at 11:00 a.m.
Friday—By faith, thank the Holy Spirit for anointing our Downtown facility at 5th and Capitol to sell in God’s perfect timing.
Saturday—PRAISE GOD for our staff team of Alyce Foster, Andrew Schmidt, Bob Swickard, Brad Curtis, Carli Burton, Charles Lange, Chase Carlisle, Cheryl Long, Dennis Fors, Donald Powell, Eric Hendrickson, Holly Taylor, James “J” Dunlap, Jim Rogers, Lindsay Walker, Michael Paulson, Pam Long, Patricia Harding, Randy Osborn, Roger Ross, See Tsai Chan, Sharon Sweeney, and several caring nursery workers. Please pray for God’s supernatural favor on their lives and ministries.
He wasn’t even planning to be there. Dave Huyette wanted to sell his World Series tickets when Game 6 was delayed a day over looming rain in St. Louis. But his friend talked him out of it. Together, they nestled into their right-center field seats and witnessed a game for the ages.
With 4 innings left, Dave had an inkling that the game might end on a home run. As the game went into extra innings, he perched himself in perfect position and waited. The wait wasn’t long. In the bottom of the 11th inning, Cardinal 3rd baseman, David Freese, hit a walk off home run to win the game 10-9. As if on cue, the ball landed on a grassy knoll behind the centerfield fence just a few feet away, and Huyette quickly pounced on it.
After the jubilation died down, Huyette had a decision to make. In his hands was a piece of sports history. Home run balls of this significance have fetched tens, even hundreds, of thousands of dollars from collector’s coffers. But Huyette never considered that route. He immediately knew that giving the ball to Freese “was the honorable thing to do.”
Days later, he did not regret it. Huyette, a radiologist with a 5-year old son who lives in Maryville, Illinois, said, “I’m not financially needy, and I knew I didn’t want any money.” As a reward, Freese gave Huyette an autographed bat, a baseball signed by the Cardinals, and a picture with him. Not bad spoils from the team that went on to the most improbable World Series victory in Major League history.
These days it is rare to find someone who chooses the honorable thing without question. Maybe he was able to do that because of the thankfulness in his heart. Huyette was grateful for his life, his financial situation, and for the chance to see his team make a near impossible comeback. As is always the case, when people are grateful, it enables them to give greatly.
What are you deeply grateful for these days? How are those most valuable things affecting your ability to give greatly?
I’m so grateful for the way you give yourself greatly to prayer. Your spiritual work is changing lives day by day. What a blessing you are.
Happy Thanks-giving,
Dr. Roger Ross
The Soulful Seven
November 2011
Please feel free to pray for a different area each day of the week. Thanks for your prayers.
- Sunday—Petition the LORD for a spirit of radical hospitality & personal invitation to infuse our family of faith as we head into our new series: Beyond Believing. Please pray for thousands of invitations to be made & hundreds of newcomers to join us for one of these:
-Contemporary Cantata, Sat. Dec. 10 @ 5:30 p.m. and Sun. Dec. 11 @ 9:45 a.m.
-Traditional Cantata, Sunday, Dec. 18 @ 8:30 & 11:00 a.m.
-Eve Before You Leave, Wed. Dec. 21 @ 7:00 p.m. (An early Xmas Eve service)
-Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24, @ 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:00, & 11:00 p.m.
- Monday—Praise the Holy Spirit for the 46 people who went through our small group leader trainings and the 25 small groups that started in October involving 200 people! Please pray for every person in our GroupLife ministry (Sunday School classes, small groups, study groups, UM Women, UM Men, healing groups, and accountability groups) to grow spiritually in his or her walk with Christ.
- Tuesday—Seek God in advance, by faith, for a beautiful demonstration of extravagant generosity on our Promise Weekend, November 12-13. Also, praise GOD for the many lives that are being saved and touched by the $4,754 given through First UMC in response to the famine in Somalia.
- Wednesday—Praise Jesus for the great things happening in our Sunday morning nursery and children’s ministry! Please pray for Lindsay Walker and her team as we minister to a growing number of kids and their families on Sunday mornings.
- Thursday—Invoke the name of God to touch increasing numbers of Jr. High and High School students with the love and leadership of Jesus Christ through our StudentLife Ministry on Sunday morning and Sunday evening. Ask for the Holy Spirit’s anointing on Brad Curtis, the volunteer youth staff, and the youth leaders as they continue to help students KNOW God, GROW in their faith, and GO to reach others.
- Friday—By faith, thank the Holy Spirit for anointing our Downtown facility at 5th and Capitol to sell in God’s perfect timing.
-Saturday—PRAISE GOD for James “J” Dunlap, our new, part-time custodian who began in October. Thank God for our staff team of Alyce Foster, Andrew Schmidt, Bob Swickard, Brad Curtis, Carli Burton, Charles Lange, Chase Carlisle, Cheryl Long, Dennis Fors, Donald Powell, Eric Hendrickson, Holly Taylor, James “J” Dunlap, Jim Rogers, Lindsay Walker, Michael Paulson, Pam Long, Patricia Harding, Randy Osborn, Roger Ross, See Tsai Chan, Sharon Sweeney, and several caring nursery workers. Please pray for God’s supernatural favor on their lives and ministries.
The Prayer Team Update
First United Methodist Church
_____________________________________________
Listen.
Is there enough quietness in your life to hear the whisper of God?
Most of us live “run on” lives. As soon as one event is done, we run on to the next. Like TV programming that seamlessly moves from show to show, we finish a project, game, or class, just in time to dive into another. It’s our nature. Right now, you are probably reading this as fast as you can, so you can move on to the next thing you want to read. J
Of course, activity is not a bad thing. There are many tasks we need to do and actions we need to take. People are depending on us. What we do matters.
What turns into a bad thing is non-stop activity. When life is a blur there is no time to rest, no time to heal, and no time to reflect on what just happened. There’s also no time to hear God’s voice. Sooner or later, “run on” lives run on empty.
If this sounds familiar, here’s a simple way to refuel your soul. Set aside 10 minutes. It could be in the early morning, mid-day, or evening time. It will be easier if you can do this at the same time and place each day. Start by reading some Scripture that orients you toward God. If you don’t know where to start, try the Psalms, the Book of Proverbs, or one of the four Gospels.
After reading a chapter or so, set a timer for 5 minutes and say, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” This is not a time to say anything to God. Just listen. No doubt there will be distractions at first. Tasks to do and people to contact will jump to mind. Simply write those down on a piece a paper next to you and return to listening. You can do those things later.
Sitting quietly will feel strange at first, but as you listen you may receive little messages that pop into your mind. “Call that person.” “Write him a note.” “Tell her you are sorry.” If so, be careful to follow them as soon as possible. Recently, I sensed God say to me, “Be a healing presence.” Those words shaped how I interacted with people for days afterward. Some days you may not hear anything. That’s OK. It is enough to bask in the presence of God for awhile. When your 5 minutes are up, thank God for personally caring about you and pray specifically for the Holy Spirit to minister to people and situations close to you. Also, pray for your church to prevail.
This simple discipline can revolutionize a person’s prayer life. What if we all set aside 10 minutes each day for the rest of October? God has so much to share with each of his precious children. All it takes to hear that whisper is a break in the action.
Please email me when God whispers to you. It’s exciting. Thanks for praying,
Roger Ross
Please feel free to pray for a different area each day of the week. Thanks for your prayers.
Sunday — Ask God for hundreds of personal invitations to be made and hundreds of new people to respond to the special events occurring at FUMC in October:
Monday — Praise the Holy Spirit for drawing 44 people to our Small Group Leaders trainings to date. Please pray for 10 more people to go through the training as well as a strong start for the over 20 small groups that started with our Fresh Fruit series.
Tuesday — Thank God for the extravagant generosity shown by the 505 individuals and families who made commitments to our New Day campaign, the more than 150 people who have given gifts without a commitment, and the $693,734 given through 9/30/11! Also, put your hands together for Jesus for the $17,767 given so far this year to change lives in Liberia. These gifts have provided scores of scholarships for children and youth at the John Wesley UM School, wells for safe drinking water, medical supplies and equipment for people with no access to health care, and support for new churches.
Wednesday — Praise Jesus for the significant attendance growth in our Sunday morning nursery and children’s ministry! Also, THANK God for answering our prayers with new people to serve in the check-in area of KidLife on Sunday mornings!
Thursday — Sing Hallelujah (which means: Praise God!) for the fresh spirit in our Fusion StudentLife Ministry both on Sunday morning and Sunday evening. Ask for the Holy Spirit’s anointing on Brad Curtis, the volunteer youth staff, and the youth leaders as they continue to help students KNOW God, GROW in their faith, and GO to reach others.
Friday — By faith, thank the Holy Spirit for anointing our Downtown facility at 5th and Capitol to sell in God’s perfect timing.
Saturday — PRAISE GOD for Donald Powell, our new part-time evening custodian who began in Sept. Thank God for our staff team of Alyce Foster, Andrew Schmidt, Bob Swickard, Brad Curtis, Carli Burton, Charles Lange, Chase Carlisle, Cheryl Long, Dennis Fors, Donald Powell, Eric Hendrickson, Holly Taylor, Jim Rogers, Lindsay Walker, Michael Paulson, Pam Long, Patricia Harding, Randy Osborn, Roger Ross, See Tsai Chan, and Sharon Sweeney. Please pray for God’s supernatural favor on their lives and ministries.
If you would like to receive this Prayer Update by email, please contact
Sharon Sweeney at ssweeney@springfieldfirst.org
I’ll admit it. I take too many pictures, especially on vacation. My family barely tolerates this addiction (although they seem to like the pictures afterwards). How I became this way is a mystery. No one in my family of origin is a shutterbug, nor did I have any camera crazy friends. But even in grade school, I had an interest in photography. There is something in me that likes to capture the moment. Each second goes by so quickly, never to pass our way again. Often those brief moments are filled with so much feeling—hope, hurt, joy, fear—that only a picture can do it justice.
We had several such moments in our recent time away, but I want to share just one. During the last week of July, our family spent some time in the Colorado Rockies. The majestic mountain ranges and breath-taking scenery are enough to make anyone a little “camera nuts” (I argued). But one night was special. We decided to go to Rocky Mountain National Park about the time most people were leaving. We passed many spectacular views as we drove through the park, including a large deer, a 10-point buck, coming down into the meadow in the early evening. However, our destination was Bear Lake. Leanne had told me this was one of the most photographed areas in all of Colorado. When we arrived, I could see why.
It is a gorgeous lake nestled into towering mountains with pine trees standing like sentinels all around. Unfortunately, the light wasn’t quite right for what I thought would be a good picture. So I dialed back on the camera thing and just took a walk with my wife. Shadows were getting longer and the breeze a bit cooler as we silently drank in the beauty. Suddenly, Leanne said, “That would be a good picture.”
To me, this is a moment of stillness. It is so often what my heart needs as I get caught in the relentless demands of everyday life. Just picturing this peaceful place stills my soul and helps me remember who is really in control. I pray in these last few weeks of summer that each of us will take some time to dial back, to drink in the beauty of life around us, and be still. There is something about that practice that restores our soul.
Special thanks to those of you who prayed for me this past month. They did more than you could know.
With you on the journey,
Roger Ross
Be still and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10
The Soulful Seven
First UMC Prayer Team
Please feel free to pray for a different area each day of the week.
Thanks for your prayers.
- Sunday—Thank God in advance for a shared sense of vision and mission as we head into a new ministry season this fall.
- Monday—Invite the Holy Spirit to draw at least 50 people to explore small group leadership at our SG Leaders Training on Saturday, August 27th (8:30 AM—2:00 PM). Ask the Holy Spirit to spiritually prepare us for an ongoing small group network this fall.
- Tuesday—Put your hands together for Jesus for the 505 individuals and families who made commitments to our New Day campaign and the over 150 people who have made a gift to the campaign. Ask our gracious God to keep growing in us a spirit of extravagant generosity.
- Wednesday—Praise Jesus for leading 248 remarkable kids to our PandaMania Vacation Bible School, July 18-22! We experienced our highest children’s attendance on record & had 127 different leaders throughout the week. (THANK YOU!) Please pray for Lindsay and her Children’s Ministry Team as they prepare for many new kids and families to attend the KidLife Fall Kickoff on Sunday, August 28th with bounce houses, lunch, and fun activities for everyone in the congregation following our 9:45 AM KidLife service.
- Thursday—Implore the Holy Spirit to fall afresh on the 66 people from FUMC attending the Global Leadership Summit on August 11-12. Please pray: “Holy Spirit, open each mind and heart to Your dream and clear direction for new life.”
- Friday—By faith, thank the Holy Spirit for anointing our Downtown facility at 5th and Capitol to sell in God’s perfect timing.
- Saturday—PRAISE GOD for our staff team of Alyce Foster, Andrew Schmidt, Bob Swickard, Brad Curtis, Carli Burton, Charles Lange, Cheryl Long, Dennis Fors, Eric Hendrickson, Holly Taylor, Jim Rogers, Lindsay Walker, Michael Paulson, Mike Schuh, Pam Long, Patricia Harding, Randy Osborn, Roger Ross, See Tsai Chan, Sharon Sweeney, and Woody Oliea. Please pray for God’s supernatural favor on their lives and ministries.
If you would like to receive this Prayer Update by email, please contact
Sharon Sweeney at ssweeney@springfieldfirst.org.
Sometimes you simply amaze me. But this time you touched my heart.
In late June, a wave a sadness and shock swept across our congregation as we heard of the robbery at Rev. Paye and Deborah Mondolo’s house in Monrovia. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but everything was taken from them. They were so discouraged.
Of course, you were quick to hold them in prayer, but you didn’t stop there. You allowed God to move you to compassion. Gifts began to pour in. With no special offering, we received about $10,000 in ten days. On Wednesday, June 29th, we wired that money to Paye. We also sent $4,500 to provide scholarships for kids at the John Wesley School, a new well for safe drinking water, and medical supplies for the clinic at the Weala District Center. A couple of hours later, I received this email.
My dear brother Roger,
We do not know how to express our thanks as a family in words. We never thought about this kind of blessing even as the robbers took things away. Many thanks to you and the loving people of Springfield First United Methodist Church. You have expressed love for me and my family beyond my human understanding. Again thanks a million for restoring us. Thanks, Thanks, Thanks. The Lord bless you and the congregation of Springfield First UMC and all those who have supported us in restoring our hope and faith.
God is real, God is Good all of the Time, and God is faithful to those who love and serve Him. This I believed. Thanks my brothers and sisters.
In His Service,
Paye
I confess. When I read those words, tears came to my eyes. I know some of the challenges of ministry in Liberia. I know the great burden Paye carries to minister to so many with such meager resources, and I know how devastating this was to his family. With no insurance available and no hope of recovering what was stolen, they didn’t know how they would ever get back on their feet.
But all was not lost. When this world dealt them a bad blow, you showed them that God is still good. You acted as God’s special agent to supply their every need. You restored their hope.
What a gift you are. I’m so proud to be your pastor.
God is Good, all the time,
The Soulful Seven
First UMC Prayer Team
July 2011
Sunday—Thank God in advance for the refreshing breeze of the Holy Spirit that will blow through our hearts and our congregation this month. (If you are so led, please pray for God to refresh my heart, renew my mind, & restore my soul while I’m away in July. Thx! -Roger)
Monday—Offer Praise to God for the 20 children, youth, and adults we have baptized in the first six months of this year! Pray that the Holy Spirit would touch their lives with spiritual power and give them gifts to be used in ministry.
Tuesday—Put your hands together for Jesus for the 505 individuals and families who made commitments to our New Day campaign and the more than 140 additional people who made a gift to the campaign. Pray for God’s provision to be demonstrated in our New Day special offering on July 30-31.
Wednesday—In faith, thank the Risen Christ for leading over 250 kids to our PandaMania Vacation Bible School July 18-22. Please pray for Lindsay and her VBS team to help the kids have a fantastic week of spiritual growth and fun! Also, seek God for more volunteers to serve as “guides” to spend time with the kids in small groups.
Thursday—Please hold in prayer Rev. Paye and Deborah Mondolo, and their three youngest daughters, Christina, Praise, and Abigail. Ask the Lord our Healer to comfort them after the trauma of the robbery and restore them spiritually & physically.
Friday—Thank the Holy Spirit for anointing our Downtown facility at 5th and Capitol to sell in God’s perfect timing.
Saturday—PRAISE GOD for these additions to our staff: Holly Taylor is our new, part-time accountant and Mike Schuh is our new part-time, evening custodian. Also, please hold in prayer our staff team of Alyce Foster, Andrew Schmidt, Bob Swickard, Brad Curtis, Carli Burton, Charles Lange, Cheryl Long, Dennis Fors, Eric Hendrickson, Jim Rogers, Lindsay Walker, Michael Paulson, Pam Long, Patricia Harding, Randy Osborn, Roger Ross, See Tsai Chan, Sharon Sweeney, and Woody Oliea. Please pray for God’s supernatural favor on their lives and ministries.
If you would like to receive this Prayer Update by email, please contact
Sharon Sweeney at ssweeney@springfieldfirst.org.
REVEAL research conducted by the Willow Creek Association has identified various churches that are extremely effective at increasing their members’ spiritual growth. As they have studied 1,300 congregations and 330,000 individuals, they have found common characteristics and best practices in churches that cut across highly diverse sizes, locations, and cultures. Here’s what the “Top 5%” of REVEAL churches do so well.
1. Their leaders are extraordinary in their personal devotion to God.
They are a living illustration of the verse, “to love the Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).
2. They get people moving.
Clearly communicating a pathway of next steps that launches newcomers on a spiritual journey, they share an expectation that all congregants will experience and follow this pathway.
3. They embed the Bible in everything they do.
God’s Word is the central axis around which every discussion, activity, and decision revolves.
4. They create ownership.
Inspiring congregants to own the vision of the church, their people adopt it as part of their very identity.
5. They pastor the local community.
Addressing needs outside their own walls, they bring the heart of Christ to their communites as a natural by-product of living out their faith (Together, Spring 2011, www.willowcreek.com).
What struck me about this article was the very first characteristic: their leaders’ extraordinary personal devotion to God. Spiritual practices never go out of style. You can see it in our own heritage. When an incredible revival of the Spirit of God broke out in 18th century England, it started in a tiny room in London that most people never knew existed. Smaller than many closets, it was typically used once a day. Very early in the morning, every morning, it’s where John Wesley spent two hours in prayer. Although it was called a prayer room, it was more than that. It was the birthing room for a great movement of God.
Is there a movement of God you would like to see in your life? In your family? In your church, your community, or your world? You may need to find your birthing room. Where is that place you can go to be alone with God, to wrestle through barriers and issues, even sin, and emerge with God’s victory on the other side? It sounds so simple, but finding a regular time and a regular place to pray, read scripture, journal, and listen for the still, small voice of God are the foundational steps to extraordinary spiritual living.
Thank you for your remarkable willingness to pray for the movement of God in and through our First Church family. Your prayers continue to birth great things.
The Soulful Seven First UMC Prayer Team
June 2011
Please feel free to pray for a different area each day of the week. Thanks for your prayers.
Sunday—Seek God for fresh momentum of the Holy Spirit, both personally and congregationally, as we engage our hearts in worship through our new series, When God is Center Stage
Monday—Offer Praise and Pray for Protection for our Mission Teams this month. Our Guatemala Team will be on the ground June 4-18. Our College/Adult Team is at Henderson Settlement near Frakes, Kentucky, June 5-11. Our Fusion Student ASP Team will be serving June 12-18, and our Youth Choir Tour will be in Ohio June 20-25. Please pray for each person to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need.
Tuesday—Put your hands together for Jesus for the 504 individuals and families who made commitments to our New Day campaign and the more than 140 additional people who made a gift to the campaign. Pray for God’s provision to build faith in each person as he or she fulfills his or her commitments.
Wednesday—Thank the Risen Christ for the transformation of our Children’s Ministry! Please continue to lift in prayer Lindsay Walker, our Director of Children’s Ministry, and her Children’s Ministry Team as they move into the summer & gather volunteers for Vacation Bible School, July 18-22! Seek the Lord for over 250 kids to be involved.
Thursday—Please hold in prayer the nearly 1,000 children, youth, and young adults who will finish their school year this month at the John Wesley United Methodist School in Weala, Liberia. Pray for each child to have the support to finish strong & grow in faith and wisdom.
Friday—Thank the Holy Spirit for anointing our Downtown facility at 5th and Capitol to sell in God’s perfect timing.
Saturday—PRAISE GOD for the wedding of Jeff and Whitney Nail on May 28th, and pray for God’s blessing on their new life together in Texas. Please remember in prayer Randy Osborn who is getting married on June 11! (Congrats to both couples!) Also, please hold in prayer our staff team of Alyce Foster, Andrew Schmidt, Bob Swickard, Brad Curtis, Carli Burton, Charles Lange, Cheryl Long, Dennis Fors, Eric Hendrickson, Jim Rogers, Lindsay Walker, Michael Paulson, Pam Long, Patricia Harding, Randy Osborn, Roger Ross, See Tsai Chan, Sharon Sweeney, and Woody Oliea. Please pray for God’s supernatural favor on their lives and ministries.
If you would like to receive this Prayer Update by email, please contact
Sharon Sweeney at ssweeney@springfieldfirst.org.
Praise God
We have so much to be grateful for these days. By God’s grace we welcomed over 2,600 people to our Easter services April 23-24. In each service, numerous people prayed to receive the Risen Jesus as their Forgiver and Leader as they let go of their former life and “fell” into the waiting, loving hands of God.
From Whom
We have also seen from God’s hand incredible provision. To date, the total committed to our New Day Giving Campaign over the next three years is $2.7 million. As many of you know, we invited everyone to give at least a tenth of their commitment as a First Gift Offering for Easter. By a miracle of God, we have received $487,108! When our campaign consultant heard that number, he said, “That is astounding! Most churches I work with receive somewhere between five and ten percent in a First Gifts offering, but typically it is closer to five. You guys have tripled that!” All I could say was “Put your hands together for Jesus!”
Of course, we owe a great debt of gratitude to Mark & Belinda Sexton and Rob & Lisa Carney who served so well as co-chairs of our campaign. Our thanks also go to Jean Webster for coordinating the prayer ministry and all of our staff for putting in many extra hours to make this a special time of spiritual growth.
All Blessings
On May 1st, many of us witnessed another work of God as 29 Confirmation students confirmed their faith in Jesus Christ. This is a strong group of students with great spiritual potential. Please pray for them by name through the month of May, that God will establish them in faith, connect them with others in a small group or class, and help them find a way to use their gifts in service. Special thanks go to Brad Curtis, our Director of Student Ministry, for leading this class since November.
Nichole Arvidson Kristyn Harland Michael Olson
Taylor Arvidson Michael Harry Maren Reynolds
Tyler Bell Kristi Issacs Connor Riddle
Alexa Brown Ryan Kassing Zach Ross
Amber Clouser Abigail Kauerauf Emma Sandstrom
Peyton Cole Emily Kauerauf Rachel Scheffler
Brit Cooper Matthew Kauerauf Christopher Scothorne
Stephanie Cramer Mitch Koehler Hayley Simpkins
Eli Day Peter Laudeman Jason Woodworth
Alex Halloway Blaire Marker
Flow!
Finally, we are thanking God in advance for the “Extreme Makeover” of our Children’s Ministry that will touch many young lives in the weeks and months to come.
Wow. We are experiencing an incredible outpouring of blessing! Your prayers are making such a difference. As you continue to pray us forward, please hold in prayer Donna Fedor and her family. Tragically, both of Donna’s parents, Don and Helen Willingham, died on April 25.
Thank you for your life changing ministry of prayer.