The Prayer Team Update

Volume 3, No. 8—August 2, 2010

 Did you see Chelsea Clinton’s wedding? WOW. It was perhaps the social event of the year. Although the guest list was composed of the mega rich and the powerful elite, millions of people are scrambling through the web to see some picture or devour some detail to help them “feel” like they were there. It has been dubbed a “Royal Wedding for the US”, and its price tag is estimated between $2 and $5 million.  

 I’ve seen a few of those pictures, and it certainly was stunning. I pray that Chelsea and her new husband, Marc, have a joyful and long life together. God bless them. 

But I have to confess, there is something that makes me uneasy about the attention their special day is getting. It feels as though this wedding is being held up as something to which we should aspire. After participating in over 100 weddings, including my own, I’ve noticed that designer dresses, formal dinners, and gala events don’t make much difference in the day to day work of creating a happy marriage. In fact, the more self-focused a couple is, the less likely they will find the kind of joy they anticipate in marriage. Only when they live beyond themselves do they find real purpose for their lives and fulfillment in their relationship.

 I have always liked the way the United Methodist wedding service highlights this truth. The closing benediction says,

God the Eternal keep you in love with each other,

so that the peace of Christ may abide in your home.

Go to serve God and your neighbor in all that you do.

Bear witness to the love of God in this world

so that those to whom love is a stranger

will find in you generous friends. 

Although I wasn’t there (my invitation got lost in the mail), this blessing may have been used at Chelsea and Marc’s wedding. She is a United Methodist. Either way, my prayer is that the watching world would be more inspired to love than to be loved, to serve than to be served. In doing so, we find the life we have always wanted. 

Serving with Joy,

Roger Ross  

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,

and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

                                                                                                            Mark 10:45 (NIV)

The Soulful Seven

First UMC Prayer Team

August 2010

Please feel free to pray for a different area each day of the week.

Our SPECIAL FOCUS this month: Praying for a new Director of

Children’s Ministry. Thanks for your prayers.

v  Sunday—Pray for fresh vision from God through our new series—Living Beyond Myself—beginning August 7-8, that results in at least 200 new servants for Christ.

v  Monday—Thank God for the safe return of our High School ASP Mission Trip to Kentucky. Ask God to continue His transforming work in each of the over 75 people who went on a mission trip this year.  

v  Tuesday—Thank the Lord for our exciting visit with Rev. Paye and Deborah Mondolo in June and for the special offering of $14,921.45 to date. About $4,000 will be used to send the 25-passenger school bus to the John Wesley School in Liberia. The other nearly $11,000 will provide scholarships for over 100 kids to go to school this fall! Praise Jesus!! 

v  Wednesday—Praise Jesus for new life that is stirring in our Children’s Ministry and Student Ministry! Seek God’s favor on Rev. Michael Paulson as he becomes the interim point leader of our Children’s Ministry and Brad Curtis, our Director of Student Ministry, as they work with their teams to prepare for new and creative ministry this fall.      

v  Thursday—Implore the Spirit of God to fall afresh on the 119 people from First UMC attending the Leadership Summit on August 5-6. Pray: “Holy Spirit, stretch each one to see and participate in life in the Kingdom.”

v  Friday— Invite the Holy Spirit to anoint our Downtown facility at 5^th and Capitol, so it will sell in God’s perfect timing.

v  Saturday—Please pray (and fast, if you are led) for a breakthrough allowing GOD to reveal to us a new Director of Children’s Ministry in God’s perfect timing. Praise the Lord for our staff team of Alyce Foster, Andrew Schmidt, Bob Swickard, Brad Curtis, Carli Burton, Charles Lange, Cheryl Long, Dennis Fors, Eric Hendrickson, Gary Dodson, Jill Barnes, Jim Rogers, Michael Paulson, Pam Long, 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