Thoughts from
Rev. Dr. Tassie Green,
Interim Senior Pastor
Have you ever practiced prayer-walking?
During worship services, we usually pray while sitting or standing, perhaps while waiting to go up to the communion table. Prayer-walking is simply the practice of walking while praying. LOL—that’s obvious! Really! It’s an easy way to pray for others and bring God’s presence to places where you want to see it manifested and our prayers answered right before us. According to CRU.org, “Prayer-walking is the powerful dynamic of praying on-site with God’s sight. Prayer-walking uses the sights, sounds, even smells to engage both body and mind in the ministry of prayer.”
Last week Our Church Our Families Council hosted a prayer-walk at their strategy and visioning meeting. They also invited and engaged parents to dream and move ahead toward desired outcomes for building faith that lasts. For how can any church, any ministry possibly dream and plan for the future without seeking God together first?
As a congregation, soon your leaders will invite you to prayer-walk in twos or threes throughout the entire church building.
__________
For how can any church, any ministry, dream and plan without seeking God together first?
__________
Pray for the Pastor Nominating Committee and future candidates as you stand near the chancel or in the pastor’s office. Pray blessings of peace upon the kids, students, and activities held in youth rooms, SLC, Sunday School, the gym. We pray for safety, encouragement, and joy as we sharing our faith in Jesus and our lives together in the kitchen, dining room, Roy Hall, choir room, staff offices, sanctuary, chapel, et al.
We invite you to pray for God’s protection, for safety especially of all children and youth, for fresh volunteers and leaders, for the current and next generation of faithful families to be raised up, beginning right here. We will pray for this summer’s VBS, mission trips, and a possible mid-week children’s program. For Souper Saturday and First Friends women’s breakfasts, for all mission endeavors. For whomever and whatever the Spirit prompts you to pray.
The best news is you don’t need to wait for an invitation! Pray as the Spirit leads, whenever and wherever you are.
Later this spring after worship, we will invite you to spill out the doors to walk the neighborhood to pray throughout the community of people–with prayers of blessing, peace, and safety—prayers to encounter Jesus anew. We can pray for families, students, dorms, offices, stores, condominiums, and so on. We can pray prayers that welcome Jesus to our building/campus/city in all His love, forgiveness, healing, and cleansing.
What are biblical examples? Joshua and Caleb walked throughout the Promised Land with a desire to see it as God saw it. They walked in godly vision. Nehemiah did so before and after returning to Jerusalem. And God led them forward.
We can pray that Jesus would become known, honored, lifted up, revealed, and praised by name among the people of the community. That God would lead FPCE forward into God’s good future for this church. I look forward to praying with you!
On the journey with you,
Pastor Tassie
How to do a prayer walk on your own:
- Choose a route: You can decide on a route ahead of time or ask the Holy Spirit to lead you.
- Prepare: Wear comfortable shoes and clothing for the weather.
- Start and end together: Agree on a time and place to meet up.
- Pray positively: Focus on God’s love for the people and places you pass.
- Pay attention: Look for things that God wants you to pray for.
- Make notes: Record what you notice, what you pray for, and any verses or words that you feel God spoke to you.