March 2007

Prayer Matters
a publication of the Prayer Ministry of Riverchase United Methodist Church
Matters about prayer because prayer matters
March 2007

Purpose: to claim and sustain Riverchase United Methodist Church as a "house of prayer for all people" (Isaiah 56:7) and to encourage one another in prayer


March’s Scripture Focus: Hebrews 10:24
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24

March’s Prayer Focus:
How to serve God with our gifts


Praise Worthy
Our Lord is definitely worthy of our praise and so often we fail to praise Him or fail to praise Him enough. Today let's praise God for all He has done. Let these words from Psalm 34:1 be on your lips:
“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”


God Answers
We ask many things of God through prayer, and He faithfully answers our prayers. If you have an answered prayer to share, please submit it to Sandyshock@aol.com. Sometimes seeing how God has answered the prayers of others gives us confidence and encouragement in our prayers.
Here are some of the prayers God has answered recently.

Ø A church member is now cancer-free, as is the father of another church member. Both have been prayed for by our church.

Ø A friend of another church member is also cancer-free after being diagnosed with
Stage III ovarian cancer and told she had 24 months to live. When the doctors operated to remove the tumor, the tumor was gone! Tissue samples were taken and given a normal diagnosis.

Ø A young man fell from a moving car and was not expected to live. He was in a coma and on a respirator. He had to have his skull replaced and is making remarkable steps towards recovery. He is speaking and moving on his own.

Ø Another young couple in our church had their prayers answered for healthy twins. The mother was able to carry them for over 35 weeks, and the babies never had to go to NICU.


“Help Me to Pray” next session
Each month we discuss and learn about a different aspect of prayer. Our next session will be Monday, April 9th from 7:00-8:30 in room S-210. Joanna Myhre will help us learn about Prayer Journaling. All are welcome.

Celebration & Healing Service
Come celebrate all the ways God has answered our prayers and pray for those in need of healing at a special service on Sunday, April 22 at 4:45pm in the sanctuary. Whether you need prayer, want to pray, or just want to be in the midst of prayer, come and join together for this special time.

Pray-Up Events
Would you like to pray for our church but don’t know where to begin? Here are some things to include in your prayers.
· March 31: Garage Sale Fundraiser
· April 1: Commitment Sunday, First Fruits Sunday, Palm Sunday
· April 2-6 Holy Week Services at Riverchase Presbyterian (12p)
· April 5: Maunday Thursday Service (7p)
· April 6: Good Friday Service (7p)
· April 7: Churchwide Easter Egghunt
· April 7: Easter Service (7p)
· April 8: Easter Services
· April 15: Dan Seaborne at RUMC
· April 22: Service of Celebration and Healing


Part two on Getting Started with Prayer

Here are some more great tips from Mary Lou Redding to help you get started with prayer.
Start small. Use a resource such as The Upper Room that provides short, daily readings and guides you to look at small portions of scripture. Don't start off planning to spend 30 or 45 minutes.
Keep it manageable. Don't set impossible goals such as reading an entire chapter of the Bible three times a day, every day. Choose a discipline that you can stick with.
Look for help. If you are unfamiliar with the Bible, put a bookmark in the contents page of the Bible you use so you can turn there to find where each book begins. This will save time and help you avoid frustration searching for a particular reading. If you need help finding something to read that "speaks" to you, ask people at church for suggestions of what they have found helpful.
Find a spiritual "buddy." Ask a friend, co-worker, or someone at church to become your devotion partner. Then, each day, call or e-mail one another to discuss what you have read and what connections you make between the reading and your concerns.
Remember the value of having a pattern. Finding a regular time and place to read the Bible and the day's meditation in The Upper Room helps most people be more consistent in turning their hearts to God. Regularity can become a rhythm that comforts, and having a familiar time and place may help you to settle into God's presence more easily.
Remember the value of being flexible. Doing exactly the same things in the same way can become stale over time. If events in your day interfere with your usual pattern, find another time to read and reflect, or turn your mind to God by singing a Christian song. Don't let a pattern control you and cause you discomfort. The point is to spend time with God, not to do this in a particular way.

Be creative. Try something new from time to time. Here are some possibilities: Read your meditation outside. Write your prayers in a journal. Take a "prayer walk" with the intent of looking for God, and pray in response to the people and situations that come to mind as you walk. Listen to Christian music and talk to God about what it brings to mind.
The most important thing to remember as we try to grow closer to God is that God is already reaching out to us. God is the one who gives us the desire to grow, and God wants us to grow. We just keep showing up, even when we don't particularly feel holy or loving or eager. And we can trust that if we do so, God will show up, too.


A Prayer For You and A Prayer that Can Be Used By You Each Day

Heavenly Father, we are helpless sinners giving You access to our needs. We know that You have promised “where two or more are gathered together,” You are in their midst. Let us feel Your presence as we examine our hearts and renew our commitment to serve You in our church and community. Give us strength and courage through Your power to meet the challenges before us. We know that through faith You will answer according to Your plan for us. Bind us together in love, fellowship and service to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.