This Lent, we are inviting you to participate in a unique opportunity to deepen your spiritual practice through prayer. Beginning Monday, March 10th, we will be offering a 12-hour prayer schedule, where you can sign up for a specific hour to pray for our church and community.
Pastor Mario, along with other pastors across the country, will be praying for you and our congregation during the first four days of Lent. Starting March 9th, Pastor Mario will have sign-up sheets available, allowing you to choose one of the 12-hour prayer shifts. A new sheet will be passed around every Sunday, giving everyone the chance to join in this powerful time of prayer.
For those new to structured prayer times, we have provided helpful resources on our website, including instructions on how to pray, suggested themes to guide your time, and tips for cultivating good prayer habits. Whether you offer a short prayer or a longer one, you are welcome to pray at any time during your selected hour.
This is a wonderful chance to take part in the spiritual renewal of Lent and come together as a congregation in prayer. Let us lift up our hearts and our church as we walk through this season of reflection and transformation.
How to Pray: Instructions and Helpful Habits
Prayer is a vital part of our spiritual growth, especially during Lent. Here are some simple instructions and helpful habits to guide your prayer time during this 12-hour prayer schedule
How to Pray
Begin with Adoration: Start your prayer by praising God for who He is. Reflect on His greatness and faithfulness.
"Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom." (Psalm 145:3)
Confession: Confess any sins or areas where you’ve fallen short. This is a time for honesty with God and seeking His forgiveness.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
Thanksgiving: Give thanks for God's blessings and His grace in your life. Reflect on the goodness you’ve experienced.
"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." (Psalm 107:1)
Supplication: Present your requests to God, praying for the needs of others and the congregation. Ask for God’s guidance, protection, and provision.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)
Listen and Reflect: Spend some quiet time listening for God's voice. Sometimes prayer is as much about listening as it is about speaking.
"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
Suggested Themes for Prayer
Repentance and Renewal: Reflect on the need for repentance and spiritual renewal during this Lenten season. Pray for a heart that is open to God's transforming grace.
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)
Healing and Restoration: Pray for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing for yourself, your loved ones, and the community.
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3)
Peace and Unity: Pray for peace in our world, for unity in the church, and for harmony in relationships.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9)
God’s Guidance: Ask for God's guidance in your personal life, in the life of the church, and in our community.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Gratitude: Take time to thank God for His faithfulness, provision, and love.
"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." (Psalm 107:1)
Helpful Prayer Habits
Set Aside Time: Make sure to choose a quiet, undistracted time for your prayer hour. This time is sacred, and setting aside distractions will allow you to fully engage with God.
Consistency: Try to make prayer a consistent habit, whether it’s during your designated prayer time or throughout your day.
"Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Use Scripture: Incorporate Bible verses into your prayer to focus your heart and mind on God's truth. Reflecting on Scripture during prayer can deepen your connection with God.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105)
Pray for Others: During your prayer time, remember to lift up others in the congregation, your family, and the world. Praying for others is a powerful way to connect with God's heart for people.
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men." (1 Timothy 2:1)
End with Trust: Close your prayer by trusting God to answer according to His will, believing that He hears and responds.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)
Remember, prayer is a conversation with God, and it doesn’t need to be perfect. What matters most is your heart and the time you spend with Him. Let this season of Lent be a time of deep connection with God through prayer.
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Prayer Example 1: For the World
Begin with Adoration: Lord, You are the Creator of the heavens and the earth. You hold the world in Your hands and see every corner of creation. We praise You for Your sovereignty and goodness that spans all of creation.
Confession: Lord, we confess that as humanity, we have often failed to care for Your creation and one another. We have misused resources, caused harm, and allowed division to persist in our world. Forgive us for the ways we have fallen short of Your will for peace and harmony on earth.
Thanksgiving: Thank You, Lord, for Your mercy and grace in the world. Thank You for the beauty we still see, the people who work for justice, and the efforts to bring healing and restoration. We are grateful for Your sustaining power in the midst of challenges.
Supplication: Lord, we pray for the world. Bring peace where there is conflict, healing where there is suffering, and unity where there is division. We pray for the leaders of nations, that they may govern with wisdom, justice, and compassion. We ask for Your guidance in addressing global crises such as poverty, climate change, and violence. Let Your love shine through our efforts to care for one another and our planet.
Listen and Reflect: Lord, help us to hear Your call for peace and justice in the world. Guide us in how we can contribute to the healing of the earth and the flourishing of all people.
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Prayer Example 2: For Our Country
Begin with Adoration: God of justice and mercy, You are the ruler of all nations. We lift our country up to You, acknowledging Your sovereignty over it. We praise You for Your love and faithfulness to all people.
Confession: Lord, we confess that we have allowed division, inequality, and injustice to persist in our country. We have often chosen comfort over responsibility, and failed to act when others have suffered. Forgive us for the ways we have fallen short of Your command to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Thanksgiving: We thank You, Lord, for the freedoms and opportunities we have in our country. Thank You for the many people who strive to make a difference and work for justice, peace, and the common good. We are grateful for the blessings of liberty and community.
Supplication: Lord, we pray for our country. Bring healing to the divisions and wounds that plague us. Guide our leaders with wisdom and humility, and help them to seek justice and peace for all citizens. We pray for an end to racial injustice, economic inequality, and political polarization. May Your love and truth shine brightly, leading us toward unity and healing.
Listen and Reflect: Lord, help us listen to the needs of our neighbors, especially those who are marginalized or oppressed. Guide us in how we can be agents of change for good in our country, reflecting Your love in all that we do.
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Prayer Example 3: For Our Community and Congregation
Begin with Adoration: Lord, You are present in our community and in our congregation. We thank You for being with us as we walk through each day. You are faithful, and Your love binds us together as one.
Confession: Lord, we confess that we have sometimes failed to live as a unified community. We have allowed misunderstandings, neglect, and apathy to affect our relationships with one another. Forgive us, Lord, for any ways we have contributed to division or disconnection.
Thanksgiving:Thank You, God, for the gift of community. We are grateful for our church family, the support we receive from one another, and the love that surrounds us. Thank You for the opportunity to serve and grow together in faith.
Supplication: Lord, we pray for our community and our congregation. We ask for healing in broken relationships, for restoration where there has been hurt, and for unity among us. Help us to serve one another with humility and grace. We pray for those in our congregation who are struggling—whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually—that they may feel Your presence and support through the church family. We also lift up the needs of our local community, that we may be a beacon of hope and love.
Listen and Reflect: Lord, speak to us about how we can be more involved in the lives of our neighbors and those in need. Show us ways to bring Your light into our community, sharing the love and grace we receive with those around us.
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