Prayer Ministries

”One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.  When he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord teach us to pray…’”  Luke 11:1

There are 2 prayer ministry groups.  Both groups are very active and would welcome you if you feel called to pray with them in this important ministry.

One group is the Prayer Circle, in which members meet weekly at the church and pray as a group for prayer requests received.  If you are interested in joining the Prayer Circle on Wednesday mornings, contact the church office.

The other group is a telephone Prayer Chain. The telephone prayer chain does not have meetings.  All prayer is done individually.  Members are informed of prayer requests by a printed list and by telephone.  If you are interested in participating in the Prayer Chain, contact the church office.

You can make requests for prayer for yourself or others in several ways.  The preferred method is by writing the request on a blue prayer card found in the church pews and dropping it in the offering plate.  Other methods are to contact the church office, or a member of the Prayer Circle or the Prayer Chain.

History of the Prayer Circle
by Jean Roberts

In the fall of 1991, when Jane Nicholas was our Pastoral Intern at the time, she placed a notice in the church bulletin.  She invited anyone who was interested in prayer to meet her in the Knox Parlor at 9:30 Tuesday morning.  She walked in to find about a half dozen ladies already assembled, waiting for her.  Her first question to us was, “Why are you here?”.  We, like the disciples, were already pray-ers but we wanted a richer, more meaningful prayer life, so we, too, said, ‘teach us to pray.’  Jane reminded us anew that prayer, real prayer, is simple conversation with God.

As she led us in the study of Evelyn Christenson’s book, What Happens When Women Pray, James 5:16 came to our attention.  “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  We wanted to learn to plug into God’s power!  After much study and searching our own hearts, it was time to get down to the business of praying.  Out of our study group, a weekly intercessory prayer group was formed.

Other interesting information about the Riverside Prayer Circle:

• We chose to call this group a ‘prayer circle’ because we sit in a circle and pray.  The circle also symbolizes the bond of love that has developed among the members.
• We meet each Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in Knox Parlor
• We average 10-13 members.
• Prayer requests may be made by using the blue pew cards, calling a member of the prayer group, or calling the church office.
• All prayer requests are confidential and remain on the list for three weeks, at which time we try to determine the status of the request.  If the need still exists, we can keep the request on longer or pass it on to the Long Term Prayer Chain.
• The prayer list contains 50 - 100 requests per week
• Just as God welcomes anyone to come to him in prayer, so, we welcome anyone to come pray with us – women and men.
• If you are uncomfortable praying aloud, we encourage you to come and pray silently.  One lady was with us at least two years before she ever prayed aloud, but God heard her silent prayers just as surely as he heard us.

We begin with a time of sharing praise reports, updating requests and adding new concerns.  Then we have a time of devotion and meditation, which draws us near to God.  As we begin our prayer time, we offer praise and thanksgiving to the Lord before the written prayer requests are lifted to God individually, one at a time.  We also pray for all our military personnel, remembering especially members of our church families.  Then victims of fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanoes are lifted up.  We pray for the staff, church officers, and church programs on a rotating weekly basis.  The prayers are short, simple and specific heartfelt expressions to God.  We close as we pray the Lord’s Prayer and then listen as the day’s selection from the Mission Yearbook is read, and offer a prayer for the missionaries and the mission work.

Our long term prayer chain, formed around 1979, is another opportunity to pray for the needs of others.  As a member of the chain, you pray in the privacy of your own “prayer closet.”  Members are linked both by their firm belief that God answers prayer and their concern for others.

We pray daily for those church members and friends who have asked to be included.  These prayer requests, too, are kept confidential.  This group does not publicize those who are part of the chain, but be assured that your needs will be heard.  Time is of the essence in many cases, and prayers for an emergency problem are passed along the chain immediately.  Names remain on the list for two months.  Updates are asked for, and if the person still needs prayer, he/she remains on the list for two more months – or as long as needed.  Those with long-term illness remain on the list indefinitely.

Lifting up the needs and concerns of others – intercessory prayer – is a privilege and responsibility, which God desires and encourages.  Many things happen when God’s children pray.  Prayer does make a difference.  We believe it has made a difference at Riverside – in our programs and in our people.  We thank God for the impact this prayer ministry has had on so many.

A member of our Circle who has moved to the northwest gets up at 7:30 a.m. just to pray at the same time we are praying here.  A member of another denomination met with us for over two years because her own church did not have a prayer ministry.  Finally, she felt led to go to the leaders of her own church to try to get one started.  Several of our winter friends meet faithfully with us while they are in Florida.  Some have gone back to encourage their home churches to begin a prayer ministry.  In church shopping, some have chosen Riverside specifically because we have a prayer ministry.  One of the Presbyterian Women’s Circles has chosen to include a time for intercessory prayer during their monthly meeting.  One is reminded that a pebble dropped in a pool of water creates ripples which spread on and on.  May the little pebble of prayer that has been dropped in our midst continue to spread its gentle ripples throughout Riverside and beyond.

Prayer is at the center of our ministry.  If you are interested in praying for the needs of others as well as your own, please join us.  We all need each other.  Jesus said, “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.”  Come, gather with us, experience the love that binds us together, and the joy of praying for others.