Prayer invitations bulletin PDF

 

PRAYER

INVITATIONS

of the

EVANGELICAL

LUTHERAN

COALITION

for

MISSION

in

APPALACHIA

(ELCMA)

 

 

 

Autumn 2008

 

 

God’s love is being spread throughout Appalachia in a variety of ways.  The Evangelical Lutheran Coalition for Mission in Appalachia (ELCMA) invites you, for the next thirty days, to remember all who labor in/for the Appalachian Region on behalf of the Kingdom.  We pray especially for: 

 

Day 1 – New Jerusalem Lutheran Church, Erie PA and its pastor, Owen Rhodes, as they make Christ known in the poorest part of an underserved urban population

 

Day 2 - WV/WMD Synod’s social ministry organization, Community Lutheran Partners (CLP), and its director, Sarah Soltow, who work to unify the synod through their work in disaster response, parish nursing and care for the elderly

 

Day 3 - Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson as he and other leaders make decisions that will directly impact the future of small and rural congregations and communities including most of the 1100 ELCA congregations in the Appalachian Region

 

Day 4 – The Rev. Karen Lundwall and members of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Erie, PA, a small membership congregation with limited resources, who are called to ministry with Sudanese, Hispanic and Anglo communities in an Appalachian area of Pennsylvania.  May God guide them in this ministry to their community, supplying their needs and growing the needed leadership

 

Day 5 - Appalachian Helping Hands, a ministry outreach of St. James LC in Greeneville, TN and their director Sharon Seneker, who are providing a hand up to many in three counties near their church

 

Day 6 – Pastor Minchan Park and Messiah Korean Lutheran Church in Norcross GA as they labor to bring the gospel to Korean immigrants settling in the greater Atlanta area.  Resources are small and the work is large.

 

Day 7 – Faith Lutheran Church, Blakeslee, PA, a congregation located in the tourist area of the Pocono Mountains and near the Pocono Raceway (Nascar) as they minister to the residents and visitors, sharing the good news with all

 

Day 8 - All the underemployed, unemployed, uninsured working poor and their families.  Help each of us to be instruments making a more just world

 

Day 9 – The synodically authorized worshipping community of Faith Lutheran Chapel in Pickens, SC that is striving to grow and reach into Appalachian South Carolina with the Gospel

 

Day 10 – Appalachian work camps like Southeast Testament, Inc in Blacklick Ohio that welcome visitors to spend a week of service and learning in their communities.

 

Day 11 – The Crooked Creek Cooperative Lutheran Parish in Ford City, PA a partnership of three small congregations united in faith, in outreach to its communities, in vision for the future and love of one another as it moves ahead with its varied ministries including training an intern each year

 

Day 12 - The Jefferson Area Lutheran Social Ministry, the newest Lutheran social ministry in Northwestern PA Synod, which is offering elderly housing to the folks are falling through the cracks of senior housing offerings in the Region

 

Day 13 – The Bonding Gardens project of ELCMA which is aimed toward families with children and seniors who are dealing with food insecurity.  We pray this effort teaches many the ways to produce their own food

 

Day 14 - Farmers, fishermen, factory workers, coal miners and loggers who struggle daily with issues of employment and environmental stewardship, and the loss of a way of life, in some cases

 

Day 15 - The many who work in the prisons scattered throughout the rural places in the mountains.  Remind us to be light in the dark places and to bring hope and refreshments to our brothers and sisters serving there and incarcerated there.

 

Day 16 -The countless folks in the Appalachian Region and throughout the world who are denied access to basic human needs and opportunities for health, growth and achievement

 

Day 17 - Appalachian Women’s Alliance, with Meredith Dean & Edna Gulley as they empower women in southwestern VA.  Their innovative ideas and compassion for those in their midst are a witness to us all.

 

Day 18 – The Appalachian Advocacy Agenda of Sustainable Living, that it will be embraced by the Appalachian Region to uplift and fortify our people, stretch our resources, protect our environment and strengthen our voice for justice

 

Day 19 – Faith Lutheran Chapel, Pickens SC as they grow into size and impact in their community sharing the Gospel in an Appalachian area of South Carolina

 

Day 20 – All those affected by weather extremes, especially all the flooding throughout Appalachian southern Ohio (and those affected by other natural calamities i.e. hurricanes and tornados, too).  Many are still struggling to put their lives back together.  We give thanks for all those who journeyed from Appalachia to lend a hand and received so much.

 

Day 21 - The Regional Coordinators of Regions 6, 7, 8, and 9 who connect a richly diverse and geographically rugged area in both ministry and outreach

 

Day 22 - The Bishops and staffs of the sixteen synods, many of whom are newly elected, caring for the pastors & leaders of over 1000 congregations (1/10th of the ELCA) called to declare the love of Jesus Christ to the Appalachian people

 

Day 23 – Living Waters Lutheran Church in Cherokee NC, a Native American congregation sharing God’s love in their community with a special emphasis on their youth

 

Day 24 - The interns scattered throughout the Appalachian Region experiencing its rich and unique culture, multiple blessings and various needs

 

Day 25 – First Lutheran Church in Warren, PA and the Alleluia Program (TAP) which reaches over 70 church and neighborhood children, linking them to more than 40 adult volunteers in worship, service, study and play.

 

Day 26 – Immanuel Lutheran Church and Joint Neighborhood Project in Jamestown NY partner to reach their underserved, diverse community with love, food, clothing, training and job assistance

 

Day 27 - The campus ministries that care for our children while they are away from home for schooling.  And please move our youth to return to their home places and to make a difference for their neighbors

 

Day 28 - The Rev. Louise Knotts, the sixth recipients of the Glenn Heasley Appalachian Ministry Award as she continues to labor in God’s vineyard on behalf of the Gospel.

 

Day 29 – With grateful hearts we offer thanks for the adequate resources ELCMA enjoys that allow us to continue in Christ’s work, and we ask for the blessing of wisdom to follow Christ’s lead and not our own egos

 

Day 30 - The ministry of ELCMA, the ELCMA Council, Committee  and Task Group Members, Volunteers and Staff who work faithfully to connect people and resources, needs and solutions, people and faith

*****

Thank you for your partnership in the Appalachian ministry of the ELCA - ELCMA.  We encourage you to copy & share this sheet.  And we welcome a note telling us that you are praying for Christ’s ministries in Appalachia.

 

ELCMA

PO Box 338, Indiana, PA 15701-0338

admin@elcma.org       www.elcma.org

Phone/FAX: 724/463-8422

DOWNLOAD Prayer Invitations in PDF format