Prayer invitations bulletin PDF

PRAYER INVITATIONS

of the

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN COALITION

for

MISSION in APPALACHIA

(ELCMA)

Spring 201!

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 mission start, Cross of Grace Lutheran Church, Jonesborough, TN and its pastor-developer Rev. Ed Wolff as they live out their mission to “Be a disciple, Make disciples, Feed Christ's sheep”  (www.cross-of-grace.com) in a tourist area riddled with poverty and human needs

Day 2 – the Rev. Paul Poerschke (latest Glenn Heasley Award in Appalachian Ministry recipient) and the members of St. James Lutheran Church, Ligonier, PA ministering to not just the congregation but to the community (www.stjamesligonier.com/)

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 (www.elca.org)

Day 4 – Jefferson Area Lutheran Social Ministry, the newest PA Lutheran social ministry located in Northwestern PA Synod, which is building affordable senior housing in Punxsutawney PA and possibly in neighboring towns (JeffersonSMO@verizon.net)

Day 5 – Youth coming to the Appalachian Transformational Immersion event to learn about the region who will be inspired to look at their role in changing the issues in their own neighborhoods

Day 6 – Pastor Minchan Park and the Korean Lutheran Church in LaGrange, GA as they labor to bring the gospel to Korean immigrants settling in the greater Atlanta area, especially with the Korean workers at the new KIA plant.  Resources are small and the work is large (messiah@myself.com)

Day 7 – Dottie & the Rev. McNeil Evans of Hopewell Community Center, working in the African Methodist Episcopal faith tradition and ministering to areas of SC where there are no Lutheran churches.  ELCMA has the privilege of partnering with them as they reach out to an underserved population in very appropriate ways

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 – St. John Lutheran Church, Shenandoah, PA and Rev. Mindy Heppe who are doing a mighty outreach into their community with a very meager “crew” and their new ministry partners from Zion Lutheran Church in Indiana PA with Rev. Brian Miller

Day 10 – The Regional Coordinators of Regions 6, 7, 8, and 9 connecting a richly diverse and geographically rugged area in both ministry and outreach

Day 11 – Bishop Robert Driesen, his staff and other members of the Upper Susquehanna Synod who are hosting the 2012 ELMCA Assembly in Lewisburg, PA next February 23-25.  Help them to prepare an enriching and renewing assembly for all the attendees (www.uss-elca.org)

Day 12 - The Rev. John Yost and members of Christ United Lutheran Church, Millmont PA who are the latest recipient of the Don Roth Appalachian Ministry Recognition Award for their sensitive and replicable ministry to their community

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 that the number of sites will grow to include one in every synod (gardens@elcma.org)

Day 14 - Farmers, fishermen, factory workers, coal miners and loggers who struggle daily with issues of employment and environmental stewardship, and the potential 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 Rev. Ron Schlak and the members of Trinity Lutheran Church, Charleston WV who serve the hungry around them a full meal at Trinity’s Table every Sunday evening (http://trinitywv.org)

Day 17 – The Rev. Eric Edwards and the members of the St John Lutheran Church in East Liverpool OH who are a “church with a tradition . . . a people with a future”

“Friend” them on Facebook (St John Lutheran Church East Liverpool

Day 18 – The emerging authorized worshipping community,  Mountain of Life, and the developers Mary and Darrell Golnitz in the north Georgia mountains of the Southeastern Synod as they reach out to the unchurched in their area in uncommon but effective ways (http://web.mac.com/dgolnitz/Site/Welcome.html) 

Day 19 – All those suffering from unhealthy stress perhaps following natural disasters like floods, tornados, and hurricanes.  Many other stressors like divorce, job loss, abuse, and loss of a way of life can trigger the symptoms of PTSD (volunteer@elcma.org)

 Day 20 – funding for Konnarock Retreat House, Inc. as it moves closer to its goal of transforming a residential girls’ school from the 1950’s into a retreat and community center in the shadow of Mount Rogers in southwestern VA (www.konnarockretreathouse.org)

Day 21 - Appalachian work camps like those highlighted at:  <www.appalachianmissionopportunities.org> all of which welcome visitors to spend a week (or more) of service and learning in their communities

 Day 22 - The Bishops and staffs of the sixteen synods, caring for the pastors & leaders of over 1000 congregations (10% of the ELCA) called to declare the love of Jesus Christ to the Appalachian people  

Day 23 – Rev. Allyn Itterly and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Pleasant Hills, PA as they pray their way to a revival of their ministries in the community (http://www.poplutheranph.com/)

Day 24 – Bishop Penrose Hoover and the people of the Lower Susquehanna Synod who are joining God as His hands in ministry (http://www.lss-elca.org/)

Day 25 – Bishop Herz-Lane and the Delaware-Maryland Synod as its people answer God’s call to proclamation, education, service, fellowship, worship, and advocacy for justice and the environment (www.demdsynod.org)

Day 26 – Bishop Ralph Dunkin and the members of the WV/WMD Synod who are saved by grace and assembled by faith, (they) journey to make Christ known in the hills and hollers of the mountains they call home

(http://www.wv-wmd.org/index.html) 

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 – Bishop Bill Gafkjen and the members of the I/K Synod who have decided to “Ponder Anew What the Almighty Can Do” at their synod assembly in Ft. Wayne, IN from June 03 to June 05

Day 29 – With grateful hearts we offer thanks for the adequate resources ELCMA enjoys that allow us to implement the new long range ministry plan.  We ask for the blessing of wisdom to follow Christ’s lead and not our own egos (www.elcma.org)

Day 30 - The network of ELCMA, the ELCMA Council, Committees, Task Groups, Volunteers, Delegates and Staff who work faithfully to connect people and resources, needs and solutions, people and faith