Prayer Ministry

Most of us will say that we pray, be it every day or in an occasional crisis, with or without reference to a Bible, alone or in a group, with words or in silence.
Certainly, in church, people come together to pray – to be together in a sense of communion with each other but more importantly, with God.  Prayer is our way of relating to God and as we do, we grow in trust for what he does, what he gives, what is possible for a loving heavenly Father, who knows what we need.

Sometimes, though, you can’t find the words yourself to pray-either for your own situation or for someone else. Sometimes the great prayers of the congregation don’t seem personal enough for you as an individual. Sometimes it helps to have another person sit down beside you and bring whatever you have in your heart to God on your behalf.  It may help to share a need or a hope; it may just be a relief to use different words or to know someone else will offer your need with you.
So in our churches we want this to become more of ‘the norm’, something that we know can happen every week.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
This is the idea:
A number of people have been invited by the Vicar to be part of a PRAYER MINISTRY TEAM.  Their names are included at the end of this article.
Each week in church there will be a reminder that prayer ministry is offered if you need it.
At the end of the service, any available members of the  prayer ministry team will be there for you to meet.  You can share as little or as much as you wish or say nothing at all but simply ask for them to say a prayer for you (or to sit with you in silent prayer if you prefer).
In all our churches this would happen in as private a corner as possible – away from people leaving church, or clearing away, or drinking coffee.
You might want to come with a concern for home or family, for a neighbour, a work situation, a health issue or a big decision or ongoing problem.
Whatever you say will be treated in confidence and not shared with anyone unless you ask, or agree to a suggestion to share.
Prayer will be on a one-to-one basis, unless you prefer to be with two people and we’ve agreed that in general a female would pray with a female, a male with a male.

WHAT DO WE EXPECT?
Well, of course we have a big God who loves us to relate to him and loves to answer our prayers, so anything is possible!
But none of us who pray are claiming to be ‘experts’. We do not have special qualifications (but hopefully are good at listening and trust God in what we ask);  and we are not people who think that a special technique is what brings an answer; though some may have special gifts of the Holy Spirit and be used for powerful results, others may not be so gifted and we do not guarantee the answer you might wish for! 
God is the one who knows our needs before we ask and in the words of the Lord’s prayer, our most humble words must be ‘Thy will be done’ whether we understand or not, whether we get the response we want or not.
Our hope is that someone who walks the Christian road of trust with God, and is willing to share a little bit of your journey, can be of help in coming to God with you and asking for his help (or indeed, offering him thanks).
So when you hear the invitation to come for prayer ministry, please feel free to come. No request is too small or too great and we will be glad to come in faith to God with you, knowing that he is all-knowing and all-powerful and all-loving.


OUR PRAYER MINISTRY TEAM AT THE MOMENT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE:

In Chinley and Buxworth:
Nic Broadhurst
Pat Yalden
Sue Bevan
Chris Nowak
Stephen and Mirrlees Dolley
Mary Parker
Simon Cocksedge
Hilary Edgerton
Geoff Carrier

And in Hayfield:
Val Philpot
Nick Melling
Mary Parker
Simon Cocksedge
Hilary Edgerton
Geoff Carrier

IF YOU FEEL THAT THIS IS SOMETHING YOU ARE DRAWN TO, AND WANT TO BE INVOLVED, PLEASE SPEAK TO HILARY. AS MENTIONED ABOVE, YOU DON’T NEED SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS OR BRILLIANCE WITH WORDS BUT A HEART TO HELP OTHERS COME TO GOD.

Hilary Edgerton – January 2011