The following is a summary of relevant points of contact, times and venues. Further details are in the Parish Prayer Program Year 3 Leaflet
Background
Prayer opens up the way for God to work out His plans and grow His kingdom. We therefore invite you to join us as we enter the third year of our exciting Parish Prayer Programme (PPP). The idea behind this programme is to enhance our collective prayer life by asking you to take part in any of the following prayer options that appeal to you. Together we can support and enrich our entire ministry in the parish by underpinning any new initiative with prayer. Additionally, we can support the prayer life of each other by using up-to-date information about prayer needs and by accessing a wide range of prayer styles and methods.
The PPP itself
This prayer programme has a menu of different options for us to dip into, according to our preferences. Of course we know that our parish has always had an active prayer life and that some parts of what follows were already happening before the PPP was launched in 2007, but we have found that the PPP has enhanced and enriched these aspects.
The following broad menu of prayer options falls into three categories. More detailed descriptions follow this list.
Mission and Discipleship Ministry
1. Prayer Hub
2. Morning Prayer
3. Prayer Diary
4. Taizé and Celtic Worship
Intercessory Prayer
5. Prayer Telegraph
6. Prayer Request (and Thanksgiving) Boards
7. Tuesday Morning Prayer Group
Prayer Support
8. Prayer Partners
9. Prayer for Healing
Some of these options will be supported by large numbers of people and others by fewer people, but numbers are not everything – “Whenever two or three are gathered together…”
1. Prayer Hub
The ‘Prayer Hub’ is a weekly 30-minute prayer meeting held on Sundays from 09:15 at Fernhurst (1st & 2nd Sundays) or All Saints Meeting Room (3rd & 4th Sundays). On 5th Sundays it will be at the church having the combined service but it does not meet in the summer or Christmas holiday periods. In a sense it is at the ‘hub’ of the church. The Prayer Hub focuses on praying through God’s purpose for the church in the parish and underpinning in prayer any new initiatives. In the first two years 24 people attended, with an average of 4 each week. To participate, just turn up
2. Morning Prayer
Morning Prayer is said every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 9.20 am (note new time) in Ss Philip and James church and this is open to everybody. You will be made most welcome.
3. Prayer Diary
This monthly leaflet includes suggestions for daily prayer and allows us to mobilise a large group of people who do have a few minutes each day to pray privately for specific aspects of the church’s ministry – at home, on the train, or even whilst driving to work. Our various fellowship groups can also use the Prayer Diary to focus their prayers. It has been embraced by the housebound, who are able to contribute greatly to the work of God in our parish through more specific and targeted prayers. The Prayer Diary has become an important part of the spiritual life of our churches during its first two years. It is produced by a team of three people, each staying on the team for six months, allowing for fresh ideas to be brought to the team, but also ensuring continuity. Prayer Diaries can be collected each month from the back of either church, e-mailed, or delivered (contact: Robert Smith).
4. Taizé and Celtic Worship
Taizé services are well established at P&J on 4th Sundays in the evening. These services include contemplative and open prayer, as well as being attractive to a significant group of young people. Celtic Worship sessions have also been held in P&J. See the Magazine Diary for dates and times.
5. Prayer Telegraph
This is a scheme where an e-mail list has been established so that prayer requests can be quickly fed out to all the intercessors that have offered to pray for specific needs. There are over 30 addresses on the list. People should only post non-confidential requests and they can be sent via the website, by telephone or e-mail to: PrayerTelegraph@ParishOfFleet.org.uk. To participate, please give your e-mail address to Jennie Kelleher:
Tel. (01252) 625008 or send by e-mail to: PrayerTelegraph@ParishOfFleet.org.uk.
6. Prayer Request (and Thanksgiving) Boards
These are situated at the back of church – on a pillar at All Saints and in the Narthex at P&J. We have an effective way of disseminating the requests using the Prayer Telegraph and prayer groups, and we welcome prayers of thanksgiving too. The current week’s Prayer Diary is also posted on the Prayer Boards.
7. Tuesday Morning Prayer Group.
This well-established prayer group meets in All Saints Lady Chapel at 11 am each Tuesday (not August) and prays for known needs, including those posted on the Prayer Boards. To participate, just turn up.
8. Prayer Partners.
The primary purpose of prayer partners is not intercessory prayer, but the support of one another in prayer and fellowship. It is not essential to actually meet for prayer – partners may prefer to swap lists of prayer needs, concerns, etc. To register your partnership, or ask to be assigned a prayer partner (usually partners are changed at the start of Advent), please contact: Jane Allen, Tel: 622676, or e-mail: PrayerPartners@ParishOfFleet.org.uk
9. Prayer for Healing
Prayer for healing with the laying-on of hands is offered after the 10 am service in All Saints Lady Chapel on the third Sunday of the month and at various other times as indicated in the Parish Magazine.
Churches Together Prayer Wall. To read more or sign up, ask in Living Stones, or go to http://www.ctfleet.org.uk and select ‘Prayer Wall’.