2006 Week of Prayer and Fasting

Annually the Brethren in Christ are called upon to start the year with a week of prayer. Listed below are the strategies some BIC churches are using this year to begin the new year in prayer. Though there are as many approaches to our "Week of Prayer" as there are churches, we are united by a common focus on loving boldly, giving generously and serving joyfully as portrayed in the Bible and embodied in our core values of living simply. Who knows, maybe there's an idea here that your church can use next year!

Morning Hour Chapel in East Berlin, PA will be open for prayer every evening from 7-9 p.m. The pastor has made a commitment to be there each evening and has invited the congregation to join him in worship and prayer.

One of the small groups from Fairview Avenue BIC in Waynesboro, PA is hosting a prayer walk in our community on Thursday evening, with childcare provided so that parents can attend.

Refton BIC in Refton, PA will be holding a concert of prayer on Wednesday, January 4. The congregation will pray together in small groups for various needs in the church, our community, and our world.

Due to scheduling, Sherkston BIC in Sherkston, ON will begin their week of prayer and fasting on Sunday, January 22 with a special message from Bruce Nicholson. On Wednesday, January 25 we will be hosting a prayer meeting here with Bertie BIC and Crystal Ridge Community Church.

Manor BIC in Lancaster, PA is using a daily prayer guide that was distributed to members and attendees and will be joining the prayer assembly at Pequea BIC on Thursday, January 5, at 7 p.m.

To start 2006 right by focusing on God, Covenant BIC in Penetanguishene, ON is holding a prayer gathering on Thursday, January 5.

Clearview BIC in Kindersley SK, is planning an entire week of events starting Sunday, January 8, with two sessions of teaching on prayer, followed by a concert of prayer in the evening. Monday, January 9 will be a time of fasting and prayer over the noon hour, while Tuesday evening will feature teaching and prayer during Bible study. Wednesday they’ll host coffee and prayer at the church in the morning and join with regional church groups to pray in the evening. They’re brown bagging it with prayer at the church over the noon hour on Thursday and Friday’s noon hour will be for individual prayer. Saturday there will be a “ Prayer Drive” from 1:30-3:00 p.m. followed by coffee.

In order to maintain their commitment to around the clock prayer this week, Mt. Rock BIC in Shippensburg, PA has thirteen people praying at specific hours and three others who are praying throughout the day as God leads.

Cumberland Valley BIC in Dillsburg, PAtook the BIC daily material and added a local church prayer focus to each day with prayer suggestions. People were invited to various prayer settings on particular days, including church-wide gatherings on Monday and Friday; individual or family time on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday; separate men’s and women’s meetings at the church on Wednesday, and meetings in three area homes on Saturday morning. Including a page on “Biblical Instructions and Guidelines for Fasting,” they put it all into an eight-page booklet for easy distribution.

“We are excited about the things we believe the Lord will be doing this year,” says Pastor Tom Francis, “we know we need as much prayer cover as possible. It will be part of our prayer agenda to include the other ministries of the BIC in this country and around the world.” Stowe BIC in Pottstown, PA has asked that everyone at their church fast and pray this week in preparation for their all night prayer meeting this Friday, January 6.

Elim BIC in Staten Island, NY will be part of a concert of prayer with other church bodies in their area. Pastor Carlos Ortiz will be praying in unity with other Staten Island pastors during the week as well.

Gateway Community Church in Chino, CA is hosting a prayer gathering on Thursday, January 5, at 7 p.m. Gateway is one of the three BIC locations in the California Inland Valley that is hosting a place and time for persons to connect in prayer.

Falls View BIC in Niagara Falls, ON has decided to use the week of January 8-15 as their week of prayer and fasting. They ask people to write a prayer need on their bulletin flap for the pastor to pray for during the week and invite people to join the pastor at the church over the noon hour to pray. They also encourage a time of fasting during the week. “We attempt to be non-legalistic about how people fast,” says Pastor John Fraser, “it can be for the whole week, it can be for a day; it can be only one meal each day for the week, it doesn't necessarily even have to be a food fast but perhaps a TV fast, a video fast, a junk food fast. We teach that prayer and fasting are faith aids and should be used in this manner.” They will also be taking part in the Niagara area BIC prayer gathering at Welland BIC on Sunday, January 15.

During their Sunday, January 1 morning worship service, Martinsburg BIC in Martinsburg, PA prayed and will do so again on their January 8 service. They will also hold a mid-week prayer service and people will be at the church this week praying at various times.

Grantham BIC in Grantham, PA is holding a 24-hour prayer chain this week. People were invited to sign up for an hour in the week or an hour a day throughout the week and many chose to sign up for the whole week. The church has provided a one hour prayer guide.

West Shore BIC in Mechanicsburg, PA focused on prayer in their Sunday morning service on January 1, with a message on prayer (using Matthew 6:33), a prayer folder that was distributed, and a call for additional prayer commitment during this week.

Mooretown BIC in Sandusky, MI, emphasizes prayer starting January 15 through March. There is a gathering half and hour before Sunday School each Sunday to pray for specific ministries of the church, (i.e. one Sunday might focus on children and youth ministry). “In this way,” says pastor Paul Eberhard, “we hope to get quite a few people involved and have a concentrated emphasis on key ministries of our church.”

King of Glory BIC in Ravenna, OH has a prayer coordinator who put together a chart of every hour of this eight-day prayer week so that people could sign up to pray during specific hours. There is an area in the front of the church with four tables that hold pictures of missionaries, an informational rolodex on the missionaries, listed prayer requests, and pamphlets of missionary prayer material. The church is open to allow people to pray throughout the day. On Tuesday evening, there was a special teaching on prayer and on Sunday, January 8, there will be a time for testimonies from those who prayed and fasted and felt God touch their lives.

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