Article from May Sparks

If you heard the sermon here at Flint Citadel this past Sunday (April 26th), you will remember Captain Jon imploring us to consider the importance of our prayer lives in our relationship with God. He was suggesting that, while studying our Bibles is important, having a vibrant relationship with the living God is VITAL. We must talk to God and respond to his leading and guiding us as well.

I couldn’t help but think of the articles we’ve been reading in Sparks about the importance of staying in step with God as we launch our community ministry efforts. We have some unique opportunities to expand our prayer lives corporately and individually.


Prayer Event in Memorial Park
You may have heard that Thursday May 7th is the National Day of Prayer. We have the opportunity to host an event in Memorial Park, which is right here in our neighborhood. We are advertising to the local community with a press release and through as many contacts as possible. Please help us in getting the word out! From noon to 1pm we will welcome people from the community into the park and provide a prayer guide to different stations around the park that will suggest different topics to pray for. At about 12:30 we will gather in one place for corporate prayer and then people can continue their private or small group prayer at the stations for the remainder of the event. Please join us if you are available!

Weekly Prayer Walks
If the lunch hour doesn’t work for your schedule, we will still be having our regular Thursday evening prayer walk, which conveniently also falls on the National Day of Prayer. We have been asked a lot of questions about this such as, “What is a prayer walk?” “Does everyone have to pray?” Or the ever popular “Do you walk and pray with your eyes closed at the same time?”

Well to set the record straight, a prayer walk is actually very simple and not at all scary. We meet at the corps by the drinking fountain and then Tom or I (Rachel) will provide a guide map and then take you for a walk around the neighborhood. We will show you some key places in our neighborhood where new and exciting things are happening and give you updates as we get them. Many of these places we will stop at and pray as a group. Not everyone has to pray out loud. In fact, often just one person will lead the prayer at each location. And then, once our prayer is finished, we will continue our walk (with our eyes safely open!)

If you still have questions about this, let one of us know or just ask someone who has been on a prayer walk. Oh, and don’t forget your walking shoes!

Prayer Room
If walking isn’t for you, we have yet another option. We will be opening up a prayer room in the upstairs of the old building. We are working out the plans for painting the walls and making it a hospitable environment for people to come at their convenience and spend time in prayer for our community. We plan to provide pictures and descriptions of prayer suggestions. We are looking for other creative ideas and contributions from people to make this room a comfortable and inspiring place to connect with God. We also hope to launch the opening of the prayer room with a 24-hour prayer event.


These opportunities are for everyone and we encourage you to take advantage of them in challenging your prayer life and engaging our community by praying for the people and events in it.