Wherever the River Flows...  Thoughts from the D.S.
What if... "
...we prayed purposefully, daily, to align hearts and minds? Might we gain a better focus among the churches and clergy?  Please join tens of thousands of other United Methodists in the Minnesota Annual Conference as we pray and act each day to reach new neighbors and to cultivate spiritual vitality. Together, we pray and act each day for seven requests during 2009 and 2010:

Seven Days of Prayer Each Week for
The United Methodist Church in Minnesota and the World
"Who Is My Neighbor?"-2009-2010

Sunday - Passionate Worship - Lord, we pray that United Methodist Churches across the globe would have an awesome encounter of worshipping You in Spirit and in truth today (John 4:24).  In the Minnesota Annual Conference, we seek increases in average worship attendance and in our hospitality to first-time visitors.

Monday - Calling Young People into Ministry - Lord, we pray that You would raise up laborers for the harvest (Matthew 9:37-39).  And, specifically, we ask You to raise up 2000 young clergy in America and call them into the ministry of the United Methodist Church.  We ask you to raise up the largest number of young clergy in Minnesota of any other Annual Conference.

Tuesday - New Churches - Lord, we pray that You would raise up 400 new United Methodist Churches in America in places where there is no vibrant witness for the Gospel right now (Romans 15:20).  We pray that the Minnesota Annual Conference would begin to launch five new churches per year.

Wednesday - Ministry to and with the Poor - Lord, we pray that You would use United Methodist churches to alleviate poverty, stamp out malaria and HIV/AIDS, and minister to the less fortunate and overlooked in the name of Jesus (Matthew 25:40).  We pray that poverty would be abolished in Minnesota by 2020. 

Thursday - Renewed Vitality of the UMC - Lord, we pray that You would bring renewed vitality to the United Methodist Church (Ezekiel 37) and that You would daily add to Your church through professions of faith (Acts 2:47).  We pray that the eight dynamics of Natural Church Development and the "Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations" would be shared in our churches in Minnesota.

Friday - Unity - Lord, we pray for a healthy unity across the United Methodist Church such that the unbelieving world may see and believe in You (John 17:20-21).  We pray that in the Minnesota Annual Conference the payment of apportionments in support of denominational mission and connection would be 100% fulfilled.

Saturday - The Word - Lord, we pray that as the Word of God is preached in our church and other Methodist churches tomorrow that You would bear fruit that will last forever (Isaiah 55:10-11).  We pray that your Word might be a converting message, such that our total Minnesota Annual Conference might increase by at least one by 2012 (a total of over 2001 members gained in 2012, compared to members lost).

"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain." (Psalm 127:1)

"I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) ~Clay