As the churches of Classis GRE discern their relationships to the denomination and to each other, classis feels strongly the need to pray together. For the next four months, there will be monthly opportunities for communal prayer—to celebrate our life together, to seek to hear the Spirit’s voice, and to surrender our hurts, fears, and desires to God’s will.

The first three gatherings will be via Zoom (30 min, Wednesdays at 12:00 noon); the fourth will be a joint service on the evening of Pentecost Sunday. These gatherings will be led by various pastors in the classis; anyone is welcome to attend. Our prayers will be guided by themes that are near to the surface in the seasons of Lent and Easter: lament, surrender, and resurrection.

Zoom meeting structure:

  • Classis GRE pastor facilitates the time:
    • opens with an invocation for the Spirit’s ministry through our shared prayer,
    • reads the centering Scripture (could offer a lectio divina reading/response)
    • moves through each prayer prompt, allowing space for participants to voice their prayers after each prompt
    • concludes with a closing prayer (e.g., Lord’s Prayer)

Zoom link/info for all three meetings:
Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 829 1490 3430
Passcode: 272033

February 21, 12:00-12:30pm — LAMENT

“Jesus said, ‘O Jerusalem! … How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.’” (Matthew 23:37)

  • February Prayer Prompts
    • naming the losses we’ve experienced in church life over the past few years and the losses we fear in the years ahead;
      • lamenting missed opportunities to bear witness to Christ’s self-giving love and to be transformed/sanctified through honest disagreement;
        • healing the wounds we bear and inflict within Christ’s Body

March 13, 12:00-12:30pm — SURRENDER

“Jesus prayed, ‘My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’ … One of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear. ‘Put away your sword,’ Jesus told him. ‘Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?’” (Matthew 26:39, 51-53)

  • March Prayer Prompts
    • laying down our purposes;
      • prayer of indifference (that we be indifferent to anything but God’s will);
        • blessing those with whom we disagree

April 17, 12:00-12:30pm — RESURRECTION

“Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning … the angel spoke to the women: ‘Do not be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.’ … The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy.” (Matthew 28:1, 5-6, 8)

  • April Prayer Prompts
    • vision for resurrection life here and now;
      • trust in Christ’s promise to build the Church;
        • hope to sustain faithful ministry as we await the consummation of God’s reconciling work

May 19, 6:00 pm (Pentecost Sunday) — classis prayer service with communion

[location TBD]

“Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:20)