The story of a Jonesboro, Ga., church's back-to-school prayer service struck me as a real-life demonstration of the ideas reviewed in this week's feature story about engaging congregations in prayer. Chuck Lawless wrote "10 ideas to power up your church to pray" to provide leaders with a list of simple ways to begin church-wide prayer.
According to the Clayton News Daily, Jonesboro First United Methodist Church began to intercede last year for area schools, teachers and other matters related to education. The church held a 12-hour prayer vigil for residents before the start of the school year.
This year they again plan to address back-to-school needs with prayer. Another meeting is scheduled that will feature residents offering prayers for teachers, students, parents, administrators, staff and law enforcement officials. Clayton County Juvenile Court Judge Steve Teske, a member of the church, will the keynote speaker.
The service aims to use prayer to unite residents who may feel helpless in the wake of numerous community problems, many of which affect children, according to Charles Robinson, senior pastor of Jonesboro First United Church.
Increasing violence and a diversifying county population are among the struggles people are facing, Casstevens said -- proving that a town of about 4,000 can have the same kind of problems as Atlanta, just to the north.
I'm not sure if Jonesboro's prayer service is reactionary or proactive. Probably it's a little of both. Anyway, I poked around the Internet a little to look for other churches who may be doing other proactive types of prayer. I didn't find much, but then, answered prayers don't often make the news. I suppose good news just isn't as intriguing as bad.
Among other examples I know of are my church, which prays each fall at the start of the school year for all teachers and other educators. They stand during worship services as we pray for them. Then, there are the Moms In Touch groups nationwide that meet weekly to pray for their school children.
Does your congregation pray in some way for back to school? Blog here.
