Week Forty-Three

1. The 2009 Ministry Group Members who lead the various ministries of our church will be elected and affirmed by the membership at the Annual Meeting of Members on Sunday, October 19, 2008. Please pray for the new and returning Ministry Group Members. Over the next few weeks they will plan the ministries and work out their budgets for 2009. Ask for the Spirit's guidance upon them and our whole community as we move forward.

2. Pray for the spiritual growth of our community. There will be a "Town Hall" meeting during the Sunday School hour next Sunday (Oct 26) at which the ESC leaders will share the church vision for "people group pastoral teams" - the pastoral care of leaders who will in turn exercise spiritual care for others, thus nurthuring and supporting them in ministry. Please pray for a clear and exciting God-centred sharing, and for growing community understanding and commitment to a common vision and plan of action.

3. Please pray for the brothers and sisters who will be getting baptized on the coming Sunday, Oct 26. Ask the Lord to help them get ready for their baptism, and to look forward to sharing their testimonies publicly at the service.

4. Please keep praying for the Church Building Project. Ask the Lord to bless, multiply and use the special building project offering on Sunday, Oct 19 for the glory of his name. Please pray also for:
- Spring ground-breaking
- spiritual growth along with facilities expansion
- steady congregational commitment and cooperation
- creative solutions for space shortage during building
- God's provision: faithful giving, fervent fund-raising, favourable bank financing
- smooth building process

5. Please keep praying about the persecution of Christians in parts of India. To date, over a hundred churches have been burned. Thousands of believers have had to flee, many into the forests, for safety. Please look up news reports of the situation to pray in an informed way.

6. Pray for our new government elected this past Tuesday, Oct 14. Ask the Lord to pour out grace and mercy upon our country. May the government govern with wisdom, reflecting the values of justice, mercy and compassion of God who is, ultimately, the one who appoints the rulers.

7. Please keep praying about the current global economic crisis - remembering especially people who are in difficulty as a result. Pray for God's mercy upon this generation, and for the mobilization of people (including us) to help those in need. Pray also for wisdom for all who manage and make decisions that have global effect.

8. Personal request: Please pray for our members - Laura Sue and her parents, Maria and Walton. Laura has been diagnosed with some hearing loss in both her ears. This may be a result of water and infection in her ears this past summer. No operation or hearing aids are indicated for now. The doctor has asked them to wait 4 months and then go for additional tests. Please pray for Laura's hearing to improve.