2009 Week Six

1. Please keep praying for the February series of adult Sunday School classes on parenting with special guest Sunday School Teacher, Pastor D. The first class was very well received, helping us to understand that much of our stress and frustration comes from making parenting today's idolatry, that is, putting our children ahead of God. Godly parenting requires us to put God first, building a foundation which will help us to do what is most important for our children, and set an example for our children to also put God first. Please pray for Pastor D's remaining classes and ability to speak to the needs of our community. The classes are:
February 1: Christian Parenting: Is it a Lost Cause?
February 8: Who is God and Where Does He Fit into My Life?
February 15: Adolescence: The Roller Coaster of Extremes
February 22: Boldly Going Where No Parent Has Gone Before

2. Please pray for the Youth Ministry:
- February 13 to 15, 2009, SnoCamp, annual winter retreat for secondary school students (Gilead Fellowship) at Muskoka Woods, along with hundreds of other youth from various Fellowship Baptist churches. Ask the Lord to prepare our youth to enjoy a fun time, and to hear his word in a life-changing way.
- This request is carried over from the reader section of week 5's post: "I am praying for these requests posted. In addition, I ask for prayer for the students in our teen's Sunday School. Conviction about God's character and will comes only with accumulated knowledge of what he has said and done. Please pray that they would give attention to what is being taught and to let this knowledge affect their dealings with God."

3. Please pray for our country and for God's mercy upon people who may be hurt by the current economic downturn. Pray for appropriate and wise actions by our politicians to address the issues in the best interests of the people. If you know individuals who are affected by the state of things, lift them up before the Lord, and consider your role in their life as an encourager or giver of mercy or help.

4. Please continue to pray for some among us who are facing challenging situations and people in the workplace. Some are dealing with unreasonable demands. Others are not being heard. Some are trying to make a difference by meeting with and talking to key workplace people who have influence. Pray for God's mercy and sustenance, and for improvement in circumstances. Pray for these brothers' and sisters' testimonies and their ability to help co-workers. Pray for change in the hearts and actions of those who are responsible for what happens in the workplace.

5. Please pray for the "Growing Leaders" ESC leadership training program:
- The first main training session on the past Saturday, January 31 went well. Ask the Lord to help us process, understand, put to use the things learned from the Bible and one another for the purpose of understanding each person's God-given style of leadership in the context of our community.
- Ask the Spirit for guidance and wisdom as the one-on-one (or small group) mentor-mentee meetings take place over the coming month. Pray for a good "get to know one another" first meeting, and for good response and changes as needed by mentors and mentees as they process further what was raised at the training session.

6. Please pray for "P", our pastoral intern in the ESC. P is sick with a migraine, aches and pains, and burning in the eyes. Please pray for P to get well soon. Pray also for P's learning and adjustment to vocational pastoral ministry. Ask for God's blessing upon P's special project in Youth Ministry, developing friendship mentoring relationships between individual youth and more established members of the ESC.

7. Please pray for the church building project:
- The bank we are dealing with has agreed to loan us 80% of the construction cost, but has stipulated that the church must raise most of the outstanding balance before construction begins. This means we have a very short period of time (if construction is to start in August as desired) to raise about $2.5 million to add to the $2 million we have already raised. This looks difficult and daunting, and we really need to pray and depend on God to guide us in what to do. Pray for sensitivity to the Spirit's leading, faithfulness to respond, and steadfast trust in the Lord.
- A fund-raising banquet will be held at the beginning of May. Please pray for the planning of this event and the members of the fund-raising committee as they work on this.

8. Ongoing: Please pray for "AC" who is applying to a second medical mission trip to Africa in August to September. AC's desire is to return to the same hospital they served at last time to work with staff and community especially to foster improvements in the area of birth and care of newborn babies. Pray for the application process and for God to direct AC's steps.

9. Please pray for brothers and sisters among us who are suffering. Lift up those you know who are sick or suffering before the Lord. Ask for healing and comfort, and practical things such as help from others. Ask the Lord to move any of us to respond and be those helping hands.
- Remember "E" who has a herniated disk, and had to miss a week of university classes. Pray for healing and keeping up with studies.