Note from Pastor Jay on Unbinding the Heart:

Prevailing Prayer: Just opened an e mail from someone I don’t know. They asked me if I would pray for rain in Colorado, Oklahoma, West and South Texas, and New Mexico where the drought is the worst. They asked me if I would send the request on to others, which I have just now done. It put me in mind of a story of a rural community that was suffering from drought conditions as we are now. The churches in the community thought it would be a good idea to all gather together and pray for rain. The day came and the crowd was gathered and heads were bowed, and the pastor prayed. When the last amen was said, the pastor looked up and saw a little girl who had just opened up a big red umbrella. Everyone believed that prayer was a good idea in theory, but this little girl really believed that God would answer. We all believe prayer is a good idea, but do we believe it enough to actually take the time to pray? A deep prayer life is at the heart of a living faith. Someone has said it is the breath of the soul. I am sensing more and more that God is calling us to be a praying church. A church that takes prayer as seriously as God does. Beginning in October we as a church will be going on an adventure in prayer. The experience is called “Unbinding the Heart” and I hope every one of you will join me in this life giving class. It will involve: • praying daily for the needs of your family church, and our world, and keeping a prayer journal for 40 days. • reading and reflecting on verses on the Bible for 40 days. • joining the congregation in reading a short chapter from the book every week. The sermon for these 6 Sundays will be dealing with the verses and chapter you have read the preceding week. • Being a part of a small group of 7 or 8 people for six weeks and meeting some new friends. Please think and pray about your involvement in what I believe to be a movement of God in our church. I hope you’ll join me. Your brother in Christ, Pastor Jay