Davidson United Methodist Church
April 8 – May 20, 2018
As an inspirational resource, we will use the book, Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge by Mark Batterson. Copies of the book can be purchased for $10 in the Church Office, while supplies last. You may also buy copies online. The book is not necessary in order to join in the 40 Days of Prayer.
There are two classes that will be using the DVD and study guide to the book. All are invited, no prior registration required: Sundays beginning April 8 from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. in Room 213; led by Kristy Temple. Tuesdays beginning April 10 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. in Room 206/208; led by Tom Peckham. Contact Rev. Linda Zastovnik in the church office for more information at
[email protected] or 704-892-8277, ext. 280.
“There is nothing magical about forty days, but there is something biblical about it.” Mark Batterson
Join Us for the Forty-Day Prayer Challenge For 40 days, from Sunday, April 8 through Pentecost Sunday, May 20, you are invited to join us in our church wide prayer challenge. The season of Easter, which begins at sunset on Easter Eve and ends on the Day of Pentecost, is a perfect time for daily prayer. Through individual, small group, and congregational prayer, we can give God thanks for new life through the risen Christ and the gift of church community through the Holy Spirit. Some of us already are practiced in daily prayer, while others of us can begin a prayer discipline during the prayer challenge. Because we all have different needs and concerns, the content of our prayers will vary from person to person and group to group. Nevertheless, we can pray with assurance, trusting that God leads and guides us as individuals and as a congregation. We can also pray for Davidson United Methodist Church's pastoral transition. Our senior pastor, Rev. Sally Langford, is retiring in June. Throughout the prayer challenge, please pray for Bishop Leeland and the District Superintendents and their appointment-making process; our clergy, staff, and church members; for Sally, as she prepares for retirement; and for our new Senior Pastor, who will come to a new church family. We also invite you to gather to pray in the Chapel (across the street) on Tuesday, May 1. There will be an hour of guided prayer and music at noon and 7:00 p.m. The Chapel will be open from noon until 8:00 p.m. for you and your family to come and pray. 1
Senior Pastor Transition In about three-and-a-half months, Davidson UMC will receive a new Senior Pastor. The dates for the transition, as set by the Annual Conference, are as follows:
Announcement made in worship: April 28/29 Annual Conference: June 21- 24 Moving week: July 2 - 6 First day in the office: July 9 First weekend in the pulpit: July 14/15
Sally's last Sunday in the pulpit will be June 10. She will still lead the congregation and perform pastoral responsibilities through the end of June. The Bishop and Cabinet will be meeting several times over the next month-and-a-half. We hope that you will join us in prayer for their discernment process. Now is the time for us to pray for our new pastor, the church our new pastor will be leaving, for Sally and her husband, Andy (and his church), as they begin a new life stage, and for our church as we prepare to receive a new minister and begin a new era of ministry.
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How to Pray Please note that these are suggestions only. There is no one right way to pray. When we study the Bible, which should be our guide to prayer, we discover that God’s people have prayed in a variety of ways, in a variety of places, and for a variety of things. Remember that prayer is primarily about your relationship with God. That means that your prayer life will be unique, as are all relationships. Use what works for you. Go for a walk and invite the Lord to walk with you. Have a conversation – out loud or silently. Find a quiet, comfortable place. Begin by reading a Psalm aloud. Or simply say, “Lord, hear my prayer.” Close your eyes. Listen. Become aware of your body. Breathe deeply, centering your body and mind on God. Imagine Jesus – Imagine you have Jesus in front of you or beside you. Begin a conversation and listen for a response. Possible things you could say: “How can I help?” “What should I do?” “What should I say?” Trust that the Holy Spirit is guiding your spirit. Pray for Someone – but first, ask God who you are to pray for. Sit quietly and listen…who does God want you to pray for? A person will come to your mind, then pray.
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About Prayer from Mark Batterson, author of “Draw the Circle”
“You don’t become a praying parent by default. You do it by design, by desire, and by discipline. God is not a genie in a bottle, and your wish is not His command. His command better be your wish.” Drawing prayer circles is a metaphor that simply means “to pray without ceasing.” It’s praying until God answers. It’s praying with more intensity, more tenacity. It’s not just praying for; it’s praying through. “Praying with the same kind of consistency with which the earth circles the sun.” “Sometimes the purpose of prayer is to get us out of circumstances, but more often than not, the purpose of prayer is to get us through them.” “It doesn’t matter what you do; prayer is the key to your business, your practice, your career. If you’re an entrepreneur, you need innovative ideas. If you’re a physician, you need the discernment to diagnose. You may sell homes or teach classes…whatever you do, prayer is a critical part of what you do and who you become. Turn your classroom, boardroom, locker room, operating room, courtroom, and conference room into a prayer room!”
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“Pray for Me” from Richard Foster, author of Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home
“There are as many ways to go about the work of intercession as there are people. Some like to keep lists of people they are concerned to pray for with regularity…Here is my own approach. After prayer for my immediate family, I wait quietly until individuals or situations spontaneously rise to my awareness. I then offer these to God, listening to see if any special discernment comes to guide the content of the prayer. Next I speak forth what seems most appropriate in full confidence that God hears and answers. After spoken intercession I may remain for a while, inviting the Holy Spirit to pray through me “with size too deep for words.” I will stay with any given individual or situation until I feel released from the prayer concern. Throughout the time I may jot down brief notes in a small prayer journal as I sense the Spirit giving instruction. These notes are often extremely helpful, for over time a pattern sometimes emerges that holds the key to the persons need. This then informs the direction of future intercessions…One caution. None of us is to shoulder the burden of prayer for everyone and everything. We are finite human beings, and it is an act of humility to recognize our limitations...God will make it clear who and what are to be our prayer concerns, and the other situations we are to leave with him.”
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“ The goal of the forty-day prayer challenge isn’t to get what you want by day 40. In fact, the goal isn’t to get what you want at all. The goal is to figure out what God wants, what God wills… The goal of the prayer challenge is to establish a prayer habit so you’re still praying on day 41, day 57, day 101, day 365.” Mark Batterson
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