Get Ready for Three Days of Prayer
If you haven't already begun to do so, it's time to start planning for our 8th Annual Three Days of Prayer, January 7-9, 2020.
What Is Three Days of Prayer?
With the intention of encouraging the people of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ to become more and more a people of prayer, LCMC Service Coordinator Mark Vander Tuig organized the association's first ever Three Days of Prayer event in 2012.
The event has since become an annual tradition within LCMC and a way to help change our views about what it really means to pray.
"Our attitude toward prayer has often been characterized by saying, 'well, all we can do now is pray!'. Prayer is not the hopeless act of desperation. Prayer is a gift that God has given to us as a means to approach the throne of grace with confidence—like that of a child coming to her parents sharing concerns, victories, defeats and every part of life. It is an opportunity to express the deepest heartache and the greatest joy. Prayer is a conversation between the Creator and the created…and the conversation began with God, for us, in Christ Jesus," said Vander Tuig.
After a busy holiday season, so many of us look forward to setting intentions for the new year. We create goals, try new diet and fitness plans, track our habits, and make lists of things we want to accomplish in the year ahead.
Setting aside time to pray might seem like adding one more item to an already full plate, but that isn't the objective.
Consider this time of prayer as an opportunity to confess the sins that have been weighing us down, to bring up any worries or concerns we may have, and to pray that our hearts and minds of the people in our congregations are renewed and revitalized so we may carry out God's vision for His Church.
How Do I Participate?
Every congregation, member, and pastor within LCMC is invited to join together from January 7-9, 2020 to start off the new year with an intentional time of prayer.
The themes for each day are as follows:
- January 7: Confession
- January 8: Petition
- January 9: Vision
Since every congregation is different, structure this time of prayer in any way that works for you and the people in your congregation.
In past years, some congregations have organized special events such as prayer walks, services, and vigils, some have utilized print or digital media to create resources for their congregation members, others have prayed on their own or at home with friends and family, and some have simply asked everyone in their congregation to set aside some time to pray during each of the three days.
All who take part in this intentional time of prayer are invited to share their thoughts, reflections, stories, and photos from the event on social media using the hashtag #LCMC3DOP2020.
More information on Three Days of Prayer, as well as downloadable resources submitted by LCMC pastors and congregations, can be found on our website.
Author
Kristy Thomas is a nerd with an affinity for 90s music, collecting antiques, and creating her own Halloween decorations. When she needs to unwind (which is pretty much all of the time), she likes arts & crafts, hiking and camping with her dogs, and playing the ukulele. As Communications & Public Relations Specialist, she is responsible for keeping the people of LCMC informed of what’s going on within the association and for tackling all of the creative-type projects. For the future, she would like to see the congregations of LCMC be proactive in raising up future leaders and for the “20-30 somethings” to be able to make some cool things happen, both within The Church and throughout the world.
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