Day 13 of "27-Day Prayer & Fasting Journey" with Rev. David Cooke

Greetings in the name of Christ.  

My name is David Cooke and I am the Presiding Elder of the New York Chautauqua district in the Northeast Conference of the Global Methodist Church. Welcome to Day 13 of 27 Days of Prayer as we prepare for our Annual Conference gathering on May 8-10 in Cortland, NY.

The eight churches of the New York Chautauqua district are located in the western part of the state of New York.  What I love about our district is we have lakes and natural beauty in every direction. To our east we have Chautauqua Lake, to the west we have Lake Erie, and right in my own town we have Findley Lake. I am thankful to serve alongside our pastors and churches in western New York who are passionate about the gospel and living for Jesus in our part of the conference.

Our churches are my own church, Findley Lake Church, Panama Methodist Church, the Clymer and North Clymer Community Churches, Community Church of Dewittville, Laona Methodist Church, North Harmony Methodist Church, and Wheeler Hill Community Church. Pray for us today, that we would faithfully live into our shared mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ and to spread scriptural holiness across the globe.

We in the New York Chautauqua district are eager to see many of you at Annual Conference in May. We encourage you to use these days of preparation to hear God’s Word and pray with us as we prepare to fan the flame that the Holy Spirit has kindled in us all.  

Here is today’s focus Scripture passage from Isaiah 6:1-8: 

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory.”

4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

This is the Word of the Lord.  Thanks be to God.

Today’s Prayer Focus

When Isaiah sees the LORD Almighty in all his glory, he trembles as much as the temple is shaken. In the presence of the holy, Isaiah is suddenly aware of his uncleanness. Yet, touched by the fire of sacrifice, his sin is atoned for. His guilt removed, Isaiah is now eager to be sent. Center your prayers this day on the delegates who will be elected to represent the Northeast Annual Conference at the 2026 General Conference in Africa. These delegates will be entrusted with charting the great future of the Global Methodist Church. Pray that they, like Isaiah, would be humble enough to recognize their own flaws, and willing enough to be sent. 

Today’s Suggested Prayer

God, Lord of lords, King of kings,
those who are with you are called and chosen and faithful.
Call forth now those who will stand with you
and represent us as delegates to General Conference in Africa.
Let those chosen to serve in this capacity
seek first your honor and glory,
setting aside every prideful impulse,
sitting humbly before your throne,
and seeking always your guidance and blessing.
Assuage the disappointment of those who will not be chosen in this season
by calling each to places of service that align with your will
for their lives and for the good of your Church.
We ask this through Christ, the head of the Body, the Church. Amen.

You can find this prayer, and all the other prayers of the 27 Days, on the Conference website, northeastgmc.org.

May the Lord richly bless your faithful prayers. Amen.