Day 22 of "27-Day Prayer & Fasting Journey" with Rev. Max Furman

Greetings in the name of Christ.

My name is Max Furman and I am the Presiding Elder of the Pennsylvania Northwest (Williamsport) district in the Northeast Conference of the Global Methodist Church.  Welcome to Day 22 of 27 Days of Prayer as we prepare for our Annual Conference gathering on May 8-10 in Cortland, NY.

The eleven churches of the Pennsylvania Northwest (Williamsport) district are located in the North Central part of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  What I love about our district are the pastors, dedicated supply speaker, and the people in the churches they minister with. As pastors and the supply speaker, we get together monthly by way of the marvels of modern technology. Through this, we have strengthened our bond as partners in ministry. Though separated by many miles, we are certainly one in the Spirit and one in the Lord.

Our churches are Antes Fort, Genesee Community, God’s County, Keating Summit, Middle Ridge, Oriole, Oval, Pine Creek Valley, Ulysses, Wingate Faith, and our newly planted church, New Life.   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 Pennsylvania Northwest (Williamsport) 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 James 5:16-18: 

16  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17  Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.  18  Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

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

Today’s Prayer Focus

The second Northeast Annual Conference begins in less than a week. Our task over these past many days of prayer and fasting has been to ask for a rain of God’s blessings when we gather. For many of us coming from other denominations, previous denominational gatherings were dry and barren, sources of tension, and a dreaded annual ritual. Center your prayers this day on a fresh spirit of anticipation and eagerness for all participants in this Annual Conference. Pray for God’s outpouring of his Spirit to wash away those arid, fruitless years of the past. Pray earnestly for God’s refreshing, healing rain.

Today’s Suggested Prayer

Send your rain, O God.
When your people hungered in the wilderness
Moses prayed;
and you rained bread from heaven.
When the land was parched because of sin,
Elijah prayed for rain;
and the heavens filled with clouds and wind.
Send your rain, O God.
Forgive us our sin, heal us,
so that the prayers of the righteous be powerful and effective.
Pour out your blessings upon the faithful who will soon gather
at the Northeast Annual Conference.
Wash away lingering resentments and dread from the past,
so that these steps into your promised future
are taken on well-watered, fertile ground.
In the name of Jesus, send your rain, O God. Amen.

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

May the Lord richly bless your faithful prayers. Amen.