Day 24 of "27-Day Prayer & Fasting Journey" with Rev. Brendan Hock

Greetings in the name of Christ. 

My name is Brendan Hock and I am the Presiding Elder of the Pennsylvania Southeast (Hershey) district in the Northeast Conference of the Global Methodist Church. Welcome to Day 24 of 27 Days of Prayer as we prepare for our Annual Conference gathering on May 8-10 in Cortland, NY.

The five churches of the Pennsylvania Southeast district are located in the eastern part of the state of Pennsylvania. What I love about our district is our congregations' complete commitment to be faithful to the Lord. Their faithfulness has taken them down some roads they never guessed they would have been called to walk, but their spiritual bond with each other as a church family and their openness to the witness of the Holy Spirit has been so refreshing to me as I’ve met with them and heard their stories. I also love the pastors in our district. In their sacrifice, God has blessed them with a renewed sense of call, and their desire to lead faithfully and lead well as Spiritual Shepherd’s is inspiring to my heart. Even though we are really spread out geographically, I love connecting with the pastors each Saturday in prayer and lifting them up to the Lord as they prepare for worship.

Our churches are: Church of the Great Redeemer in Jim Thorpe, Limeville Church - Gap, John Wesley Covenant in Wind Gap, Grace St. Paul’s Church in Jim Thorpe and Halifax Community Church, in Halifax, PA.  And we also have five additional churches in our district who are seeking to be part of the Global Methodist Church, but who currently remain in exit negotiations and so we keep each of them in prayer. 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 Southeast (Hershey) 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 Acts 1:6-14: 

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” 12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

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

Today’s Prayer Focus

After appearing to them in resurrection glory, the disciples wish to know when Jesus will restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus says it is not for them to know this. Moreover, he also tells them they are thinking too small. Beyond just Jerusalem, beyond just Judea and Samaria, the Holy Spirit power they will receive will make them witnesses “to the ends of the earth.” Center your prayers this day on the outward growth possible with the Holy Spirit. Pray that what Holy Spirit gives you will be fanned into a great flame that will spread across the globe like wildfire.

Today’s Suggested Prayer

God of all Creation, you anointed your Son and sent him
to preach good news to the poor,
to give sight to the blind,
and to set at liberty the oppressed.
Anoint this Northeast Annual Conference with your Holy Spirit,
so that we may, with his power,
fan into flame this great gift of the Gospel;
and be his witnesses, not just in our hearts,
but in our homes,
and in our churches,
and in our communities,
and to the ends of the earth.
Do this so that all may see,
and all be set free, in the name of Christ. 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.