Day 5 of "27-Day Prayer & Fasting Journey" with Rev. Faith Wilkerson

Greetings in the name of Christ.

My name is Faith Wilkerson and I am the Presiding Elder of the Maryland Central district in the Northeast Conference of the Global Methodist Church. Welcome to Day 5 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 Maryland Central district are located in the middle of the state of Maryland. What I love about our district is it spans from the top, in the north, on the Pennsylvania border, all the way down to the southernmost part of Maryland. Our churches have a diverse grouping that includes a church that meets in a storefront, a church that meets in a firehouse, and more traditional church locations. Our churches are Community With A Cause, Lighthouse Fellowship, Cedar Grove, Brandenburg, and Fairview. 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 Maryland Central 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 Exodus 32:30-32:

30  The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31  So Moses went back to the LORD and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold.  32  But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”

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

Today’s Prayer Focus

Moses’ prayer for the sins of his people reveals the depths of his solidarity with them. If they cannot be forgiven, then he, too, wishes to be blotted out of God’s book. Center your prayers this day on those priestly shepherds who, like Moses, are concerned for their people and willing to pray mightily for them. Pray for pastors of the GMC churches in the Northeast Annual Conference, and especially those who will be ordained this year. Pray that they will be persons who will live out their calling with integrity.

Today’s Suggested Prayer (For the Clergy Leadership of the Church, from This Day: A Wesleyan Way of Prayer, by Laurence Hull Stookey. Copyright © 2004 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission. p. 143.)

God of grace:
To all clergy who have taken responsibility
for the care of your church,
give a love for the people of God
equal to a love of the Gospel.
Let not discouragement or spiritual weariness
overtake them
and no temptation be put in their way
that they cannot resist.
Enable them to trust you
and to serve you with gladness
all the days of their lives,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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.