Weeks 1 and 2: Pray for Ohio Conference Chaplains and Ministries among us:
1) Charles Gautsche, Fairlawn Retirement Center, Archbold
One can never feel confident of being able to offer adequate help for the variety of needs our residents have. Some of the most difficult are depression caused by complex personal or family situations. Pray for wisdom, compassion and spiritual insight to encourage folks and provide counsel for such situations.
2) Robert Halfhill, Majora Lane and Holmes County Home, Millersburg
3) John Miller, Walnut Hills Retirement Community, Walnut Creek
4) Brazo en Brazo, Hispanic ministry: Paul and Ann Conrad, New Carlisle
Victor demonstrated progress in his rehabilitation serving five years of a 10-year sentence. Present at the court hearing was Avyce White, a grandmother unrelated to Victor, who visited him in the hospital while he recovered from serious injuries from the accident that was fatal to three passengers. The support Avyce gave through the years led to her opening her home to Victor. Praise God for this testimony of redeeming love.
5) Open Arms, Hispanic ministry, Raúl and Vanita Tadeo and Haroldo and Esmirna Nunes, Kidron
A request from Mike Mast member of Open Arms: Pray for the Intercultural Fiesta on Sept. 11 when Haroldo Nunes will be ordained for ministry. Pray for warm cultural interaction and Haroldo and Esmirna in their ministry with Open Arms and Salem Mennonite Church.
6) The East Ohio Church Plant Team, Jason and Heather Rissler, church planters
Pray for God’s favor to rest on our family as we meet community leaders, pastors, business leaders and neighbors in Strasburg, for God’s leading in the development of a “core group” in the church plant, for open doors and divine contacts to be made with those who are seeking Jesus and a church family, and for the Bible study that we plan to start in our home this fall.
7) Ohio Mennonite Women (OMW) Retreat, Sept. 16-18, Camp Luz, Jean Emery, President
OMW would like prayer for a smooth transition as new board members replace off-going members, for a relaxing, spiritual and humorous Women's Retreat and for speaker Jep Hostetler. Also, that hearts and minds are open throughout our Conference to support the OMW project, Pilgrim's Hostel and Wall of Comfort, on which we are moving ahead at Camp Luz. Prayer is indeed important.
Weeks 3 and 4: Let’s pray for Ohio Conference (OC):
1) Ministry Development Team (MDT) will meet Wed. Oct. 5.
Pray that the time together will be worshipful work.
2) Norma Duerksen, Chair of MDT and Sherah-Leigh Gerber, Coordinator of Volunteers ask that we pray:
- For the MDT as they pursue the planning of pastor-elder retreats.
- For retired and transitioning pastors who want to remain meaningfully involved but find themselves a bit "out of the loop" they once were so intimately involved in. May they find new meaning in their lives beyond their call.
- For Annual Conference Assembly planning. For First Mennonite, Berne, as they prepare to host us and for those who will accept responsibilities leading our time together.
- For the Ohio youth event, planned for summer 2012 and for those youth who will attend.
3) Pray for the Family Systems Event, to be held Oct. 3 at Maple Grove Mennonite, Hartville
4) Pray for the Stewardship Workshop, to be held Oct. 22 at Central Christian School, Kidron
Weeks 5 and 6: Pray for these six Ohio Conference Congregations:
1) First Mennonite, Canton, Pastor Dan (Julia) Hooley
2) Friendship Mennonite, Bedford Heights, Pastors Kevin and Nan Kanagy
3) Gilead Mennonite, Chesterville, Pastor Sean (Jackie) Evans
Please pray for unity. For church growth, spiritually and numerically. For relational healing too. Thank you for your prayers!
4) Good Shepherd Mennonite/Iglesia Menonita del Buen Pastor, Archbold, Pastor Israel (Eloisa) Aguilar
5) Grace Community, Bryan, Pastor Mike (Donna) Kelly
6) Hartville Mennonite, Hartville, Pastor Ross (Judith) Miller
- Pray for hurting and broken individuals and relationships in our midst.
- Pray for Harold Mansfield as he starts as our new youth pastor and Dave Windham as he starts in January as our new associate pastor.
- Pray for guidance from God as we start another church year.
Weeks 7 and 8: Pray for our links with Mennonite Church USA (MC USA):
1) Ervin Stutzman, executive director of MC USA in the September 2011 issue of The Mennonite, pray through the following as shared in his writing:
…we face deep differences in the church…in our congregations, area conferences, denomination or with neighboring Christians in other church communions. If we focus primarily on our differences, we may lose hope…. With the spirit of Jesus in our midst, and the example of the churches who have gone before us, I find hope for our day. I will invest in that hope by doing all I can to love Jesus, love my brothers and sisters and study the Scriptures in company with others. In these we can all find hope.
2) Mennonite Mission Network (MMN), MC USA
- Marc Hochstetler, pastor at Moorhead, is assuming leadership for the Mongolia Mission Partnership involving six area congregations (Moorhead, Martins Creek, Smithville, Longenecker, Berlin and Walnut Creek) in ongoing work with MMN and Joint Christian Services. Please pray for Marc in his local leadership role, and pray for people who might accept a call to serve in Mongolia. See the “Opportunities” page at www.jcsintl.org for information.
- Dean Heisey, MMN Church Relations representative for Ohio, visited Ohio congregations and leaders Sept. 13-16. Please pray for deepening mission engagement and clear articulation of congregational mission aspirations to grow from these contacts.
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By uttering one simple prayer,
we are instantly united with our brothers and sisters around the world
who are lifting their joys and concerns to God in the name of Jesus.
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Compiled by Mattie Marie Mast, mmmast@zoominternet.net
Prayer Prompter can be found on the Ohio Conference website: www.ohiomennoniteconference.org. Go to “Resource Teams” and select “Prayer Ministry.”
