March-April 2012 Prayer Prompter

Prayer Prompter for March-April 2012

From Ohio Conference Minister Tom Kauffman’s blog, ohioconferenceblogspot.com: “I found myself during the week at AMBS (January’s Pastors Week at Associate Mennonite Biblical Seminary) considering what my Lenten discipline would be for this year.  Beginning with Ash Wednesday on Feb. 22, I will try to spend some time each day in silence.” 

March 1-17, let us pray for the following:

1) Longenecker Mennonite, Winesburg, Transitional Pastor Dean (Janet) Miller

• Pray for the church as they seek a permanent lead pastor.

2)  Maple Grove Mennonite, Hartville, Pastor Myron (Sheryl) Weaver

• Pray as the church anticipates the transition of pastoral leadership.

3) Chaplain Charles Gautsche, Fairlawn Retirement Center, Archbold

• We have had a number of new people coming in to Fairlawn, and one of the longer-term residents is opening up on faith questions. Pray that I can relate effectively and teach constructively with eternity in mind.

4) Mongolia Mission Partnership (MMP) will have a fundraiser at Martins Creek Mennonite, Millersburg, on March 3.  MMP is a group of six Wayne and Holmes County churches that enable mission work in Mongolia. 

 

5) Annual Conference Assembly of Ohio Conference (ACA), at First Mennonite, Berne, Ind., March 9-10, pray for:

• speakers Chet Miller-Eshleman and Mauricio Chenlo
• youth and young adults
• workshop leaders
• art show and ministry fair
• business meetings and first-time delegates
• all who attend that they may leave inspired and passionate to sow generously the Gospel seeds

6) Northwest Ohio Mennonite Ministers Fellowship invited Dr. Greg Boyd to share on the theme, “Ultimate Allegiance—Stars and Stripes or By His Stripes?” at the Wauseon High School, March 16.

7) The annual Men’s Retreat, March 16-18, at Camp Luz, speaker Ralph Reinford

• Pray that it will be a time of worship and fellowship.

March 18-31, pray for:

1) Maple Grove Mennonite, New Castle, Pa., Pastor Cheryl Vanatsky

2) Chaplain Robert Halfhill, Majora Lane and Holmes County Home, Millersburg

3) Business Leaders and Pastors as they ask, “Partners in Leadership and Ministry?” at SpringHaven, Mt. Eaton, March 24

4) Ministry Development Team of Ohio Conference Annual Retreat, Mansfield, March 23-24

u May each participant be open to the Spirit’s guidance as the team plans together goals for 2012.

5) From Dean Heisey, Mennonite Mission Network (MMN): 

• Praise God that the Mongolian church has gone from five known believers 19 years ago to an estimated 50,000 today.  Pray for two couples actively discerning a call to serve in Mongolia with Joint Christian Services through MMN and supported by Mongolia Mission Partnership (MMP).

6) Lasting Flame Marriage Seminar, Central Christian School, Kidron, March 30-31

• May the marriages be enriched as they share around the topic “Parenting Like a Pro.”

7) Brazo en Brazo, Paul and Ann Conrad walking with the Hispanics, New Carlisle, share this: 

• Veneranda recently called us.  She told of insights God has given as she reads the Bible.  She and Enriquez ask, “What do we need to do to go as missionaries?  We want to go with the Mennonite church.  That’s where we knew the Lord and were baptized (with Brazo en Brazo).”  Their vision and dedication to share the Gospel with their people in southern Mexico inspires us.  Pray as we take steps to provide study materials and contacts as their vision moves forward.

April 1-14, hold the following in prayer:

1) Martins Creek Mennonite, Millersburg, Transitional Pastor Bob (Enid) Schloneger

• Pray for the people as they transition from a long-loved pastor, to looking forward to what new thing God is calling the church to be.

2) Chaplain John Miller, Walnut Hills Retirement Community, Walnut Creek

3) From MMN:  Several congregations of Ohio Conference are exploring the potential for young adult service units to foster spiritual formation, leadership development, congregational revitalization, and enhanced community outreach.   Please pray for guidance.  Pray for young adults to readily answer “yes” to Christ’s call to participate.

4) Fear not: Gaining the Confidence and Tools for teaching in Church, Oak Grove Mennonite, Smithville, April 14, led by Norma Duerksen, Joyce Taylor, Bill Seymour and Tammy Lyons

5) Spring Day of Inspiration of Ohio Mennonite Women, Smithville Mennonite, Smithville, April 14, speaker Deb Horst

6) Ohio Mennonite Young Adults Retreat, Camp Luz, April 13-14

• Pray as the young adults share around the following theme: “How can young adults intentionally create local, faith-based communities that vulnerably discuss Scripture and authentically work together to live out the calling to follow Jesus?”

April 15-30, hold the following in prayer:

1) Martins Mennonite, Orrville, prayer requests submitted by Head Elder Dean Falb

• Pray for our congregational visioning process and purposeful plan development, for our discerning of one another to our call to ministry for each member and for Randy Murray as he returns from a four-month sabbatical, for member health concerns, those receiving treatment and care for cancer:  Amy Murray, Tina Wengerd, and JoAnn Basinger.

2) Midway Mennonite, Columbiana, Pastor Dan (Marlena) Coburn

3) Chaplain Hector Velez, Disciples of Jesus Motorcycle Club, Archbold

• This year I will be getting involved with Bikers for Christ. We have acquired a location in Desler, Ohio. We will be opening a new chapter for Bikers for Christ in this section of Ohio. We have made some contacts with some outlaw bikers and have been invited to some of their activities. Pray for God’s blessing and guidance in all we do. I will be praying for you as well.  God bless.

4) Fear not: Gaining the Confidence and Tools for teaching in Church, Zion Mennonite, Archbold, April 28, led by Norma Duerksen, Joyce Taylor, Bill Seymour and Tammy Lyons

5) Ohio Conference Annual Hispanic Retreat, Camp Luz, April 27-29

• Pray as Hispanics gather from all over Ohio that there will be good fellowship and growing in love for God.

6) John Powell, Mennonite Mission Network Advocate, will be resourcing Berean in Youngstown as it seeks to clarify its mission purposes for the future.  Please surround this process in prayer.

7) I continue to be concerned that our congregation (and conference), through the guidance of its

leadership, become more and more intentional in our walk as believers rather than be carried along in what is sometimes referred to as “drifting.”  Pray for leaders to look to the example of Jesus our redeemer for direction. — Sharon Mennonite Church, name withheld

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.”

January-February 2012 Prayer Prompter

Weeks 1 and 2:  Let’s pray for Ohio Conference (OC):

1) Tom Kauffman, Conference minister, asks that we pray:

• For the Annual Conference Assembly (ACA) Planning Committee as they put the finishing touches on preparations for the March ACA.
• For the cluster meetings that will take place in February. 
• For the Stewardship Ministry Team as they prepare a new narrative spending plan approach to the Conference budget.  They are meeting on Jan. 10.

2)  Norma Duerksen, chair of Ministry Development Team and  Resource Advocate,

There has been a request for Bible school training workshops. Pray for Norma and several teacher-volunteers as they schedule three regional Saturday morning workshops in January.

3) Pastor-Elder Retreat, Widewater Retreat Center, Liberty Center, Feb. 17-18

4) Pastor-Elder Retreat, Comfort Inn, Millersburg, Feb. 19-20

• OC staff will resource the Pastor-Elder Retreats with the theme “Working Together as Ministry Teams.” Let us pray for the staff as they prepare and serve the pastor-elder teams. 
• May these retreats be space where the teams connect in new ways with each other and God’s passion and vision.

5)  Requests from among us:

• May we be faithful in responding with generosity of heart and means to those who are hungry, are looking for a job, and are lonely among us and in our communities.
• Pam Matsos requests that we pray for her as she begins another round of chemotherapy Jan. 4.

Weeks 3 and 4:  Pray for Mennonite Mission Network (MMN) of MC USA:

1)  Will LaVeist, one of the editors at MMN, in Beyond Ourselves, Oct. 2011, p. 14:

“Inclusion is God’s intended consequence of mission work.” We are the sent ones to carry God’s mission.  Let’s pray to God so we can hear who to invite and to include into our lives and faith communities. Pray that we may be the faithful embodiment of God’s Great Commission.

2) Dean Heisey, MMN Church Relations representative in his Ohio visits asks us to pray: 

• Dean led listening sessions for MC USA Executive Board and MMN with Ohio pastor clusters, Jan. 10, 11 and 12.  Dean says that this time together is an important step as churchwide staff members attend to what is changing as congregations engage the missional agenda. Pray that the content of these conversations will continue to lead for greater clarity of vision and well being.
• Who will claim Christ’s call to serve in Mongolia? The “harvest is ripe.” There is a call. Let’s designate Wed. Jan. 25 to pray for workers to hear the call to go to Mongolia. The website www.jcsintl.org lists all the kinds of service opportunities in Mongolia.
• Continue to pray for the Northwest Ohio Partners in Mission group as they discern its calling for the future.

Weeks 5 and 6:  Pray for Ohio Conference Chaplains and Ministries among us:

1) Gail Blum, Hospice of Lenawee, Hillsdale, Mich.

2) Keith Matthews, Dorothy Love Retirement Community, Sidney, Bellefontaine

3) Tom Michaels, Hospice Chaplain, Millersburg

4) Enid Schloneger, Hospice Chaplain, Smithville

5) Dave Eshleman and John Powell, as they resource congregations in renewal, revitalization, and rebirth.

6) Camp Luz, Andrew Michaels, Director

Pray as they seek a program manager for this important ministry.

7) Brazo en Brazo, Hispanic ministry, Paul and Ann Conrad, New Carlisle

Immigration continues to be a “front burner” issue.  We are acquainted with more than 250 individuals/families in the Dayton-Springfield area.  Most are recent immigrants.  Pray as we discern ways to address their needs and respond to the opportunities of sharing Christ.

8) Open Arms, Hispanic ministry, Raúl and Vanita Tadeo and Haroldo and Esmirna Nunes, Kidron

This month we will pray for Jacinto, a young Hispanic man who was deported last year back to his home country of Guatemala. While he was here, Raúl and Vanita Tadeo and Haroldo and Esmirna Nunes ministered to him, and he became an active member at Salem Mennonite of Wooster. Now Jacinto is “our disciple and a servant of God there in his home country.” Let’s thank God for the ongoing ministry of Open Arms.

9) The East Ohio Church Plant Resource Team, Jason and Heather Rissler, church planters in Strasburg and Chet Miller-Eshleman pastor of LifeBridge Community, Dover

Ways to pray for the Risslers:  For protection for our family, for God to give us a greater heart of love for those around us, for the group meeting on Thursday evenings, for God’s leading of others to join this group, for encouragement, for Jesus to draw people to Himself.

Weeks 7 and 8:  Pray for these six Ohio Conference Congregations:

1) Lafayette Christian Fellowship, West Lafayette, Lay Leader Margaret Yoder

2) Lee Heights Community, Cleveland, Pastors Robin (Cynthia) Miller and Vikki (Mark) Pruitte-Sorrells

3) Leetonia Mennonite, Leetonia, Pastor Phil (Brenda) Slabaugh

4) LifeBridge Community, Pastor Chet (Holly) Miller-Eshleman

• Praise God for increased commitment this new year! Pray for the small group meeting weekly with Chet, focusing on strategy, growth and development to more effectively reach and disciple our neighbors for Christ.
• Pray that God provides eager, motivated adult mentors for each of our teens.
• Pray that we can strengthen and increase our number of weekly LifeGroups.
• Pray that we have more baptisms with follow-up discipleship than ever before.
• Pray that our sister church plant in Strasburg would grow out of Risslers’ living room and into a new space with new people that God sends.
• Pray for our sister church in Colombia, South America, Fuente de Vida, and for each person who will be traveling there.

5) Lima Mennonite, Lima, Pastor David (Becky) Elkins

• Pray concerning the establishment of a new international mission partnership. 
• Pray for direction in reaching out to the people in our community.

6) Lockport Mennonite, Stryker, Pastor Steve (Bonnie) Heatwole

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.”