Lord teach us to pray!

Pastor Albers has announced the theme for Lent this year will be prayer, most specifically two specific ideas:

1. learning how to pray and
2. recognizing God’s gracious provision even without our prayer.

Weekly themes will explore the overall theme for the season:

Week 1, Feb. 22, Lord, Teach us to Pray: God’s Good and Gracious Will be Done

Week 2, Mar. 1, Lord, Teach us to Pray: for the Church

Week 3, Mar. 8, Lord, Teach us to Pray: for the world

Week 4, Mar. 15, Lord, Teach us to Pray: for those in need

Week 5, Mar. 22, Lord, Teach us to Pray: in thanksgiving

Week 6, Mary 29, Lord, Teach us to Pray: in remembrance

As before, several activities will help focus our attention on the theme for the season. 

Midweek Evening Prayer

Each Lent we add a midweek worship service to our usual schedule: Wednesdays at 6:30pm. We will gather on Ash Wednesday, the First Day of Lent, for the Divine Service including the Imposition of Ashes and Holy Communion. An additional service is added at 10am and will include many students from our school.  

On each successive Wednesday evening, a service of Evening Prayer is then added to our usual schedule throughout the season of Lent (the Wednesdays in March this year).

Prayer Fellowship

The WOW Bible Study will be hosting a Prayer Fellowship each Wednesday evening.  A light soup supper will be followed by a short time of prayer, collecting the prayer requests of those who are gathered.  

A Soup Supper will be provided beginning at 5:30pm followed by a short time of prayer beginning at 6:00pm.  The group will move to the sanctuary for the liturgy of Evening Prayer at 6:20pm or so.

Prayer Journal

During the season everyone, including worshippers and school students, will be encouraged to keep a Prayer Journal, recording that for which they are praying and a bit of how they see God’s good and gracious will being accomplished.

To help with this, a St. John’s Prayer Journal will be distributed in worship beginning the weekend of February 18 & 19, and then on Ash Wednesday, February 22.

Prayer Retreat

One Sunday, April 16, St. John’s leaders will host a brief Prayer Retreat. Following a light brunch at 11am, participants will take 90 minutes or so to reflect on what they have learned throughout the season and once again pray together as God’s people.

Plans for the retreat are developing and may include presentations by special guests and SJLC members and leaders.

Plan now to join us!