On Sunday, September 8, State College District Superintendent Rev. Brenda Leigey invited all churches in the State College District to participate “together” in a prayer walk in their respective communities.
“God laid this on my heart and guided me to Joshua Chapter 6:2-5,” said Rev. Leigey.
“Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”
“We have so many barriers in our communities that are causing people harm,” said Leigey. “Over the years, God has called the church to break down the walls of hatred, violence, abuse, loneliness, hopelessness, hunger, etc. The greatest difficulty in the Christian life and for our churches is to get to the place where one is prepared to admit that the whole thing is too big for us, and that the power of the enemy is too great for us, and if we know what our Jericho is (what walls need to come tumbling down in our communities or in our life) somehow, God must bring it about. When we reach the place that we surrender all to God, God brings spiritual power and victory and blessing into our lives.”
“As communities of faith, we need to be praying for God to lead, guide, and direct us to be the church God needs and wants us to be. Prayer plays a vital role in the life of the believer. It is essential in our living, our witness, and our service before God.”
Leigey encouraged congregations to pray for the people who are not yet worshiping with them and not yet connected to them; to pray for those who are marginalized in their community; and to pray for families. She suggested they ask God to bless their church as a place of love and hope, and pray for a revival in their life and in the church, and for God’s will to be done. She challenge people to identify needs or situations that require prayer and then pray that the walls would come tumbling down.
“The promises of God are not designed to promote inactivity on our part. They are given to encourage and to assure us that if our labors are of God, they will not be in vain,” she said.The Israelites had to be obedient and faithful to God’s directions and to God’s instructions. Israel’s faith and obedience were the key to their victory. Marching around the city was not only an act of obedience, but also an act of faith. By repeating the marching operation so many times, the people were impressed with their need to trust in God’s Word and to obey.
Prayer Walk Suggestions:
- Pastor’s and churches meet together and identify needs in their community and in the life of the church.
- Hold a prayer vigil for the week prior seeking God’s leading and direction.
- Organize and send out groups (include all ages) throughout the community.
- Choose a “unified” time of 1 p.m. or 3 p.m.
- If the church was not in a town setting participants could walk around their church, or around the Sanctuary, or throughout the church building.
- To listen for God’s voice as they pray. God can bring victory in the areas where walls need to come down and ministry needs to happen!
- Choose the length (at least 30 minutes) of the prayer walk and then come together after to share what God has revealed.
- Think ahead: hold deep conversations over the next year as you listen to God. Do the prayer walk once a month. Were you prompted to act and make plans right away?
- Be faithful, be obedient, take action, give God the glory!
Nearly fifty churches indicated that they took part in the event in some way, many partnering with neighboring churches or participating as cluster groups.
McVeytown and Wayne UMCs participated together. The children colored postcards that said “You Belong Here” on one side and included church information on the other. They prayed over houses and business as they put postcards at their doors.
The folks of Grace UMC in Mexico, Pa., shared about the history and connections of certain buildings and people as they walked, stopping to pray at various locations, including the Presbyterian church where they prayed for their congregation and for their pews to be filled each week. “It showed me they care more about the people in the community than filling our own pews,” said a participant. They talked to a few residents along the way and new ministry ideas were discussed afterward.
Trinity UMC in Mifflin participants included youth, young adults, and older members of the church. After a prayer inside the church they set off in two groups and went throughout the town praying and distributing brochures that highlighted upcoming ministry events. They prayed outside bars, for the local businesses, at the local Hispanic church, and at the boro building. One group engaged with a group of Hispanic citizens. Afterward one man talked about his desire to see the church become active in helping the community. They hope to connect with the small Hispanic church and possibly share resources and volunteers for ministry in Mifflin.
Members of Thompsontown UMC walked for about an hour, mostly in silent prayer but stopping a few times for group prayer. They prayed for first responders at the Fire Company and the Ambulance Building, for some homes where they knew people were struggling, and for school students at the school. They saw things they don’t normally see in the community which brought awareness of folks who are hurting.
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| Grace UMC in Lewistown had an outdoor worship, picnic, and then the prayer walk. |
Locust Run UMC folks walked up to the community building to pray for healing between the church and the organization. They, too, noted how they saw things differently by walking up the road than by driving up it. Hurting people came to mind as they walked.
The East Salem/Otterbein Charge members walked the community in the shape of the cross, with points being Otterbein at the head, the parsonage at the feet, and the volunteer fire company and the high point of the village at the hands. They prayed along the way, were able to pray for some neighbors who were out, and also got a nice history lesson of the village. Even better, the people from the two churches talked with one another, with some meeting for the first time.
The Clinton County Cluster (Covenant UMC in Lock Haven, Clintondale, Mackeyville, Flemington, Lamar and Mill Hall UMCs) had a gathering in Triangle Park in Lock Haven with a small program to follow.
Howard UMC had an outdoor worship, picnic, and then the prayer walk.
West Branch Charge participated by reading Brenda’s letter in an attitude of prayer during the services and then members were encouraged to set aside time at either 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. to pray collectively as a church family.
Moshannon Church held their prayer walk on September 29.
New Hope UMC in Bellefonte was excited by the open discussion they had afterwards.
Folks at Pleasant Gap UMC walked from the church to the elementary school and then through part of the development, praying for the school, for those who are struggling, for those traveling on the road, and for the preschool.
The State College Mission Field prayed.
Bald Eagle Valley Community UMC members walked around the elementary, middle and high schools, while Milesburg UMC members walked their immediate neighborhood. Both groups determined they need to do this with consistency, striving to pray every time they drive through or by their mission field and see where God leads them.
St. James UMC in Coburn had their prayer walk following a community picnic at Coburn Park. It was a moving experience for all.
Trinity UMC in Woodward sent one group in one direction, the second in the other, the pastor prayed on the grounds of the church. They took handouts with them and prayed with and for people along the way, connecting with a few folks in need for health or other reasons. They all had ice cream and coffee afterward and chatted about the walk.
Granville UMC had outdoor worship that day and then a picnic lunch. The prayer walk followed. One observed that neighbors don’t know their neighbors anymore. It used to be a village where everyone knew everyone. It was a reminder to be neighborly and inspired a discussion about some new outreach ideas.
Laurel Run UMC members had a brief discussion about prayer, their shoes were anointed and in pairs they walked the church property, praying for specific issues as the Lord brought them to mind. The church was anointed with oil, inside and out, each pew, the altar, pulpit, piano, doors, the handicap ramp. They prayed for each member of the congregation. Afterward they shared insights and concerns about broken families, single parents, children, church facilities, church growth, and the health of members.Members from First UMC Lewistown walked a three-block radius of the church.
Grays UMC in Port Matilda began at the church and prayed inside and all around the outside of the building, then went to Gray’s Woods Elementary school and prayed at the school and in the adjacent development.
Woodycrest UMC in State College began at the church and prayed inside and all around the outside of the building, then we prayer-walked through the community and at the Woodycrest park. Those who couldn’t walk at the church took the prayer walk resource and walked in their own homes and neighborhoods.
Members of Port Matilda UMC and Hannah UMC in Port Matilda prayed, walked, touched door knobs of the grocery store, touched the swing set, the fire house, the school, etc, and prayed for building projects, and more. They will never look at the neighborhood in the same way again.
Ohio and Grace UMCs in Philipsburg both participated. Ohio had prayer in the community and in the church building for those who were unable to walk. Grace had a time of prayer for the community inside the church building.
Members from Woolrich Community participated at the Clinton County Prayer Walk at Triangle Park on September 8th.
Three teams from Trinity UMC, Bellefonte, walked in downtown Bellefonte and surrounding neighborhoods and prayed that the people in the houses and apartments would be blessed and know God. They distributed door hangers that invited all to a Neighborhood Block Party the following week. Some of the folks who got the invitations came to the block party and they got to know them better.
Members of Calvary and Rock UMCs in West Decatur walked around the two churches while praying for the community: their salvation, purification, and unity in Christ. They handed out invitation cards that briefly introduced the churches and what they were doing as the community of faith.
People at Trinity UMC in Lewistown, Walnut St UMC in Burnham, Aldersgate UMC in Mifflintown, Rebersburg UMC, Madisonburg UMC, Mountaintop UM Charge (Clarence, Pine Glen, and Snow Shoe UMCs) also participated.
