Many people have risen to the challenges of this past year by celebrating the gift of Jesus through gathering together to pray. Grace and peace found expression in new and continuing prayer initiatives to extol the Lord as our surest Source of hope and help.
Every Thursday since April 9, 2020, a program of conversational prayer called Bold2Pray has been airing on KPOG (Power of God) Radio from Grimes, Iowa. During the hours of 11 am-3 pm and 7 pm-11 pm, station manager Bob Carr and his wife Shirley Carr seem never to tire of helping the voices of Scripture, prayer and testimony be heard. They assist with the technology, the songs every hour, receiving prayers from listeners and leading out with prayers every week.
Sixteen wonderful facilitators come on throughout the day and evening, as well as three moderators/hosts to share and pray. Listeners are welcome to tune in to 102.9 FM, KPOG.org or KPOG fb live. You are also welcome to text prayers or praises to 515.442.5764 or email bold2pray@gmail.com.
“Prayer and praise is an incredible privilege,” says Pastor Barry St. Clair, prayer coordinator for the Dakota Conference who serves regularly as a moderator and host during afternoon sessions. His cousin from Michigan, Desi Dunomes, recently helped us pray through the principles of health in Creation Life in an eight-week series.
The Iowa-Missouri members who are participating in the “Rise Up” initiative, which started last September with special prayers each month for the various departments of our conference, are finding grace to help in every time of need. Truly, conference departmental leaders are noticing that “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength” (Isa. 40:29). The words of the hymn in our Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, “Rise Up, O Church of God,” #615, continue to inspire and instruct us.
In 2021, the praise team of the NC4Y Pathfinder club, which is becoming a church plant in Kansas City, were inspired to do “prayer driving.” The Pathfinders write on 3×5 cards “This house has been prayed for.” The leaders then drive Pathfinders around town to place the cards in doors of people they know. The participants have been so happy hearing about answers to prayer in the lives of those for whom they have conscientiously prayed.
In November of 2020, Iowa-Missouri members joined the other five local conferences in Mid-America Union and participated in the virtual MAUC Prayer Summit. In January 2021, we again joined together in the virtual MAUC 10 Days of Prayer.
Blessings to all who have participated with us. Please continue to pray for every home, church and school!
Gail Coridan is Prayer Ministries coordinator for the Iowa-Missouri Conference.
