By Deacon Mary Delancey
This year Grace Church will participate in a worldwide ecumenical prayer movement, “Thy Kingdom Come,” that happens each year between Ascension Day and Pentecost Sunday.
Look for posts on our People of Grace Facebook page for daily resources to guide us through this time of prayerful expectation. If you would prefer to receive daily emails of the resources, please let Deacon Mary know.
Acts 1:14 tells us that, after Jesus ascended to heaven, the apostles gathered in the upper room, where the Last Supper had been. They were “constantly devoting themselves to prayer,” along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. A new community had been born in the death and resurrection of Jesus. They had been given one task: to be Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth.He promised them ‘… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses … to the ends of the earth.’ (Acts 1:8)
Like the early church, the days between Ascension and Pentecost can, for us too, be filled with expectation and anticipation. We can set these days apart to pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit so that we may witness to this world of turmoil, pain, and suffering. We can cry out to God for more people to come to know the life-transforming love of God, and the strength and comfort we find in a community of love and grace.
We invite you to choose five people who are not part of a supportive and loving Christian community. They may have actively walked away; they may have just gotten out of the habit of attending; or they may have moved to Ocala and not found a church family. Pray for them each day that they experience God's love in fellowship with other believers. Daily Facebook posts will explore ways to pray from across different denominations and traditions. As you intercede for your five people, we hope you will be refreshed by what you learn and inspired to encounter God in new ways.
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