CONCERT OF PRAYER 2011: PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR OPENING (20 Minutes) Welcome and Prayer Opening Worship Offering (Optional) Explanation of the Concert of Prayer PRESENTER: This service will be a bit out of the ordinary, as we celebrate a concert of prayer. Concerts of prayer can involve a variety of elements, including Scripture readings, songs, testimonies, poetry, and, of course, prayer. As an interactive worship service, we will all have opportunity to share in unison Scripture readings, songs, and prayers. Various people, pastors and laypeople alike, can lead segments of the concert. This concert of prayer focuses on the New Year, as we prepare for the challenges, changes, responsibilities, and joys it will bring. We do well to begin our year in prayer: seeking God s blessing, provision, direction, and even redirection as we seek to follow His plans for us individually and as a congregation. SETTING THE STAGE (15 Minutes) PRESENTER: The celebration of the New Year is often a time to look back, remembering the events that filled the previous twelve months. For some of us, those months have brought struggles, challenges, and uncertainty. We may have lost jobs, or said good-bye to loved ones as they went to be with the Lord. Yet through God s help we ve endured, and are now perhaps able to look back and see His hand at work throughout our circumstances. For others, the previous months have been dominated by the joys of life: a marriage, a new child or grandchild, an exciting new job or ministry. For us, we do well to look back and offer thanks to God for His many incredible blessings. And so, through it all, there is one common thread that runs through our lives, be they highs or lows: We respond to our experience by conversing with God. For that reason, there is no better way to begin the next twelve months than by seeking God in prayer. None of us knows what the 365 days of 2011 will bring. But God knows. And He will be there every step of the way. Let us seek Him together (today/tonight), surrendering every moment to be governed by His wisdom and love. And so, as we begin, let s take a few moments to reflect on how God has shown himself faithful during the challenging moments of 2010.
PRESENTER: In reflection of our gratitude for what God has done over the past year, we have invited [and ] to share a testimony of how God s faithfulness and love has been manifested in their lives over the past 12 months. (Have one or two from the congregation share a testimony of how God has blessed or ministered to them in the past year. This is a good opportunity for a testimony of healing, provision, or restoration.) PRESENTER: I trust that the words of our fellow believers will remind us that God truly is faithful. While we sometimes struggle to see it in the beginning, we can affirm the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 136:1 [ppt] UNISON CONGREGATIONAL READING: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever (Psalm 136:1, NIV). PRESENTER: Let s pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for showing yourself so faithful to us through the past year. Thank You for healing when we ve faced illness in our bodies or brokenness in our relationships. Thank You for help and guidance when we struggled to know where to turn or which direction to choose. Thank You for walking so close to us, and healing our hearts, when we ve lost loved ones. We give You praise for provision in hard times, as well as help in maintaining our eternal perspective when the good things in life threaten to draw our attention away from You and your kingdom. We glorify your name for all these things amen. [ppt] WORSHIP LEADER: Congregational Worship [congregation stand]: Suggested Choruses: His Love Endures Forever; Your Grace Is Enough; Great Is Thy Faithfulness And now, let s approach the new year with hearts committed toward prayer, looking forward to God s power and direction filling the months to come, and affirming every day the instructions given to us in Proverbs 3:5,6: [ppt] UNISON CONGREGATIONAL READING: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5,6, NIV). PRESENTER: While we are incapable of knowing what the new year will bring, we approach it with the assurance that we never go wrong when we place our trust in the Lord. It is with this attitude of trust, bathed in a commitment of submission to His will and goodness, that we look to God in prayer for our church, for the lost, both in our community and around the world, and for our own lives. (NOTE: For individual prayer times under each of the three following prayer headings, you might choose to proceed a number of different ways. There could be time given for individual prayer, followed by a pulpit-led prayer. You might also have the congregation pray in small groups before the prayer from the pulpit. Or, you could choose to have the prayer come from the pulpit alone. One possibility would be to use a variety of approaches. Small groups would work well in praying for our personal Christian walk and growth, as people could pray for one another. Pulpit prayer is well suited for seeking God on behalf of the health and ministry of the church in 2011. Note that to facilitate this variety, a list of prayer points is provided on the PowerPoint presentation for each of the subheadings.)
[ppt] PRAYER FOR OUR CHURCH (20 Minutes) PRESENTER: Our unity as a body, as well as our effectiveness in ministry, throughout 2011 is directly dependent upon our willingness to consistently seek God in prayer. Ephesians 4:11-13 reminds us of our mission and vision as we fulfill our roles in the body of Christ: [ppt] UNISON CONGREGATIONAL READING: It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13). And so, let us pray together regarding our church, our leaders, and our mission in 2011: Heavenly Father, we do need your help as a body of believers serving You and living for You in this community. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to anoint our ministry and services. We call out to You for help, for provision, and for direction. Draw us together as a body of believers, with a sense of common purpose to do the work and follow the plans You have for us, through the guidance of our leaders and the labor of our hands and hearts. [ppt] Prayer for Our Church and Congregation Anointing, wisdom, and protection for our pastors and leaders: Lord, anoint our leaders in this coming year. Guide them as they guide this church. Protect them, and their families as well, from dangers, both spiritual and physical. Anointing for ministry and discipleship within the church: Lord, we rely on You to guide and empower each ministry of this church throughout 2011. Provide committed volunteers to enable ministry to take place, and even expand its reach. Give us wisdom and provision to pursue ministry we may not even yet imagine, as well. We pray for our children, that through our ministry they will form strong, lasting relationships with Christ. We pray for our youth, that they will grow stronger in faith and equipped to stand for Christ in the face of a world that s often hostile toward Christianity. We pray for our adult ministries, that we will grow in faith even as we put our gifts into action. And we pray for our seniors, that we will minister to them in times of need, loneliness, and loss, even as we look to their experience and maturity for godly counsel in our own spiritual journeys. Anoint them for ministry, Lord. Strength and power in the midst of needs facing our congregation: We pray as well for each family and individual within this congregation. You know the challenges we will face in 2011. May your power be especially at work within those who will experience difficult spiritual battles. Be healer and sustainer during physical illness. Comfort and soothe our hearts in times of loss. Help us to rely on You in times of economic crisis. Mend relationships that become strained or even broken, that our families will remain strong. Resolve to stand strong for Christ: We ask for your anointing as we stand strong for your kingdom in our community. May we resist any urge to conform or compromise, choosing instead to serve as a beacon of truth in a sin-darkened world.
[ppt] PRAYER FOR THE LOST (20 Minutes) PRESENTER: We are surrounded by spiritual needs, throughout our community and around the world. Reaching this world, and this community, is a fundamental part of our call as a body of believers. The familiar words of Matthew 28:19,20 remind us of our calling, as Jesus said: [ppt] UNISON CONGREGATIONAL READING: Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:19,20). PRESENTER: At this time, we ve asked to come and share how God has used ministry within this body to reach the lost in a remarkable way during 2011. (Have a leader or layperson or several share a testimony of how God used that ministry to reach a segment of the community for Christ. Note that this does not need to be an outreach ministry per se. A Sunday School teacher or youth leader could share how their ministry impacted the life of an individual or individuals.) PRESENTER: It is exciting to hear of how God has changed lives in fulfillment to our call toward outreach. Yet our efforts toward that outreach will fall tragically short if they are not bathed in prayer. Let s spend some time seeking God on behalf of the lost, as well as our labors to fulfill the Great Commission. Let s pray Heavenly Father, we are surrounded by people facing profound spiritual needs, within our families, our community and around the world. Yet we are helpless to minister to those facing such needs without the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit at work within us. So move in our hearts, both personally and corporately, to commit to proclaiming your salvation in word and deed. [ppt] Prayer for the Lost Prayer for lost loved ones: Lord, our hearts are heavy with concern for loved ones who are not in right relationship with You. Soften their hearts and speak into their lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. May their eyes be opened to both their spiritual need and the incredible blessing of knowing You. And, Lord, we commit ourselves to minister to loved Ones, doing so according to your leading. Help us know what to say and do, as well as what not to say and do, as we demonstrate your love and truth in tangible ways. Prayer for the lost in the community: Lord, we pray for the needy in our community those facing tangible as well as spiritual needs. Minister through us to share your love with the hurting, and allow us opportunities through these acts of compassion to help guide people toward spiritual transformation. We recognize the incredible spiritual battles going on throughout our neighborhoods. Minister to families caught up in the dysfunction of abuse and addiction, lost under the oppressive weight of sin. Speak hope into their hearts, that they may find You in the midst of struggles. And, Lord, we pray for the lost who are focused on self and success, preoccupied with this life. Minister your grace to them, and guide us into opportunities to share the eternal hope found through salvation to all who need You.
Prayer for missions around the world: Lord, we recognize the immense need for spreading the gospel around the globe, and pray now for missionaries across America and throughout the earth. Provide for their needs and their budgets. Protect them from harm. Comfort them in times of loneliness and separation from family. Open up opportunities for ministry that currently remain closed. We also pray especially for believers who are persecuted for their faith around the world. Minister to them, both through fellow believers as well as the supernatural power and strength that comes from the Spirit. [NOTE: Consider listing specific missionaries supported by your church, and pray for them individually during this time. A slide is provided on the PowerPoint presentation for this purpose (slide #15).] [ppt] PRAYER FOR YOUR WALK WITH GOD (5-7 Minutes Plus Altar Time) PRESENTER: The coming year will bring unknown, and perhaps unexpected, spiritual challenges and victories into our lives. God may call us to follow a new path, or to surrender something known and comfortable in favor of taking a step of faith. As a result, we must bathe our new year in prayer, asking God to help us mature and progress in our spiritual walk no matter what the new year holds. So let us commit to the instruction of Peter in 2 Peter 3:18: [ppt] UNISON CONGREGATIONAL READING: Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! And so, let us pray together regarding our own walk with God in 2011: Heavenly Father, in the past year we experienced countless moments when we needed help, wisdom, direction, deliverance, power, and perspective from You. And now, as we enter another new year, we recognize that this aid is essential once again. Help us recognize that we are not equipped to handle life on our own. We affirm with the prophet Jeremiah, in chapter 10, verse 23, that a man s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps. And so we humble ourselves before You today, asking that You do indeed place your hand on our lives as guide, provider, and helper throughout the coming year. NOTE: The prayer time for Our Own Walk with God forms a fitting, altar-oriented conclusion to the New Year Concert of Prayer. Options would include cycling the prayer emphases from the PowerPoint on the screen while people pray individually at the altar; a similar format could be used in inviting families to join together in prayer in this way. Another option would be to have individuals pray for one another during altar time. You might also elect to have various church leaders pray from the pulpit spontaneously, with focus on the various emphases noted on the PowerPoint.
[ppt] Prayer for Your Walk with God Prayer that we will develop a stronger commitment to worship, intercession, and intimacy with God Prayer that we will discern and follow God s plan for us Prayer that God will lead us into new, unexpected areas of ministry Prayer for strength to resist temptation and doubt Prayer for courage to stand for Christ when facing opposition Prayer for health, protection, and provision Prayer to grow in the image of Christ [ppt] WORSHIP LEADER: Altar Choruses: Suggested Choruses: Mighty To Save; Breathe; Above All; You re Worthy of My Praise