Churches band together for prayer initiative
A prayer initiative has taken on a distinctly local flavor this fall as Butler churches have banded together to produce a booklet of prayers specifically for the city.
The “Seeking God for Butler 2015” prayers began last week and run through the end of the year.
Created by Church Without Walls, a group of churches and faith-based organizations, the booklet contains prayers contributed by area pastors and community leaders, said Lisa Gill, director of serving for First Methodist Church, 200 E. North St.
“There are two or three prayers per week written specifically for Butler by people who live in Butler,” said Gill. “There are prayers beginning the week of Sept. 20 and running through Dec. 31.
“There are different prayers. We just wanted something from people that was on their heart to pray for,” said Gill.
“Church Without Walls has been meeting for a year,” said Valerie Checkeye, director of North Main Street Church of God, 1201 N. Main St. Ext.
“We can do more together than separately,” said Checkeye.
The prayer initiative was a result of last year’s “God for the City” prayer effort, said Gill. Members of 10 participating churches used prayers in booklets supplied by WayMakers ministry. This year, Church Without Walls decided to create its own prayer booklet.
“The group, they were very welcoming to me when I came here,” said the Rev. Tara Lynn, pastor of Grace@Calvary Lutheran Church, 123 E. Diamond St., who has a prayer in the booklet.
“They approached me and asked me if I would contribute a prayer,” said Lynn. “They had asked for prayers for the city.”
“This is our first big initiative,” said Checkeye. “We’re not 100 percent sure where God is leading us to, but we are certain God would want us to start with prayer.”
Checkeye said the group started compiling prayers in July and in the end had submissions from nine churches, 10 church groups and 10 organizations and prayers from the police chief, mayor and director of human services.
A thousand booklets were printed and many have been distributed.
Checkeye said copies of the booklet are still available at First United Methodist Church, North Main Street Church of God, Light of Life Mission at North Street Christian Church, 226 W. North St., and Cummings Coffee Shop, 146 N. Main St.
Individuals use the prayers in the booklet to pray each week for the city, Checkeye said.
She added while most will pray individually, Light of Life Mission will use each week’s prayers as daily devotion.
“We hope it serves as an inspiration,” Checkeye said.
“We hope that people will pray and grow in a relationship with God.”
“It can provide help. If someone is in a hard place, knowing people are praying for them and over their city, it would encourage them,” she said.
“I think as we compiled the book, it was just so encouraging. There is addiction and crime, yes, but there are a lot of great things happening in Butler,” said Checkeye.
