March, 2007 Calendar In This Issue: For David Staff - In Memoriam The Intercessory Prayer List Winter Camp Update Pentecost Fire: A Birthday Celebration Thank You from the Sudan Feasting and Fasting: the Lenten Observance Say your prayers…

by Gretchen Haight

Perhaps some parishioners are not aware that there is a book and a pen on a stand in the chapel where you can write your name or the name of someone else and your request for prayer for that person. Example: Prayers for Robert as he undergoes surgery this week. Or, prayers for my own strength as I face a difficult decision (G. Haight). You don't have to identify yourself, although I find it helpful when people do, because I can picture them in my mind as I hold them up to God's light as I pray for them. Each week people attending both services write their prayer requests in this book. Anyone attending services is invited to do so.

On Monday morning, Carrie Price, our Office Manager types up the list of prayer requests, and e-mails the list to about 20 parishioners who have made a commitment to pray for the people on this list. People pray as they will: some people make a personal commitment to pray for the people on the list every morning or every evening, some pray once or twice a week. I have no idea how long each individual takes in prayer. I do know a favorite story of Hartshorn's about Priscilla Bartlett, who passed away last year at 90 some years of age. She once told Hartshorn that when she was too weak to pray, she simply lay the list on her chest, and said, "Father, you know their needs. I pray for them."

A number of parishioners relatively housebound have found gratification in being able to pray for others, and, in turn, feeling more connected with our parish community. Others, too-people busy in their careers, working long hours; young mothers, wanting to be mainly at home-have felt connected with our parish community and happy to be able to contribute in this most basic religious way by praying for people on the intercessory prayer list.

You need not attend any meetings or do any preparatory work - just commit to praying each week for those on the list. You can be part of this prayer ministry by e-mailing or telephoning Carrie in the church office and asking to be added to the list of people who receive the intercessory prayer list. Those of us in the healing prayer group, who pray with individuals at the chapel rail during the 10:30 a.m. service, are eager to have prayer become more and more ordinary in our parish, less mysterious than we sometimes think it to be.

Prayer can seem mysterious because we really don't understand it. We don't know why some prayers are answered and others not. But we can't reject prayer; it's what connects us with God. And in intercessory prayer we're connected with our neighbor as well. (Intercessory prayer is considered to be one of the five varieties of prayer, the others being Adoration, Thanksgiving, Confession, and Petition.) Margaret Guenther, in her book The Prac

tice of Prayer, writes of intercessory prayer: When we pray our intercessions, we are not bargaining with God, nor are we engaged in magical thinking. It is important to remember that we cannot pray people well, even though we all know situations where the effects of intercession have been palpable. At the same time, we all know situations where the most fervent prayers seemed to go unheard or were answered in a way that we cannot understand. It is cheap comfort to pretend that any amount of prayer can magically make everything all right, bring swift comfort to the grieving, and ease the pain of the suffering. It is excruciating to watch at the foot of the cross, yet if we live long enough and let ourselves experience life fully, we will find ourselves at some point in that desolate place. If nothing else, intercession holds the sufferer in the embrace of the community. The suffering is not lessened but it is more bearable when one does not watch alone.

Many of us at St. Augustine's have been carried through difficult times by knowing that a group of caring people were praying for us. I am one of them. When my son was in a rehab center trying to recover from drug addiction, it helped me to feel stronger knowing that a group of prayers were there praying for both Peter and me and for our son. We have been blessed: our son has been clean and sober for 11 years. But even if our prayers hadn't been answered, I would have still felt the strength of the community around us - it was great strength, indeed.

All of this is to say that I hope more and more people will avail themselves of the community of prayer by placing concerns on the intercessory prayer list, and that more and more parishioners will get in touch with Carrie to receive the intercessory prayer list so that we can all become more habitual in praying for each other. Jesus taught us that we all need healing, and he also taught us that through our baptism we all have the responsibility/authority to help heal each other. Let's do it.

If you have any questions about the Intercessory Prayer list, please feel free to call me at (310) 476-9931.

Editor's Note: Those who receive the Prayer List are asked to commit to not contact those who are being prayed for or those who requested the prayer; as it is inappropriate and intrusive. Our ministry is prayer and that alone.

Copyright © 2007 St. Augustine by-the-Sea