24-7 Prayer Description

24/7 means constant; all the time, every moment. As humans we don't have the energy or focus to do anything 24/7 by our own strength. But God does. He is committed to you 24/7. He never stops loving you or caring for you; He is never for one second unaware of your needs. We honor His commitment to us, and eagerly engage in the chance to know Him more, by committing ourselves to 24/7 prayer.

In September 1999 a church in Chichester, England, began a full month of non-stop prayer. It turned out to go on for many months, has since spread to every continent and continues to grow as God pours out his Spirit. The idea is nothing new and reaches back to early Christians in Germany, Ireland and other places. Any place can become a 'thin place' to meet with God. People set up prayer rooms on beaches, in the woods, in warehouses, churches, apartments, venues. The setting is not what is the focus, the focus is being with God. To find out more please visit www.24-7prayer.com.

Some of our current rhythms of prayer include Monday night meetings from 6pm-9pm. We are currently reading through the book Punk Monk and praying together. Also on the last Saturday of each month we will be gathering for a monthly community night of food, testimonies, worship and prayer. The potluck will be at 4:30pm and the evening will come to a wrap sometime around 8 or 9pm. Please come and join us if you can!

Below are details from past 24/7 prayer events we have done. Each one is different with different themes.

Go here to see some pictures of past 24/7 Prayer Events.

As you enter into the prayer room, we encourage you to begin with a heart of simply seeking God’s presence. Try to begin by putting away any agenda’s or stresses you might have came here with. Participating in acts of giving God praise, confession, and thanksgiving can assist us in connecting with God and actually being in His presence. Once we are connected with God it helps us have his heart as we pray for ourselves, our love ones and the world around us. Do not feel you must use the stations to do this, but only if they will assist you.

Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah, The Jewish New year literally means "The head of the year" or "First of the year". The ceremony takes place in the first or second day of the Tishri, it began the evening of Friday 9/22 and continues until evening of 9/24. Many Americans use the New Year as a time for a better life, making "Resolutions'. Likewise, the Jewish new year is also time to begin introspection, Looking back at the mistakes and planning to be made in future. The Bible refers to the holiday as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar). The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25. September also marks the beginning of the “Source year”… let us partake in the traditions of our spiritual ancestors to meditate on our own new year, making resolutions and plans for the future...

The Pursuit of God: AW Tozer
- It reflects a heart of being fed up with mediocrity in life and religion and desiring to passionately pursue and experience God himself. “ To have found God, and still pursue him, is the soul’s paradox of love.” “How tragic in this dark day that we had our seeking done for us by our teachers.” “Everything is made to center upon the initial act of “accepting” Christ… we are not expected thereafter to crave any further revelation of God to our souls.” “The world is perishing for lack of knowledge of God.. The Church is famishing for want of His presence.” The stations are here to encourage thematic prayer as well as corporately journal the week to allow participants to build on the prayers of others that have come before them.

The Stations are here to encourage prayer as well as have a corporate journal of the week to allow participants to build on the prayers of others that have come before them.

Journaling.

We encourage you to journal while you are here. To help gather your thoughts reflect what God has done and what he is doing. We also encourage you to participate in journaling on the community journals:
- prayer log on the table when you first arrive.
- Black chalkboards in the second room
- Whatever paper and art supplies you wish to use!

Stations

Prayer requests: There is a table at the entrance for you to leave specific requests, or for you to read others’ requests and pray for them.

Lay yourself down: Christ’s yoke is good and his burden is light... Thank you God that we can exchange our baggage for your good yoke! Carry the backpack up to the cross, where you will find chalk. Take the rocks/bricks out of the bag and write your cares and burdens on them. Then place them at the foot of the cross, and take the empty backpack back to where you began.

Trust in the Lord: What is on your heart? Write it on a small heart (symbolizing our human hearts) and give it to God by placing it in the big heart (symbolizing God’s heart)

A good and sweet life: During Rosh Hashanah, people eat sweet things like bread dipped in honey and apples to symbolize their wish for a sweet new year. A common greeting during the holiday is “may you have a sweet and good new year.” The saying is inscribed in Hebrew above the station; let this be your prayer to God for yourself and others as you eat at this station.

The Book of Life: A traditional greeting at Rosh Hashanah (the feast of trumpets) is “May your name be inscribed in the book of life.” Although this is a Jewish tradition with roots in the OT, there are many references in the book of life in the new covenant scriptures as well, and many believe that Christ’s return will occur at the feast of trumpets. Take some time to read the account of the judgment in Revelation 20:11-15. Be sobered, awed, humbled, and give thanks for your name to be included in the Book of Life.

Tashlikh: Means “casting off.” Traditionally, the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah is spent at a body of water observing the ancient service of Tashlikh. The word derives from Micah 7:19 where the prophet promises, “You will hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” To illustrate this beautiful truth, we cast pebbles into the water and rejoice in God’s promise of forgiveness.

Prayer Dumpster: Some people dig through trash for food as a choice, some people don’t have the luxury of that choice... Located in the silver trash can are statistics and prayers for homeless young people here in Minneapolis. Root through the trash to find a prayer, or use the “clean trash” in the paper bag to write prayers of your own.

Neighborhood prayer map: Help us to cover our neighborhood in prayer. Pray for a street, an intersection, a business. Use the masking tape to add homes, businesses, and other places on the map that we can cover in prayer.