A Call to Prayer

Post date: Aug 21, 2021 2:7:39 PM

Dear Middletown Reformed Church Family and Friends,

Blessings of Pentecost joy be with you!

Well, beloved one of God, this has certainly been an unsettling week for our world. We have witnessed natural disasters affecting Haiti leaving the people of an already impoverished country desperately suffering; the rapid takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, putting American and Afghan lives at terrible risk; the continuing rise of the Delta variant of COVID-19, with sharp divisions in our country and local community around vaccinations and masking; not to mention California wildfires, drought and hurricanes. It’s enough to leave one breathless. 

As I’ve been listening to the news reports in the evening, I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit that only got stronger and stronger until it turned into a push. I then turned to Scripture, remembering what James wrote in chapter 5, Are any among you suffering? They should pray . . . Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick . . . Therefore . . . pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.  

After reading that Scripture, the push from the Holy Spirit revealed this to me — As people who follow Jesus, we need to come together this Sunday and pray — I mean, really pray — for our world and then seek God’s face as to how we can be Christ’s hands and feet and a light of hope in our community. Because when we pray, it is powerful and effective, not because we believe in the power of prayer, but we believe in the One to whom we pray to heal and make all things new.

So, family of God, let us come to worship and pray at 10:30 AM this Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost in person or via YouTube — MRC: A Fabulous Church of Love. Our featured musician is Nancy Coffin, and she will be singing “Wade in the Water” for our Anthem. We will continue our August Sermon Series from the Letter of James called “Bible Doing.” I will be preaching from James 5.13-20 and my sermon title is The Prayers of the People. 

Please note that since the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 is rising in our state, and Monmouth County is a high transmission zone for the variant, we strongly urge/request that everyone wear a mask for worship and indoor church events. Thank you for your cooperation in loving yourself, your neighbor, and keeping everyone safe and healthy.

In gratitude for the privilege of being your pastor and the holy call of loving you,

Pastor Trish