St James' Church

This is just a little reminder - as we count down to the start of our second 24-7 Prayer Week, we’d like to encourage you, your family and your cell groups to pray together as families or in small groups of no more than 6.

With only a week to go, we’re getting very excited to see how God is going to reveal Himself to us in new, personal ways as well as to a church as a whole. Especially since we are a church in the process of being rebuilt, let’s come together and pray like never before that the body grows in synch with the building and that our spiritual lives will be renewed, refreshed and recharged!

Remember, the focus of the coming 24-7 Prayer Week is on Families (whether it’s your biological family, spiritual family, cell group members, church friends, mentors, disciples, etc.) praying together, communing with God together, crying out to God together. It will be exciting to witness how God will speak to us about rebuilding our spiritual lives TOGETHER, united, with the rebuilding of our church building.

Here are a few things for your consideration:

1. 24-7 Prayer week starts the day after A Family A’fair on Sunday 2/4/2007 at 6pm, during the September School Holidays. Prayer week will continue non-stop, with people taking turns to prayer for an hour successively, until Sunday, 8/4/2007 at 6pm.

2. All are encouraged (but not obliged) to sign up in family groups for a one-hour slot, or more, anytime during Prayer Week. This is an excellent opportunity for fathers to lead by example in gathering the family together before God.

“He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.” Malachi 4:6

“And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous - to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:16-18

This is a time for God to reveal His heart for your family and for you to also gain an insight into your own family’s fears, dreams, desires, etc. It could be a time for reconciliation, forgiveness or just simple communal worship and thanksgiving. A chance to bless each other and to bless God.

3. This prayer movement will only require ONE hour of your time and is designed specifically for those who are not prayer experts, so do come and be blessed as you learn to bless the Lord as a family! The room will be laid out in a child-friendly manner, with prayer guides so you can plan your hour in the room, even of you have little ones, or older children! So please do bring them into the room with you for an enriching time of prayer.

4. Fasting is another thing we’d like to encourage you to consider, please do give this serious thought and prayer as a family (with older children). Perhaps you’d like to also fast on the day you’ve set aside to pray together during 24-7? For e.g. Fasting breakfast and lunch, then break the fast by having dinner together as a family?

5. From Monday 4 sept till Sat 8 Sept, we’ll have a nightly worship session in the basement chapel from 7-8pm, followed by a communal meal for those who wish to break fast or simply fellowship. You’re more than welcome to partake and add to the atmosphere of worship and to makan after that!

6. There will also be a mini service (with prayer and worship) to kick off the start of 24-7 Prayer Week on Sunday 2 sept, from 5.30 - 6pm. We want to send off the first family into the prayer room with songs of praise and hymns of joy unto our Lord! Prayer Week will also close with a mini service that all are invited to on Sunday 9 sept, 6 – 6.30pm.

7. Check back here online for more info on 24-7 Prayer Week & Fasting, and if you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to email Denise.

Thank you so much for your support.

To God be the Glory!