CHURCH
& COMMUNITY MINISTRIES PRAYER REQUESTS
† Pray for the Ministry on the Mall. This is the time of year that we begin enlisting churches and groups to serve on the Mall. Already three churches have spoken for three of the six weekends and part of another weekend. DC Baptists will want to fill up still other weekends. Thank God for the response we have received in this regard already. A second concern about Ministry on the Mall is getting a permit for the space for the ministry. This also is a process that occurs this month, through the National Park Service. Finally, we are seeking to produce again the tract, "Finding Your Way in DC" which we distribute through the Mall Ministry. Pray for these activities as they move forward this month.
† Give thanks for the work of the Older Adult Team. This is the group working with the guidance of Rev. Gloria Grant who serves as the Coordinator for Older Adults. The team is working on receiving a grant from a local foundation to sponsor "Grandparents’ Day," to be hosted by one of the churches in the DCBC. Give thanks for the work of this team.
† Recently, DC Baptists were able to host the National Task Force for Refugees of National Ministries, American Baptist Churches, USA. Seven people from the Task Force attended the meeting. Give thanks for the work of this task force which seeks to alleviate the suffering of refugees and of those who relocate to the United States. Among the members of the task force are three DCBC pastors, Rollin Bik, Saw Ler Htoo and Duh Kam. DC Baptists can praise God for the opportunity to offer Christian hospitality to such groups as this through the offices on 16th Street, NW, but we can also praise God for the opportunity to assist others through receiving immigrants or "strangers to the land." DC Baptists are planning to lay the foundation for an Immigration Work Group in our convention on Thursday, April 3.
† One of the churches that is working greatly to help express ministry in the Washington, D.C. area is Metropolitan Outreach Ministries. During the last month, we learned about many things that they are doing to express the love of Christ to the community in southeast Washington. The church is working to help distribute food, clothing and gifts during the Holiday Season (both Thanksgiving and Christmas), receiving much of their support from churches within the DCBC. Further, the church is assisting people in need through referral services to city agencies to help those in danger of losing access to their residence. Metropolitan Outreach, located in the Anna B. Johenning Community Center, is working in too many ways to enumerate here to help the people of southeast Washington. Give thanks for the work of this congregation, and support them through your prayers and gifts.
† A good piece of Good News is that Rev. Fred Herring who is the Coordinator for Disaster Relief and Baptist Men is continuing to strengthen after the loss of part of his leg through surgery last year. Pray for Fred’s recovery. He is now working to strengthen the council of men who will develop the Men’s Ministry. Fred is also again in contact with the people of St. Roch, discovering needs to help in the continued restorations after the Katrina Hurricane in greater New Orleans. Pray for Fred as he works and as he recovers. Pray also for the people both of St. Roch (a specific community within New Orleans) and all of New Orleans.
† Members from four Southeast churches participated in the Johenning Convocation which sought to bring local churches together to form a way to give guidance to the Center’s work in the future. Give thanks for the participation which grew out of Forest Heights, Metropolitan Outreach, Paramount and Pennsylvania Avenue. Additionally, So Others Might Eat (SOME) also had two representatives at the meeting. Give thanks for this group as it begins to plan out the calendar for 2009 at Johenning Baptist Community Center.
† Pray for Robert Cochran as he begins to develop a course for lay people and associate ministers on "Ministry." The DC Baptist Convention is giving Robert a sabbatical which will begin in June. While he intends to work of several things during the Summer sabbatical, one of these will be this course, similar to the course now taught on Church Starting through the CHED Center. The aim of the course will be to help individuals and churches to engage in Christian ministry within their local communities.
† Two of the desires for the Johenning Baptist Community Center focused on education. The President of the DCBC this year, Helen Mays Jackson, along with an associate of Metropolitan Outreach desires to see a GED ministry restarted at Johenning Baptist Community Center. This effort will need volunteer tutors to teach and to encourage participants who are seeking their GED. Further, the ministry will need some support of grant monies from Foundations to purchase materials and to provide a coordinator for the GED ministry. Pray for the plans and efforts to make the GED ministry a reality. Further, pray for the desire of SOME (So Others Might Eat) to partner with the DCBC in the use of the Johenning facility on Saturdays as a place to strengthen families. SOME has purchased and manages two apartment residences in the area of Southeast Washington. They hope to work with the Center to have a place where residents from these apartments can gather as families during the weekends to strengthen their relationships and to encourage reading. Pray for these efforts and plans.
† DC Baptist Convention hopes to hold two events in April in partnership with local churches, First Baptist Church of Upper Marlboro and Upper Room Baptist Church. In Upper Marlboro we hope to have a conference which assists families to plan better their finances, through Crown Financial Ministries on April 5. On April 12, we intend to have a conference on the family featuring J. Deotis Roberts and focusing on the family in the city, especially in Anacostia. Pray for these efforts as they come together this month.
† Give thanks for the partnership which is developing this month between Ft. Foote Baptist Church and Metropolitan Outreach Ministries. These two churches are working to provide mentors to "at-risk" boys and young men in Ward 8. Give thanks for this efforts and pray for it as it begins, continues and has good results
EVANGELISM PRAYER REQUESTS
† Pray for the efforts of the CCCM Team as they come to fruition on April 5 at First Baptist Church of Upper Marlboro. These efforts will be those of the "Journey to Financial Freedom" conference which is hosted by Crown Financial Ministries. While the conference is an effort of CCCM, churches should discover the outreach potential of such conferences as they seek to help people to deal in realistic ways with their finances. Such an outreach can become effective as well in sharing God’s Good News.
† Give thanks for the new congregation meeting in a hotel on Dupont Circle and being led by Emmanuel Mutanganu. This congregation began with 65 persons in its first worship service and is seeking to reach out to immigrants and world citizens from the nation of Rwanda. Emmanuel has good relationships within the Embassy of Rwanda, and already many are coming from that group. Thank God for this good effort. Praise God also for this is an expression of partnership, one with Hopewell Baptist Church in Gainesville, GA.
† A second major effort in partnership will be an effort to help the urban families. The conference, a partnership with Upper Room Baptist Church is entitled, "Good News for Urban Families," featuring J. Deotis Roberts and Jerry Pipes, two specialists in family ministries. This effort is being designed to help the churches of the District and specifically of Anacostia to place an emphasis on the family through their ministries. Pray for those leading the conference, those attending the conference and for the families in urban Washington.
† A second church that is new is the church hosted by Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, Emmanuel Eritrean Baptist Church, in northern Virginia. This church which began in the Fall of 2007 is making good headway. They have witnessed their first two baptisms, and their attendance is holding at approximately 35 people. Give thanks for this good ministry both of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church and that of the pastor of the new congregation, Pastor Daniel. Continue to pray for the development of lay leaders within the new congregation and for Pastor Daniel’s family.
† Luther Rice Memorial Baptist Church held a Revival with two other sister churches during the last days of February through March 2. Give thanks for the vision and determination of Dr. Connie Stinson to hold this revival. Pastors Dr. Duh Kam and Dr. Ella Redfield also led their churches to sponsor the revival which featured Dr. Denton Lotz as the preacher. Each church took an evening and hosted the crowd with both a meal and the worship service itself. Give thanks for this cooperative effort between these three churches and for the revival that is ongoing at Luther Rice Memorial. Pray for these efforts to continue to build a base for the future.
† One of the celebrations of this past year has been the acquisition by Power House Baptist Church of their new facility. While they are not yet worshiping there, they have closed the deal and are in possession of the building. While we can celebrate these developments, tragedy has struck the pastor’s extended family. Pray for the Gatambia family, for Pastor Geoffrey’s younger brother is fatally ill in Boston.
† Praise God for the good participation in the Church Starting Class that is held on Monday evenings at the DC Baptist Convention. There are seven individuals taking the class at this time, two who have been named above, Pastor Emmanuel and Pastor Daniel. Another two students, Adamio and Dorothy have been listening to Pastor Emmanuel talk about the response and the challenges at the new congregation on Dupont Circle. Adamio assisted Pastor Emmanuel with advice on music for the worship service, and Dorothy pledged toward the new congregation a new, but unused sound system for their worship services. Praise God for the spirit of this class as well as for the things which they are learning. Ask God to bless this class immeasurably in response to the grace that is growing there.
† Pray for the CHED meeting which was cancelled during the month of February. God is working mightily through CHED this year in the sense of training others as well as in the sense of bringing new congregations to be, expressing the Good News of Jesus Christ to whole communities.
† One of the evidences of the Spirit of God moving among people is the sense of call, similar to that shown above. Praise God that this sense of call is emerging in varied people. One of the long-term pastors in the DC Baptist Convention has been surprised recently by his sense of call to help a new and struggling congregation. Pray for this pastor, at this time unnamed, as he works through this sense of call and as he responds to God.
† Pray for Victor Oke who desires to see a new congregation grow up around the second generation immigrants from Africa in Silver Spring. Victor continues to strengthen the Bible study which he plans to lead toward the church start. Further, Victor is happy that he has been employed as a long-term substitute within the Montgomery County school system. Pray for Victor as he seeks to balance these two purposes and as he sees how God interacts with these.
† Pray for Robert Cochran as he begins to develop a semester course on Christian Missions for the John Leland Center for Theological Studies. This has been a request of the school and will continue to strengthen the partnership with the school. The course will also give a basis for teaching basic Christian Missions to clergy and lay people in the churches of the DC Baptist Convention, especially as they have opportunities to strengthen their partnerships with Baptists overseas.
† Remember to pray for the Salem Gospel Ministries in Baltimore, a new congregation within the DC Baptist Convention. This church is reaching out to the African and African-American community in Baltimore through the leadership of Adrien Ngudiankama. Adrien is also strengthening ministries to French-speaking immigrants from Africa centered around the ministry of Montgomery Hills Baptist Church and Silver Spring. Pray for his efforts here that will also share God’s Good News.
DISCIPLESHIP PRAYER REQUESTS
† Give thanks for the work of the Discipleship Group which is working on the CHED Team. They have been giving leadership and continue to do so, helping churches to strengthen their ministries of making disciples. The Great News is that churches are accessing this help. Now, some of the churches are beginning to apply the efforts at developing mentors to both Christian Outreach and Christian Ministry within the community. Christian Family Baptist Church is active in providing mentors for young women and young men in La Plata, MD. Metropolitan Outreach and Ft. Foote Baptist Church are working together to developing a program for mentors of young "at risk" males in Ward 8. Give thanks for the efforts of these two women, and pray for these efforts by the churches. Further, pray for Gloria and Annette as they prepare to take part together in a Discipleship Conference during the Summer.
† The Deacons at Takoma Park are working to take proactive steps in the ministry of Conflict Transformation! Give thanks for this foresight. Ernest Ingram has asked the Conflict Transformation Team to provide training on how deacons can help solve conflict through training them in Conflict Transformation on Saturday, March 15. Give thanks that these are taking steps to strengthen their ministries and to be prepared for the growth of the church. Further, another church is looking to strengthen its membership in Conflict Transformation. Pray for this church as it works toward this training aimed for April.
† Pray for those who will be trained at Clifton Park Baptist Church on Saturday, March 29 in the ministry of the usher. This is a training which Elizabeth Simms, a member of the CHED Team, perceived as necessary. Last year Mrs. Simms led the group, but illness has restricted her activities this year. She helped enlist Onetia Evans, however, to lead the group. Already several churches are looking forward to this event. Pray for the weather of the day, the leadership of the training and for the response of the people.
† Pray for the Outreach partnership effort between Upper Room Baptist Church and the DC Baptist Convention set for Saturday, April 12. This is the conference "Good News for Urban Families." There will be four featured speakers, Dr. J. Deotis Roberts, Dr. Jerry Pipes (of NAMB), Rev. Starlette McNeil and the home pastor Rev. Vincent Allen. The purpose of the conference is to strengthen the ministry of churches to families in an urban context. Stronger ministries to families should appeal to people outside the church who desire to have strong families, thus being a means of both outreach and ministry. Pray for this effort, and support it with your presence.
† Remember to pray for the Vacation Bible School Training which is approaching on April 19, 2008, a Saturday. This is the time that the convention seeks to help people begin to focus on the ministries of teaching and outreach that occur each Summer through the Vacation Bible School. Gloria Jenkins leads the effort, which will occur at First Baptist Church of Camp Springs along with a team of people including: Deborah Cochran, Robert Cochran, Marion Criddle, Gail Lacy, Margarita Pinto, and this year two new team members–Anthony and Vanessa Hudson from West Hyattsville Baptist Church.
† Give thanks for the good attendance and participation that have occurred in the month of February with both the Teacher Upgrades and the Forgiveness Seminar. The Teacher Upgrades brought together about thirty-five teachers around the topic of Group Dynamics. The Forgiveness Seminar brought together about fifteen people around the topic of Forgiveness. Two churches, who did not attend the Forgiveness Seminar, have requested additional work to assist them to learn how to forgive, since the date of the Forgiveness Seminar. Both of these seminars highlight the need for lay leaders in the churches to learn to teach and to forgive. Give thanks for the discovery of John Kohl, a layman at University Baptist Church who senses these crucial needs.
† We need to begin to pray for those who will join the Greek Classes again this year. Carol Wilson, former President of the DCBC, has been away studying New Testament at Brite Divinity School in Ft. Worth. Although Carol has not completed her dissertation, she is considering strongly the invitation to teach other New Testament Greek in our classes at DCBC. Pray for Carol as she considers these deliberations, and pray for those who desire to learn New Testament Greek to increase their ability to teach the Bible to others.
† Remember to pray for the CHED Team. The Team had intended to meet during the month of February, but the meeting was cancelled due to ice and snow that came on its scheduled day. Pray now for the Team as it works to come again for its first meeting. Give thanks that the work of the Team is going well. Pray for the new Team Captain, Rev. Dan Phillips of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church.
† One of the things which Dan Phillips wants to help the Team to do is to figure out how to assess the Health of churches in the DC Baptist Convention. He has one good proposal of seeking church newsletters and reviewing these to sense a feel for the health of a particular church. Pray for the Team and for Dan as they discover the good ways to assess the health of the churches within the DCBC.
† Another concern in the work of the Team that runs parallel to the assessment of health is the determination of, "What exactly is a healthy church?" This definition of church health will be considered in the coming months through the work of the CHED Team. Pray for the members of the Team as they work to define "Church Health."
† Pray for churches that are in conflict. Regrettably, conflict which is always present and in some forms quite necessary, can rise to levels which maim or hurt congregations. There are some instances of churches in the DCBC currently, where conflict has risen to such a level. Pray for these unnamed churches, for the conflicts which they experience and for the people hurt by them. Pray that these churches and indeed all churches in the DC Baptist Convention will grow to mature understandings of Conflict, its opportunities to provide transformation and forgiveness.
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