Pray for Ministry on the Mall as it continues throughout the Summer.  Every other week various churches affiliated with the DC Baptist Convention (DCBC) go to the National Mall to share water and witness with the tourist there.  On July 10, three churches together are responsible for this ministry which will reach people from across both the country and the world.

Pray for the churches that utilize Johenning Baptist Community Center (JBCC) as they work together this month to host Johenning Open House and Community Day on Saturday, July 17.  While this is a project of the Johenning Advisory Council, Rev. Tony Brown is coordinating the effort.  Pray for the response to the Open House by both people within the community surrounding JBCC and those congregations of the DCBC which are interested in the ministry there.

Give thanks for the Neighborhood Violence and Reconciliation Workshop which was hosted by the DCBC at the JBCC last month.  All of us grieve about the recent violence in Southeast Washington and Ward 8.  The heat of this Summer tragically brings people to the breaking point and consequently violence may flare up yet again.  Pray for all the residents of our city and of our metropolitan area in regard to these violent conditions.  The workshop which was held last month was led by Ms. Marinetta Cannito Hjort who is a specialist in ministries of Reconciliation.  While few in number this year, we hope that this workshop will grow in importance and number.  Pray especially for Pastor Jevon Billups and for the church he serves, Holy Comforter.  This church has dreams of sponsoring a “buy back” program for street weapons in the community.  Give thanks for their initiative and pray for its larger support. 

Give thanks for the Baptist Women who have submitted their plans for their work during the calendar year of 2011.  Their plans along with many others from the Convention were presented officially in the calendar process last month.  The calendar is now under construction and should be available by the Annual Meeting.  Staff, Chuck Lee and contractors are working to make the calendar an item of both beauty and practical use.  Pray for all the plans which have been submitted, especially those of the Baptist Women who are led by Jannie Lindsay and Ellen Teague. 

One of the most interesting developments that is ongoing right now is the sense of call in Georgetown Baptist Church.  The church has had a ministry to some students at Georgetown University for many years.  They are seeking to expand this ministry through a partnership with CCO and minister Jim Hagan, a campus ministry organization and a campus minister.  Georgetown Baptist Church is seeking a grant from the DCBC to help with this ministry.  It is clear already that Jim has been making progress on the campus of Georgetown, for the group has been recognized officially already by the school.  Further, Jim is making strong contacts among the athletes at the school, specifically the wrestling team.  Pray for these developments at the church and the school as well as for the grant.

Give thanks for the prayers for the poor which were expressed at Chevy Chase Baptist Church last month.  The church graciously opened the doors of its chapel where nineteen people gathered to pray for the poor.  While the group was praying, bus riders standing outside the doors of the chapel observed with interest the group as it gathered.  Give thanks for the prayers for the poor, for the poor themselves who bring us closer to God and for those who joined in prayer.  Further, remember to pray for the poor and consider joining in our next prayer service in September.

Give thanks for the Church and Community Ministries Team as it meets as it did last month.  Summer meetings are difficult to gather together, and the same was true on this night.  Still, the team did its work, submitting the proposed CCCM calendar.  Pray for the team and for Dr. Adrien Ngudiankama who is the current captain.  Give thanks for the various elements of the team including the Baptist Women, Deaf Ministries, Emergency Preparedness-Disaster Relief/Special Ministries, Johenning Advisory Council, Literacy Missions, Older Adult Team, Social Justice and Student Ministries.  Give thanks for the progress made in all these areas of ministry across the year and for those who have worked to help strengthen these.

Pray for the Older Adult Ministries Team (OAM)  as they work to have two events this coming Fall.  The OAM, which meets monthly for most of the year, does not meet regularly during the Summer months.  Still, the team is planning a fun outing for Older Adults to be held this Fall.  Further, the OAM is laying plans for their annual convocation in conjunction with the Fall meeting of the DCBC.  Pray for Gloria Grant and her team as they make preparations for these meetings.  Give thanks for the number of Advocates which are ministering in the congregations of the DCBC and for the preparation they have received through workshops this year.  Give thanks for the support of this ministry through the Crother Foundation of Baltimore and pray for their consideration of next year’s grant for this ministry.

July is that time of the year when the Baptist Women sponsor the camps for Girls.  Give praise for this activity, and pray for these campers as they go away to focus on God for a week.  Similarly, give thanks for the camp sponsored by Vienna Baptist Church, in partnership with DCBC, which invites youth and children from Ward 8 to West Virginia for a week.  Pray that the campers there will grow closer to God through this ministry.  Thank God for the mission and love of Vienna Baptist Church expresses through this ministry.

Remember to pray for the coming Annual Meeting of the DCBC which is to be held at Israel Baptist Church in Northeast Washington during October.  Give thanks for the planning that is being made by leaders of the DCBC to prepare this meeting.  Pray also for the Search Team that is seeking a new Executive Director/Minister as they continue their work at this time under the leadership of the chair, Dr. Ella Redfield.

Give thanks for the class on Evangelism at John Leland Theological Seminary last month which was led by Robert Cochran.  The course, “Models in Evangelism” had twelve students participating, three of which are serving currently in congregations within the DC Baptist Convention (DCBC).  Featured in the course were pastors and evangelists from within the DCBC, including Saul Garcia, Catherine Bego, Amy Butler, Kendrick Curry and Maureen and David Freshour.  Give thanks for the efforts of these evangelists, and pray for the students as they complete their assignments and as they share Christ with others in the future.

Pray for those who are serving in Ministry on the Mall.  This is the annual activity which DC Baptists undertake each Summer.  They work on the National Mall to share Jesus Christ through both deeds of compassion and through oral witness.  This is always an interesting witnessing opportunity, for workers meet people from across both our country and the globe.  There is an opportunity to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to places far away as well as to countries overseas.  This year we have an abundance of churches who have assumed responsibility for the six Saturdays allotted to the DCBC by the National Park Service.  Thank God for the cooperation of the National Park Service with DC Baptists in this effort and its recognition of the right of religious expression on the Mall.  Give thanks also for Gloria Grogan who has been organizing these efforts this Summer.  Pray for those who will work on the National Mall in this effort and for the tourists who will receive the ministry and the witness through both testimony and literature distribution.  Continue to pray for this ministry.

Remember to pray as well for the witnessing opportunities that arise through the Vacation Bible Schools (VBS) held in churches of the DCBC throughout the Summer.  These schools give opportunities to share Christ with children, some who come regularly to church activities and some who will only attend the VBS held in these churches.  Often the relationships begun through the activities of VBS will lead families into a relationship with Jesus Christ and with his people, establishing a foundation for healthy family life long into the future.  Pray for the leadership, the teachers, the students and the families of these students as the churches hold VBS this Summer.

Churches in the DCBC often hold a series of meetings aimed to share Jesus Christ with their communities during the Summer.  One of these, Forest Heights Baptist Church, is planning to hold such a series in August 15-18, Sunday through Wednesday.  Pray for this church in this meeting and join to support the services, if possible.  Pray also that people will be drawn to God and Christ through these and other meetings at different churches throughout the Summer.

Pray for the multitudes of camps that are occurring throughout the city.  Several churches are sponsoring or hosting camps for children this Summer; two such camps include those held at First Baptist of Washington and National Baptist Memorial Church.  Other camps are held away from our city, like those held in W. Virginia which are sponsored by Vienna Baptist Church.  Give thanks for all these camps.  Pray for the children to hear the voice of God through these ministries, to listen to the Good News of Christ and to respond in faith as they are able.

We need to pray for those who are starting churches.  There are several who face challenges this Summer as opportunities change for them, including Emanuel Eritrean Church and Balm in Gilead.  These face particular challenges in funding as they move forward in ministry.  These congregations are developing well, but they still have significant financial challenges.  Pray also for the congregations which are seeking to begin including the work in Manassas and the work in the area of Columbia Heights.  Pray also for two men who are interested in beginning another Hispanic congregation in the coming months.  Give thanks for all this activity, and support these through prayer.

Pray for Rev. Joel Ojelade as he serves as pastor of Alafia (Peace) Baptist Church which sits along Eastern Avenue, the boundary of DC.  Rev. Ojelade has been using God’s Plan for Sharing (GPS) materials to reach out to his community.  Give thanks for the long-standing and consistent work of Rev. Ojelade, and pray for this effort and its effects upon Alafia Church.

Remember to pray for the DCBC as the Executive Board meets in Special Session on July 12 to discuss again questions regarding the Preservation Trust Corporation.  This new entity seeks to protect sacred spaces in the metropolitan area for use in the future.  Consequently, this could influence the ways of sharing the Good News and starting new congregations at some time in the future. Pray for the various leaders in the DCBC as they deal with the questions yet to be resolved around the Preservation Trust.

Remember to pray for all of those who are starting new congregations within the DCBC.  Once every three months we seek to give the church starters an opportunity to come together for prayer and support.  The next meeting of the Church Starting Support Group is to be held on August 12.  Pray for all of those ministering to start new congregations and specifically for those who will be at the meeting of the support group.

The Summer always brings us to think on the Annual Meeting of the DCBC, which occurs in October.  Plans are now coming together so that the meeting will go well.  This year the meeting is to be held at Israel Baptist Church in Northeast.  Pray for all those working on the activities of the meeting, for those who are pulling together reports and presentations.  Ask that God will be with the DCBC throughout this meeting.  Part of the meeting this year includes an outreach to Youth.  While we had previously planned for this event to occur in June at the closing of school, CHED will participate in the October event supporting our youth.

Pray for the decisions made at the Southern Baptist Convention regarding the Great Commission Resurgence.  These decisions will affect the ministry of the North American Mission Board in Evangelism and Church Planting (Starting).  Pray for people who will experience these transitions.

Give thanks for the students who are taking New Testament Greek this year as taught by Carol Wilson and Robert Cochran.  There are currently three students following the course, for one had to stop due to ministry obligations.  Pray for these students as they continue their study.  Pray that they will use the knowledge which they receive to teach and to study the New Testament increasing their own discipleship and that of others.

Give thanks for the Trustee Training, for which we prayed and which was held last month.  Eight attended the training.  Of the eight, one of the attendees came from a Baptist church outside of the DC Baptist Convention (DCBC).  The event was hosted at the Baptist Building by the Team Captain of the Congregational Health, Evangelism and Discipleship (CHED) Team, Deacon Eular Robinson.  We were thankful that Hal Williams, a long-standing trustee of Nineteenth Street Baptist Church and a lawyer, led the training.  Hal also works with the Federal Government in DC through the CSOSA program in which he is employed.  Give thanks for the faithful service of both Eular and Hal.  Also, pray that the trustees who attended the session will be equipped better to serve their churches in the future. 

Last month also was the time that CHED and Church and Community Ministries worked together to host a workshop on Neighborhood Violence and Reconciliation.  This workshop occurred at the Anna B. Johenning Center located in Ward 8, Southeast Washington.  The leader of the workshop was Ms. Marinetta Cannito Hjort, formerly the Baptist Student Minister at American University. Marinetta is a specialist in the subjects of Violence and Reconciliation, leading workshops in the US, Italy and Mexico (in conjunction with law enforcement in the latter two countries).  Give thanks for Marinetta and her efforts in Southeast Washington and for those who attended.  Prominent among these was the pastor of Holy Comforter Baptist Church, who is developing a passion against violence.  Pray that others will join in the future to learn about reconciliation and how it affects the life of a congregation.  Indeed, reconciliation is one of the elements of every healthy church and one which is sorely needed in the Washington metropolitan area.

Remember to pray for the teachers in the Vacation Bible Schools (VBS) being held in many churches of the DCBC this month and next month.  Already several churches have held their schools.  Give thanks for the teaching efforts of those who have already served, and pray for the teachers whose service to the children and others is yet to come.  Also, pray that some of these teachers will sense God’s gift of teaching within their lives and become regular teachers in the service of their local churches and their local church members.

Pray as well for the Orientations for New and Prospective Teachers which will be held during the months of August and September on three different Thursday evenings.  This has become a popular workshop that helps to prepare teachers who are coming into service or who are considering service in the teaching ministries of their churches.  Pray for those who will be leading the orientation sessions and for those who will attend these in anticipation of following Jesus as teachers and assisting others to follow Jesus more closely.

On Tuesday, July 13, the Religious Educators’ Support Group will be coming together again.
This is a group that is seeking to support people who are in the ministry of leading educational efforts in churches related to the DCBC.  The group is in its first year, but there are signs of growing interest among the churches and this group of ministers.  Pray for the continuing development of the group and for its eventual ministry to many churches in metropolitan Washington. 

One of the tools which we have in the ministries of Discipleship and Congregational Health in our area is the John Leland Center for Theological Education (JLC).  This school offers both Associate level and Masters level diplomas in varied aspects of ministry.  It is a ministry with which DCBC has partnered from the earliest beginnings of JLC, even though the school holds most of its classes in northern Virginia.  Give thanks for the completion of the recent academic year at JLC and for the graduation of its students, one of which is a product of churches within the DCBC.  Pray for the continued ministry of the school, its professors and its students as the new school year begins again this September.

Give thanks for the leadership of vice-president Yvonne Lamb to the preparations for the Annual Meeting of the DCBC to be held in October.  The planning committee is intending to hold an event for Youth of the DCBC just before the Annual Meeting.  CHED has shifted its Youth Event scheduled for June to the date in October.  Pray for the planning of the event, for the event itself and for the Youth who will attend.  Pray that these efforts will strengthen Youth to follow Jesus more closely, even in the challenges that they face daily in their schools, neighborhoods and families.

LifeWay Christian Ministries is seeking to strengthen the educational ministries of churches which they serve.  To this end, LifeWay is pulling together an eighteen-month long consultation for churches focusing on their ministries of teaching, beginning this Fall.  This consultation is to be called DC Connection and will focus on churches in the Baptist Convention of Maryland/ Delaware as well as on churches in the DCBC.  Churches are just now beginning to hear of this opportunity to strengthen their ministries in teaching.  Pray for the churches as they sense the opportunity found in this ministry and for those who will serve as consultants with the participants.

Continue to pray for the Search Team within the DCBC as it seeks to find the person to call to the ministry of Executive Director/Minister.  Give thanks for their work thus far and pray that they will soon be able to present a potential Executive Director/Minister to the leadership of the DCBC and the Convention itself.

Pray also for Nominating Committees of the churches and the Convention as they seek out people to serve Christ, growing as disciples and contributing to the health of their congregations.