Hope for the City (Stories from Tell Week)

Here's a powerful and wonderful account of one of our Community Group's experiences last week for the tell portion of our "Pray, Serve, Tell" theme for the fall.

Our Community Group went out to do the 'Challenging Outreach' one night last week in Boston's busy Prudential Center.The more that I do this outreach, which involves asking people about the biggest challenge they face, the more I am filled with boldness! This is largely because I am so delighted and surprised by people's willingness to open up about the things that matter most to them, even to a complete stranger, and even in academic and largely secular Boston. God is moving in this city!

As we asked people about the biggest challenges they faced, their answers moved us. Here are some of them.

• 'Going to work everyday even though I want to quit' 
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• 'Overcoming my father's Alzheimers' 
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• 'Adjusting to life in a new city'
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• 'Telling people that I'm adopted.' 

This simple question allows people to honestly share where they are at and opens up the opportunity to pray and be invitational with people. Last week, we prayed with a young Hindu man who was visiting Boston for a conference, invited an Asian couple to church for our Christmas services, and exchanged email addresses with a Buddhist gentleman who has since been in touch to find out more about FenwayChurch! 

Our CG had fun together meeting new people and were thankful for the opportunity to be a part of Tell Week.

To learn more about the Challenging Outreach click here.

Prayer Walking

This Fall all of Fenway Church's community groups will be taking specific action steps to engage the communities and neighborhoods they live in through learning how to pray, serve, and tell together.  September's action will be prayer walking.  Below is a how to guide on prayer walking.  Enjoy!

PRAYER WALKING

What is it?

Prayer walking is simply walking through neighborhoods, observing what God is doing and what the needs of the community are, and praying into those things.

Abraham was a man who enjoyed a conversational relationship with God in which they walked and talked through prayer.  Once, God told Abraham, “Look around from where you are… Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you” (Genesis 3:14-17). Like Abraham, we want to walk through our neighborhoods seeking out God’s hopes, purposes and plans for them.

Prayer walking uses the power of observation to understand the areas we live in so that we can more effectively pray for them.  It also gives us an opportunity to imagine and visualize how God might transform the lives of the people in a neighborhood.

This type of prayer moves us beyond our own concerns to praying directly for the needs of our neighbors.  This prayer is called intercession.

How do you do it?[1]

Pray with a Partner/Group. 

• You can prayer walk alone, but prayers are more focused when expressed with a friend. If you go as a larger group, plan to break up into groups of 2-4 so you are not disruptive to the natural flow of the neighborhood.
• Pray audibly for clarity and agreement. It may feel awkward at first, but praying aloud enables us to agree together for things. This is very important because Jesus said agreeing in prayer is vital to its effectiveness. (Matthew 18:19)
• Pray as you walk, but also find locations where you can stop to pray.

Seek to Observe. 

• Invite the Spirit of God to accompany you, guiding your steps and your words.
• Be attentive during moments of silence, allowing the Holy Spirit to help you see with His eyes and pray in accordance with His heart.
• Note the needs and demographics of the community as you walk through it.

Pray with Purpose. 

• Pray for the present-hour needs of people and places that you see.
• Pray God’s Word. You can read scriptures or sing worship songs.
• Sketch a map to focus on select streets, buildings, parks, etc.
• Pray quietly. You can be on the scene without making one. In confidence of God's unfolding purpose which includes your preparation prayer, don't look to initiate gospel conversations during your prayer walk.
• Explain what you are doing to inquirers: "We're praying God's blessing on the neighborhood. Are there specific ways we can pray for you or others?”

Review after.

• Gather your full group and write down the prayers, people, and places that seem most important before you leave or when you arrive back at your meeting place.
• Use these observations to continue to pray for the neighborhood and ask God how your group might serve the needs of the community.

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[1] These guidelines were based on “How to Prayerwalk,” http://www.waymakers.org/prayerwalking/howto.html