DAY to PRAY letter
November 2024
Kingdom Come
Pastor Carrie Butler | CTK Network Prayer
Faithful Intercessors,
We just wrapped 48 hours of continuous prayer this past weekend - what an amazing and powerful time contending for God’s Kingdom to come! People prayed through the day and night, along with many who served. Here are some of ways they encountered Jesus:
“God is amazing and capable of doing it all! This time of prayer was powerful. I thought it would be tough to pray for even 15 minutes, but 2 hours flew by. Thank you Jesus!”
“I truly felt like the Lord met me in this place. A lot of concerns and insecurities were addressed and replaced with His words of love and guidance. It was nice getting to pray for my stuff, but it was even better praying for friends, family, and the world we live in as I was reminded of the power of that. Thank you all for fostering an environment that helps center our heart, soul and mind on Christ.”
“I was reminded that it is God who will change and heal the entire world. All He asks of me is to open my heart to the seemingly insignificant ways He wants to use me in my space. He doesn’t change the world with a few giants, but with millions of individual ‘yeses’”.
“I didn’t really want to come at first, but then something happened, so coming was ‘the better option’. But it feels so good and right to have been here. My heart feels so light and I have new hope. I feel so much better since I’ve been here. At first I thought praying for 1 hour would be super difficult, but I stayed longer than that and got to experience His presence.”
As we move from that weekend of prayer, we continue to ask Jesus for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. One of ways we do that is through the holiday season as we invite, bless, serve and create more spaces for people to encounter Jesus. You have probably heard that we need 400 volunteers to make events like Christmas Eve, All is Bright, Foster Family Night Out, and a decorating party happen over the next two months. For Day to Pray this month, we’re going to pray for everyone who will be involved in the preparation and various events happening throughout the holidays.
Before we do that, take just a few moments and join me in thanking Jesus for how he met people during Kingdom Come, and the ways He will keep inviting us into the grand adventure that is building His Kingdom on earth as in heaven.
With you in unity,
Carrie
If you need further guidance on how to pray for our community and the world, use one of the Guides from 24-7 Prayer located at the bottom of this page. Don't forget that the the Prayer Room (Room 214, upstairs) is open during office hours (Mon-Thurs 9am-4pm) and on Sundays during services. We'd love to see you in person today!
With you in unity,
Carrie
CHRIST THE KING PRAYER GUIDE
CTK Staff (from Melonie Kemp, Executive Pastor)
As we enter into the holiday season, we encourage others to remember God's goodness with a grateful heart for Thanksgiving and to enter into the sacredness that can be the Christmas season. In all the busyness of this time we often fail to do the things we truly long for in exchange for what is thrust upon us. Serving is one of the best ways to ground ourselves in the season that can be too busy and very consumeristic. My prayer request for our staff, who have an extra layer of activity as those who work on the ministry, is that they would not miss their very own opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus for others, completely unattached from their work at CTK.
Global Missions (from Tracy Hull, Global Missions Director)
Our prayer is that everyone who says “Yes” to participating in a Global Missions Trip would see Jesus' uniting hand at work in the country they serve. That, despite our differences, we are one family in Christ with unique gifts, insights and experiences to offer one another. Pray that the experience would draw them closer to Jesus as they learn more about His world and their place in it.
Connections Team (from Angel Finsrud, Connections Team Pastor)
Please pray that people who say yes to serving for the first time would discover their place in the body and get connected with an ongoing serving opportunity. And that in that place of knowing and being known they will have the opportunity to be discipled and grow deeper in their faith.
Blessing Team (from Nathan Ford, Community Outreach Director)
Pray that the people of CTK would recognize that Jesus has created them to care about something in their community already, and He is inviting them to act in some way.
Creative Team (from Ivelice Cuenca, Worship Director)
Pray for our volunteers to be filled with God’s love and grace. That their hearts will be tender towards those they encounter. That the Holy Spirit will fill their minds and hearts and they will cultivate their personal relation with Jesus through serving this season, and as a result they can continue to draw others closer to Jesus. That in hard moments they will turn towards Jesus and find rest in his presence.
Children's Team (from Duane Weaver, Children’s Pastor)
We often pray that we would have the eyes and ears of Jesus to see the children as Jesus sees them. To see each child as dearly loved. Created by Jesus on purpose and for a purpose. The potential for greatness in His kingdom is imbued in each one by their Creator. Our prayer request is that CTK Kids volunteers experience the love of Jesus in this way too - that they are known and seen as His children, with the capacity to do amazing things with and for Him. Please also pray that God would send his workers into the fields of CTK Kids! With the many services and events for the Holiday Season, we will need many additional volunteers.
Student Ministries (from Josh Lease, Students Pastor)
Our prayer for student ministry volunteers is that as they share the love of Christ with students, they would receive it in fresh ways. That they would know how much they are loved, seen and known by their Creator.
Young Adults (from Jake Hruza, Young Adults Pastor)
Our prayer as young adults serve this season is that their focus would be on serving Jesus by caring for "the least of these" (Matt 25:31-40). We want them to understand that their service is about more than being noticed by others or recognized by Jesus in a position of power or authority. Instead, we pray they would humble themselves and serve those in need, those that society often overlooks. In other words, rather than finding favor in the eyes of pastors and church leaders, we pray that young adults will find Jesus in the eyes of those they serve. Success will be finding, serving, and encountering Jesus in "the least of these."
Adults Team (from Julie Burleson, Adults Pastor)
Our prayer request this month is for the adults who will be volunteering at our outreach events throughout the holiday season, helping to make our church a welcoming and safe place for our community. We are asking for God to guide people toward each other, and that He would help volunteers to see those who attend through the eyes of Jesus and understand them as people who are made in His image. We ask for good conversations and safe interactions that glorify and point to God. And may the volunteers' interactions with others grow and expand their own relationship with Jesus at the same time.