40 Days of Prayer
As COVID-19 has emerged and the world has reacted and adapted, we are doing the same.
Because General Conference will now take place sometime in 2021, and because you have more than enough on your plate as you adjust to our new normal, we have decided to press pause on this particular prayer effort.
We hope that your church will continue to pray for General Conference and that you will sign up for an official Day to pray when we roll out our updated 40 Days of Prayer campaign next year.
Thanks for all you are doing for your congregation during these new and ever-changing times.
40 Days of Prayer: Instructions
Arlington and Alexandria District churches will participate in praying for General Conference in many ways. One such way is via our 40 Days of Prayer. Two churches–one Arlington and one Alexandria–will be responsible for covering General Conference in prayer on each of the 40 days leading up to General Conference.
How churches choose to cover their day in prayer is completely up to them. Some churches may choose to hold a special prayer service. Others may split the day into 24 hour-long chunks and ask congregation members to pray during those time slots. Others may open their Sanctuary or chapel for prayer throughout the day. Resources are available on this page to help your church participate fully in the 40 Days of Prayer initiative.
All churches in Arlington and Alexandria are asked to pray for General Conference every Sunday. Because of this there are no sign ups listed on Sundays.
Prayer Resources:
40 Days of Prayer Guide
The Upper Room and the Council of Bishops have created a 40 Days of Prayer guide, complete with Daily devotions.
7 Prayer Actions
Tom Albin from the Upper Room offers Seven Prayer Actions you can take as a congregation or an individual in getting ready for General Conference.
Create a Prayer Chain
Ask your church to participate in your prayer day by covering the entire 24 hours in prayer. You can create a paper signup sheet and have folks sign up on a Sunday, or you can create an online signup. (Signup.com, Google Forms, and Signup Genuis are places where you can create an online prayer chain signup form for free.)
Sample paper signup sheets:
15-minute windows
30-minute windows
1-hour windows
Suggestions for Your Day of Prayer
- Create a prayer chain (15-minute increments, 30-minute increments, 1-hour increments) and encourage your congregation to sign up to pray.
- Ask your congregation to all pause where they are at a specific time of day to pray.
- Host an online prayer meeting during the day (suggested times: early morning, lunch hour, later evening) using Facebook Live or a platform like ZOOM or GotoMeeting.
- Host a prayer event or prayer service.
- Have your sanctuary or chapel open for prayer all day.
- Host a prayer walk at and around your church or encourage your participants to use prayer walking during their day.
Do you have a great idea for how to pray during your day of prayer?
Share it with us so we can add it to the list!
A Breakthrough Prayer for General Conference
Dearest Lord, we pray for the church,
and especially our home in your universal church,
the United Methodist Church.
We are in need of your divine wisdom,
your eternal grace,
and your comfort in troubling times.
We see your fingerprints all over the General Conference:
We see you in the commitment and faithfulness of the delegates,
In the love and hopefulness of our bishops and leaders,
And in the mission and vision that is lived out
in all the churches and countries represented.
Break through our stubbornness, our self-righteousness,
and our pride so we may know better your will for our future.
Breakthrough our politics, our divisiveness, and our cynicism
So that we may know each other in love, and never in hate or fear.
Move us ever towards our co-mission; making disciples and transforming the world.
In your eternal name we pray,
Amen.
Praying for GC2020
Will you pray with us?The Arlington and Alexandria Districts will join others from around the country and the world in praying for the 2020 General Conference delegates and the important work they will do together.
