40-Day Prayer Campaign: The Beginning

October 12 to November 20, 2016

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you... - Acts 1:8

The Theme

Receiving the Power

The Objective

This campaign objective is to open us as individuals and as a faith community to receiving the Soul Power that God is offering us.

Steps to Follow

Pick a Regular Time and Place

It helps to find a regular time to pray each day.  It can be 5 minutes, 15, 30, whatever is sustainable for you.  The key is consistency, establishing a regular practice.  Find a place to pray each day with minimal distractions.  If you plan to write in a journal you can keep it there. 

Connect with God

There are many ways to do that:

1. sit silently paying attention to your breathing.
2. repeat a word or phrase that draws you deeper into prayer (Love, Peace, Shalom, Creator…)
3. say a verbal prayer, like "God, thank you for...," "God, today I am praying for…" "I pray for [name people you want to pray for]," or "God, open me to receiving your Holy Spirit power."
4. use a set prayer, like The Lord’s Prayer. This is a modified version of the Lord’s prayer that we like:
   
   Our Mother/Father/Creator/ God, holy is your name.  May your way come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.  Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.  For you are the way, the power and the glory forever.  Amen.
    
5. write in a journal
   1. what you are thankful for
   2. what came up in your silent prayer
   3. whatever you feel led to write

You can choose any combination of these ways to connect with God. You could try one for a week and then switch it up-- whatever helps you connect with God.  

Find a prayer partner

You can call or text each other once a week to check in and see how your prayer is going.   If you would like help in finding a prayer partner, contact Pastor Doug at cunninghamdp@gmail.com.

Say our common prayer

At some point each day, please include this line which we will be praying together: 

O God, open us to receive your Holy Spirit power, that we may be your witnesses in our community, the Bronx, New York City and beyond.