Regional planners look ahead to busy National Day of Prayer in May

By RICHARD KOE
    CLACKAMAS – Regional planners from eight Portland-area host churches held their kickoff luncheon on Jan. 19 toward the Mayo observance of the 2006 National Day of Prayer. The luncheon was hosted by Pastor Ray Cotton and New Hope Community Church.
    The planners received greetings from Kathy Cassady, West Coast National Day of Prayer Task Force leader from Olympia, Wash., and Jim Weidmann, the national effort’s vice chairman from Aurora, Colo. Weidmann also brought greetings from Shirley Dobson, National Day of Prayer chair.
    Members of the Portland -area planning team are Phil Palmer, chair; Ed and Deedee Bergler, Stewart Kent, and Megan Palau. The Oregon state coordinator is James Autry, general manager of Crawford Broadcasting’s Portland radio station KKPZ.
    The eight regional host churches this year are East Hill Foursquare Church, Hinson Baptist Church, Maranatha Church, Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, New Hope Community Church, New Song Church, Oregon City Evangelical Church; and Sunset Presbyterian Church.
    Representatives met to decide a leader, meeting times and locations for the next seven weeks. They will contact churches in their respective areas regarding participation in the 55th annual National Day of Prayer activities on Thursday, May 4.
    This year's theme is “America, Honor God …Those who honor me, I will honor…” (I Sam. 2:30). Activities are planned nationwide, with special events at the White House and elsewhere in Washing-ton, D.C.
    Palmer told the regional planners to be more than task oriented: “This is a chance to share our lives with each other and experience the Body of Christ. The process of working together for a common goal is extremely important, and relationships are everything.”
    He said the eight regional services will not look the same, but will be a product of the planning teams’ creativity, resources, culture and personalities: “What will be identical will be the love of God working in lives as we experience unity in one body. Pray for one another as we take back territory that now belongs to the enemy.”
    Weidmann, who travels across the country to promote the National Day of Prayer, has been with the task force for the past nine years after serving as a pilot for the U.S. Air Force and working for IBM. Headquarters for the National Day of Prayer is Focus of the Family in Colorado Springs.
    He told Portland regional planners to build networks and think bigger as they come together to do greater things for the National Day of Prayer. He believes the local church is a powerful tool to mobilize prayer because of relationships between people.
    Weidmann referred to the great prayer warrior, E. M. Bounds, who said prayer is the power behind the pulpit and the key to intimacy with the Almighty. Prayer is the nation’s hope, and builds a bridge between God and man, he said, adding that great men of God are also great men of prayer, and even Jesus spent much time in prayer.
   “We must groom ourselves in prayer so we will not be pulled down by the culture. Prayer requires time, and we need to spend time in the prayer closet,” he said. “The power of prayer is critical to bring unity both in the community and country. God’s desire is that we be one in the spirit of unity.”
    He urged the planners to come together to pray for the burdens of the city, noting that victory comes at the end of prayer.
    For more information contact Palmer at 503-644-1658.