Week 11: Our Covenant With Christ to Pray for Centennial Covenant

January 10-16

Last Sunday morning, about 20 or so of us gathered to lift up Centennial Covenant for its new year of shared life and ministry. After a time of praise and thanksgiving, we let the praying of Jesus for his disciples (and us!) in John 17 guide our intercessions. My own prayers can get pretty shallow, narrow, anemic… and so downright boring and fruitless. Intentionally praying with Jesus – and so by his Spirit – deepens, heightens and broadens what we place before the Father... and opens paths into his fruit and joy.

For several weeks now, let’s immerse ourselves in this powerful praying of Jesus in John 17. This week, take in the whole chapter several times. Then let it take you into our Lord’s particular requests of the Father, and let them be our own – especially praying for our church family, ministries, relationships, and hearts. Let's pray with Jesus... 

• that he and the Father be glorified (1,5);
• that we know him, his finished work, and eternal life he gives (2-4);
• that we live in the world as sent by him, but not be of the world (11, 14-16); 
• that we be protected from the evil one (11-12, 15);
• that we be one and brought to complete unity (11, 21-23);
• that we have the full measure of his joy within us (13);
• that we be sanctified (made holy) by the truth of God’s word (17);
• that we be in the Father and him (21);
• that we see his glory and have his love in us (24-25).

Pray all this with Jesus for our church as a whole, but also the following:

• Our Congregational Meeting this Wednesday (11^th) where members will vote on nominees for Council and other offices, and also seek God’s wisdom on some serious concerns (that also will be considered at another meeting on Wednesday, January 25);
• Our Staff of Pastoral Team and Ministry Assistants, and our search for a new Pastor to Students;
• Our Ministry Teams;
• Our Adult Life Groups (including Men’s and Women’s), Equipping Classes, and mentoring relationships;
• Our Students and Children;
• Our Mission Partners.

In coming weeks, we’ll place more specific focus on these areas of our life together.