A Call to Prayer

Goshen Baptist Church - September 2020

Instead of leading a Prayer Walk on Labor Day Sunday this year, the Elders have asked a number of Goshen leaders to share prayer requests for our church ministry (see below).  Please take time this weekend, and in the coming weeks, to call out to the Father (ask, seek, knock), and to seek the Lord for the advance of the Gospel in and through our church.  And pray also for the spread of his truth and love in the midst of all that’s going on in our world today.  Thank you.

Peter Nelson, Senior Pastor

• Pray for spiritual refreshment and God’s peace for our church staff team amidst scrambling to devise and adjust to new ministry approaches in these Covid-19 times.
• Pray for our entire church family, that we’d all be reassured of God’s presence and love despite so much uncertainty in today’s world, and that we’d trust the Father to work all things together for the good of his people.
• Pray for the whole congregation, that we’d share a sense of gladness to endure the challenges of today’s restrictions (e.g., masks and distancing) so that others can feel comfortable attending our worship services.

Pete Manni, Associate Minister

• Worship:  That we would continue to trust God for His leading with our worship services so that they are biblical, accessible, and safe for our entire congregation.
• Outreach:  That we would continue to seek the Lord’s will for how to reach our community with the Gospel despite limited resources. Pray for faith, courage, and boldness to build relationships and share the Gospel with our surrounding community.
• Young Adults:  Pray that we can continue to effectively minister to our Young Adults despite challenges of in-person gatherings, technology, and busy schedules.

Lori Herson, Director of Children’s Ministries

• Pray for families as they adjust to school schedules—whether from home or in-person.
• Pray for health and safety as we expand our ministry to children at church this fall—both on Sunday and during the week.
• Pray for our newly created Drive-In Kids’ Club (runs Wednesdays 9/16 to 12/9)—that it would be an encouragement to families and that kids would grow in their knowledge of Jesus and His love for them.

DJ Cronrath, Director of Student Ministries

Student Ministry:

• Pray for the students as they grapple with online learning this fall.
• Pray for the student ministry to be able to safely meet the needs of our students.

College-Age:

• Pray for students that are on campus that they stay safe and healthy and those at home to adjust to an online semester.

Jen Duguid, Director, Goshen Baptist Preschool

• God would grant good health for our students and staff for the whole school year, and that the parents would have confidence that Goshen Baptist Preschool is a safe place for their student.
• God would continue to add to our enrollment throughout the year.
• God would bless our efforts to provide an excellent school experience, and from that He will be glorified.

Tara Mummert, Administrative Assistant

• Pray that the staff would effectively administer the operations of the church in this odd and ever-changing time.
• Pray for health and wellbeing and the staff.

David Nichols, Elder Chairman

• Wisdom for Staff, Elders, Deacons and other leaders as we determine the appropriate reopening plans for the church.
• Comfort of the Holy Spirit during these times of limited fellowship for our church family.
• That we will be Salt and Light to our community during this time.

Larry Smith, Elder Vice-Chairman

• For a safe and successful restart of our Men's and Women's ministries/Bible studies this fall.
• Thanking God for his provision for GBC’s financial needs during this Covid-19 crisis.
• For older people and those with underlying health conditions that have to be extra careful during this Covid-19 crisis and are very isolated.
• For our country’s leaders, President, VP, Senate and House Leaders, Governor, and local officials.
• For parents that must now become “teachers” because many schools have gone virtual.

Patrick O’Leary, Elder

• For DJ and the Youth Leaders as they adjust how we do Youth Ministry and continue to impact hearts and minds for Jesus Christ.
• For a peaceful heart for our youth whose worlds have been turned upside down.
• For the Preschool:  Increase in enrollment; and implementing a safe and fun program in which God is on display for the students and their families
• For the members of our congregation who cannot meet—that they that feel the love, inspiration, and protection of Jesus Christ though Goshen’s virtual ministries.

Darrel Tedrow, Elder

• Pray for families that are having to juggle virtual school with their own work schedules, that the parents would be able to work productively and the kids’ education would be effective.
• Pray for families that are cut off from the church and attending virtually, that they’d be faithful in watching the service and stay close to God.
• Pray for wisdom of church leaders and the patience of church members as we navigate this time, and that our churches would remain united in Christ.

Ed Duguid, Deacon, Worship & Service Team

• Men’s retreat coming up on Sept. 19.
• Sharing Christ/witnessing series for the men’s group.
• Pray for additional volunteers for the ushers.

Les Farrell, Deacon, Worship & Service Team

• We can pray about the division in our nation—that GOD will heal our land.
• Pray for the Men's Bible Study—that GOD may continue to give us His Wisdom, His Knowledge and His Understanding!
• Praying that GOD may continue to BLESS Goshen to be the salt of our community!  Making disciples like ourselves!

Bill & Laura Jones, Deacon and Deaconess, Fellowship Team

• Prayers for our small group, that we would continue to grow closer in the Lord.
• Prayers for the seeds that were planted in people’s lives during the food pantry outreach.
• Prayers for what fellowship is in a mask and social distance world.

Chip Scott, Deacon, Small Groups Team

Small Groups:

• Spiritual growth and deeper fellowship within the groups.
• Discernment on how best to meet during the pandemic.
• More people would join a Small Group as a means of safely fellowshipping.

Discipling:

• Praise and thanks for the men who have stepped up to be mentors.
• Guidance as mentors and protégés connect.
• Spiritual growth for all involved.

Barb Smith, Deaconess, Building & Property Team

Building and Property:

• That Nate Koechig would be able to handle the additional responsibilities for cleaning and sanitizing the building each day.
• That the Lord would provide a hedge of protection around our building to protect it from all enemies that would seek to shut us down as we continue in our ministries.
• That the congregation would remain faithful in giving so that the ministries of Goshen would continue.

Women’s Ministry:

• That the Lord would bring to the study those women whom He wants to be there so that together we would grow in our knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures.
• Wisdom for the leaders as we navigate meeting with the Covid restrictions in place.
• That the women and children who come, as well as all the childcare volunteers, would be protected from the virus so that they would be able to attend each week.

Terry & Dee Stick, Deacon and Deaconess, Lay Care Team

• Pray for those in our congregation who have health issues to experience God’s closeness and healing power, especially during this time of uncertainty and isolation from COVID.
• Pray for wisdom for us to effectively minister to the spiritual needs within our own families with grace and compassion.
• Pray for God to faithfully provide for the physical, emotional, and financial needs of those in our community and our Goshen family.

Leigh Ann Tedrow, Deaconess, Missions Team

• Pray for our missionaries, Jane & Louis, with the recent birth of their daughter.  Baby is doing well, but Jane is having some health issues.
• Our missionary church planting team in Asia requests Goshen to pray that house churches would continue to meet during this pandemic and tribal areas would remain open.
• Pray for our Fall Focus on Missions, that we would raise awareness of the role Goshen plays in missionary work and that the congregation would respond faithfully to giving opportunities.

Dennis Balicke, Men’s Fellowship Team

That the Men of Goshen will:

• Strengthen their walk with God
• Develop and deepen their relationships with their Christian brother
• Be welcoming of all seekers of Christian fellowship

Phil & Akiko Ellsworth, Senior Fellowship

• Pray that our seniors continue to be safe from the virus.
• That we will be able to start our Senior Fellowship meetings again in the next month or so.
• That we will all be able to get to the polls and vote.
• That these violent protests in our cities around our nation will stop.

Cindy Maxwell, Adult Sunday School Teacher

• Please pray for the women in my class concerning their feelings of isolation (feeling disconnected from the church family) because of the virus.  Some women have not been anywhere, even to the grocery store, since the pandemic began.
• Pray for their safety from the virus since several are in a vulnerable age group and have underlying health conditions.
• Pray especially for Marion Barcusky's daughter, Leah Bowers.  Currently she is going through strenuous and urgent chemotherapy for many tumors in her lungs. (This is not lung cancer, but colon cancer that has spread to her lungs.)

Jim Flye, Adult Sunday School Teacher

• Wisdom for the Senior Adult Ministry Team to know when and how to start up our monthly Senior Fellowship times and other events.
• Those who feel lonely, isolated, anxious, or discouraged.
• For both spiritual growth and physical needs.