The Prayer Chain and the Prayers of the People


One very important component of our daily worship is offering prayers to God for ourselves and on behalf of others.  I recently wrote a blog about the different forms of prayer during Lent as we walked the Way of Love, so I won’t rehash that again (if you are interested, you can easily find the post here.) However, that post did not talk about the ways to access the Prayer Chain at St. Barnabas or how to add someone to the formal “Prayers of the People” we offer during Sunday worship.

When I came to St. Barnabas in 2011, there was a core group of people that offered prayers for people and situations on a regular basis called the “Prayer Chain.”  People could send an email to prayer@stbarnabs-sbnj.org and that group would be notified.  Our Office Manager at that time kept a book that she printed out 2 or 3 times a year that had information on those prayer requests.  After she left that position, the printed version of that booklet discontinued, but access to the “Prayer Chain” through email continued.  Unfortunately, this group seems to have become an unintentional secret society since many parishioners do not know about it! 

Recently the Vestry and I started reviewing the “Prayer Chain” and how it was or was NOT being used, and we decided to make it easier to access.  There is now an icon on the homepage of our website (www.stbarnabas-sbnj.org) for “Prayer Requests.”  There is a short form to fill out and that request is sent to those who want to receive such messages (those who feel called to the ministry of intersession) AND it is added to an on-line document that will keep tract of all the prayer requests.  That document can be accessed here.  If you would like to be add to the Prayer Chain, please send an email to Bryan Botsch at bbotsch3@gmail.com.

PLEASE NOTE that due to HIPPA laws, I do NOT automatically add names to the prayers we offer on Sunday from the prayer requests send to the Prayer Chain.  If you want a name added to the Prayers of the People we offer on Sunday, please tell me, Deacon Cathy, Deacon Chizoba, or Maryellen (our Office Manager).  We will include the name(s) for 4 weeks and then we will cycle them off UNLESS it is a chronic condition, or you ask that the person remain on for another 4-week cycle.  (You will note that many of the current names are of those who are too old or ill to come to church or have a chronic condition). 

Let me state again that the Prayer Chain and the Prayers of the People are TWO DIFFERENT LISTS! You are welcome to have the person(s) on both lists, but you must put them on both through the process explained above.  I apologize if this seems complicated, but we have a duty to protect people’s privacy and I will not violate that trust. 

It is also helpful for you to tell me what I can and cannot share with the congregation if you have a specific prayer request.  Everyone does not need to know everything – that is your choice!  I do try to remember to ask, but in the midst of a crisis, sometimes I forget to ask.  In that case, I err on the side of caution and either do not offer the prayer publicly or remove names so as to not expose someone.

Please know it is my deep honor to prayer for everyone at St. Barnabas.  I am blessed to offer these intersessions and do it whole-heartedly.  You are all in my prayers.

With Easter Joy,
Rev. Valerie+

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