‘Help to carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will obey the law of Christ.’ Galatians 6 verse 2
How many times have you felt overwhelmed and alone in your worries and fears? How many times has God seemed a million miles away and you wonder if your prayers are lost in the ether? How many times have you wanted people to pray with you, but you didn’t like to ask?
I suspect all of us can identify with these … and that’s where St Saviour’s Prayer Chain comes in. We are told in Galatians to carry one another’s burdens – and this is what we do!
The prayer chain is made up of a motley crew of about 30 St Saviour’s folk: old and young, men and women, all who hear the cares and worries of our church family and pray for them. It’s that simple.
“But how do I ask the Prayer Chain for prayer?” I hear you ask.
There are two ways of contacting the chain: email or text. Each of the methods reaches me and I then ask the chain (by text) to pray for you, giving them only as much detail as you want me to share.
“… and how do I join this Chain of Pray-ers?” I hear you ask.
If you would like to be a member of the prayer chain, then please contact me. All you need is a heart that wants to carry another’s burdens in prayer … and a mobile phone!!
Sometimes we know the folk we are praying for, and sometimes we don’t; sometimes we hear what happens next, and sometimes we don’t. However, we do know that our heavenly Father hears our prayers and holds the future, and so we leave those for whom we pray in His safe and loving hands, knowing that we have helped to carry another’s burden, and give thanks for answered prayer.
Come and use us, or come and join us!
Jan Randall, prayer chain coordinator
Contact Jan by email: prayerchain@stsaviours.net
Jan’s personal testimony
Since I joined St Saviour’s a little over three years ago, I have experienced the prayer chain from both sides. Our first grandchild was gravely ill and in hospital for the first ten months of her life. We drew such comfort knowing that every day there was someone in the chain praying for her, and us, as we walked that rough road, lifting us up in prayer, committing us all to our loving heavenly Father. Without that support, that ‘bearing of our burdens’, I know that we would have been weaker, more faltering people. Our good news is that our little girl is recovering; God answered the prayers of his faithful people with her healing. This is the reason that I gladly accepted the role of prayer chain coordinator, so that I could support others in the way I was supported.
