Prayer In Motion

The descriptors “introvert” and “public evangelism” don’t usually go together. These “things” never have held appeal for me and the last thing I wanted to do was walk around town and pray for the uninformed and the unconverted.  Yet I had committed to the Rev. Erin Betz-Shank, Bishop’s Warden Heather Armstrong, and the people of Trinity, New Castle, that I’d do whatever their priest did for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday while she was on maternity leave.  That promise turned into my first experience of an ecumenical prayer walk.

Due to Erin’s leadership, laity and clergy from the churches of New Castle participate in a prayer walk around downtown New Castle on Good Friday following a humble, draped cross.  The experience was entitled “Prayer in Motion”. We began with the library and moved to the police station, Salvation Army, United Way, medical clinic, businesses, restaurants, churches, and local government offices. At each location we prayed for the work done in each profession and for those who live the profession.  

The symbolism of the event leapt out of the concrete: in the midst of an economically challenged community like New Castle, this rain-soaked procession was a moving sign of hope. We travelled into the heart of sorrow, poverty, and decay with a message of hope, faith, and commitment. Jesus was here and he was staying.  The Church was here and the Church was staying. The youngest person was about two and oldest near 90. We weren’t many. The torrential rains kept many at home. Yet, we moved, prayed, and asked God’s blessings.

Sometimes these experiences affect those around the troop most. Perhaps that’s so; I hope so. The experience deeply affected me. We are called to show up in many ways: shelter, food, medical care, money, legal assistance, counseling, recovery, and the list goes on. We are also called to show up with faith, hope, and love. What a perfect, as in complete, way to worship on Good Friday: to step into the challenges of redevelopment in New Castle, reminding people that Jesus identifies with the suffering and with those who serve those in need.  Honestly, it turned out to be one of the most beautiful worship experiences of Good Friday ever for this aging Christian.

Thank you, Erin and Heather, for your leadership and holding me to my promise.

The Rev. Al Johnson is Canon for Congregational Vitality and Innovation for the Diocese of NWPA. 

2018 Diocesan Lenten Day of Prayer

As we observe Lent, we would invite individuals and congregations throughout the Diocese to join us in a 12-hour Day of Prayer on Friday, March 9, from 9:00 AM-9:00 PM.  Four congregations will be serving as host sites:

• Church of the Ascension, Bradford (26 Chautauqua Place, 16701)
• Holy Trinity, Brookville (62 Pickering Street, 15825)
• St. Mark’s, Erie (4701 Old French Road, 16509)
• St. John’s, Sharon (226 West State Street, 16146)

All host sites will have their sanctuary open throughout the day for prayer, and will join the Diocese in times of common prayer. In addition, each site may offer additional scheduled or on-going prayer including Stations of the Cross, healing prayer, a labyrinth, community prayerwalks, The Great Litany, or centering prayer.  The schedule (which could be updated with additional events) is as follows:

9:00 AM       All Host Sites and Trinity Memorial, Warren*: Morning Prayer (Psalm 88, Genesis 47:1-26, 1 Cor. 9:16-27)

11:00 AM     St. John’s: The Great Litany

12:00 noon   All Host Sites and Trinity Memorial, Warren: Noonday Prayer

12:05 PM     St. John’s: Stations of the Cross

2:00 PM       St. John’s: Centering Prayer

5:00 PM       St. Mark’s and Trinity Memorial, Warren: Stations of the Cross

5:15 PM       All Host Sites: Evening Prayer (Psalms 91-92, Mark 6:47-56)

5:15 PM       Holy Trinity: Taize Evening Prayer

7:00 PM       St. John’s: Eucharist

8:15 PM       Holy Trinity: Contemplative Compline

8:30 PM       St John’s, St. Mark’s, Ascension, & Trinity Memorial, Warren: Compline

During this day of prayer, we especially ask prayers for discernment in the Northwestern Pennsylvania-Western New York collaboration, for the mission and ministry of our diocese, for increased evangelism throughout our region, and for the needs of our local congregations.

Individuals and congregations are encouraged to participate by joining a neighboring host site for as much of the day as you are able or by joining in the common times of prayer from your own congregations or homes.

For more information, please contact Canon Vanessa Butler (814.456.4203) or the Rev. Adam Trambley (724.347.4501).

*Additional Addresses:

Trinity Memorial, Warren (444 Pennsylvania Ave. West, 16365)

What is a Prayer Walk?

As Resurrection Church prepares for the official launch of the church, one of things the launch team has been doing to connect with our community is to hold prayer walks in different parts of Hermitage.  If you have never heard of or participated in a prayer walk you may wonder what it is.  Prayer walks are actually very simple.  Groups of people get together and spend time walking through the community and praying as they walk or stopping at certain places in the community to pray for specific people, groups or issues that may be affecting the community.

For the Resurrection Church Launch Team, this began by meeting behind the Hermitage City building.  If you park in the lot behind the building, you would see various buildings connected to Hermitage in very important ways.  You would see Hickory High School, the local police department, the Hermitage Municipal building and Rodney White Park-a local park in Hermitage.  As we gathered at that location, the team walked the grounds around the area and prayed specifically for high school teachers and students, work done by the police department and others serving our community and those who worked at the Municipal Building each and every day.  We would stop at different locations and pray for our community and those who lived and worked in it.

A few months later we gathered at Buhl Park, another local park in Hermitage.  The date we chose to meet was the day West Middlesex High School was having its homecoming.  Many of the students and family and friends gathered at the park to take pictures.  As the groups were gathering, our team walked the park stopping at certain places to pray.  We prayed for the safety of the students attending homecoming.  We prayed for the beauty of the park and for ways that we as a church could be good stewards of God’s environment.  We prayed for all the people that walked through that park, praying that God would be with them, especially those hurting and in need of God’s love.

In November, news came out that a dispute between a transgender employee and a co-worker at our local Wal Mart caused a shooting to take place in the parking lot.  Later that week Resurrection Church held a prayer walk at the Wal Mart.  We walked outside and prayed for God’s peace.  We prayed for our brothers and sisters in the LBGTQ community and all those in Hermitage who are marginalized because of their gender, race or sexual orientation.  We prayed for all those affected by violence and those who live in fear.

And just last week some of our launch team gathered at our local mall and walked throughout the mall praying for our community.  We prayed for the stores closing in the mall and those whose lives are affected by the economy and loss of jobs.  We prayed for those at the mall who are in need of God – those who are hurting, lonely and in need of God’s presence.  We prayed for those we are trying to reach as we plant this new Episcopal faith community, that God will open up doors for us to have conversations and to reach new people through the church we are planting.

In each of these prayer walks, the purpose is very simple. Pray for the community.  Pray that God will open our eyes to see the community the way God sees it and to help us see the vision for reaching new people.  Prayer walks do not take a lot of time, but they are so effective.  Walking in the community and praying for specific places, people, groups and issues allows the church to be present in the community, to bathe the community with God’s love and presence and to help the church to see the community the way God sees it.

I encourage every church to try holding prayer walks in your own community.  Where are the places your church could gather and pray as you walk?  Where is God calling you to connect with your community?  Where are the places in your community where you are longing to see the community as God sees it?  Where are the places and people that need to be transformed by the love and grace of Jesus Christ?  Wherever those places are, gather as a church and simply pray. I think your church will be surprised by what you see and the way God will use these walks to build God’s kingdom here on earth.

The Rev. Jason Shank is overseeing Resurrection Church, our church plant in Hermitage.

This is the second installment in our Prayer series that will run up to the Diocesan Prayer Vigil in March. Click here to view other stories in the series, and here for more information on the Vigil.