Welcome to Appointment Season

Please keep all of the Bishop's and Delegates in you prayers as we near General Conference

A letter was sent out to Lay leadership across the District as a call to prayer today (See letter below).Please uphold the work of the GC2019 in your prayers as well and lead your congregations in the same.

Provide a non-anxious presence in faith that God is the one who leads and is in control.

Date:   2/14/2019
To:      Prairie Rivers District Lay Leaders and Lay Servants

Fr: Prairie Rivers District Lay Leader and Lay Servant Ministries District Director Re:  Call to Prayer in the Prairie Rivers District

As you know a special General Conference is being held in St. Louis, Missouri on February 23-26th. We appreciate your leadership and are asking you to summon the troops in the Prairie Rivers District. Chapter 22 of Luke tells us that when Jesus was in great agony, He prayed more earnestly. Let’s follow Jesus’ example and call our local church to intervene with fervent and intentional prayer and fasting.

As we join in prayer and fasting, we can trust the Holy Spirit to set up a living hedge around each and every ardent leader in this monumental task that is set before the United Methodist Church. Please commit to set aside any preconceived ideals, opinions and all prejudices, as we join, in individual and corporate intercessory prayer and fasting. In the weeks to come - Encourage everyone to pray without ceasing as we carry on our daily tasks. As you organize your individual and corporate times of prayer and fasting, recall to mind, both are acts of petitioning God’s intervention and commending all who are engaged in this task to our LORD’s care.

When Jesus prayed and fasted the focus was not inward, let the same be said of us as we pray for
the Fruit of the Holy Spirit to be revealed “ But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law”. Galatians 5:22-23 Amplified Version.

We are also reminded in Romans 8:26 that we have a Helper – “The Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words”. (Amplified Version).

We can also join the laity in Northwest District, Florida United Methodist Conference in earnestly praying the following:
    Please pray for spiritual insight.
    Please pray for patience as each person strives to  listen and understand.
    Please sincerely pray for wisdom that comes through the Holy Spirit that wells within each of us.
So church, “let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy,and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16 NLT.

YAHWEH-SHALOM "The Lord Our Peace" be with each and every one of us!

Respectfully Requested by:
Kathy Uldrich, Prairie Rivers District Lay Leader and
Jeanie Leeper, Prairie Rivers District Lay Servant Ministries Director

Note: Place on your calendars that Bishop Saenz has scheduled Regional gatherings for the period following the GC2019 session to meet with pastors and laity for conversations about moving forward, whatever decision is made. These will not be set up as town halls but are intended to be a pastoral approach and held as appropriate opportunities for reflection. Mark the dates and plan to attend.

The initial dates give us two opportunities on the Prairie Rivers District: March 23 is set for Columbus First, and April 27 is set for Grand Island Trinity.

Bishop is purposefully making himself available for these time periods. He refuses to accept a political role in this conversation and identifies himself to be purposefully pastoral. This has not, nor will it change. This is his purpose and approach. We have no idea of the decision to be made. I choose to focus on the questions of Gil Rendle: Who are we? What has God called us to do? And- Who is our Neighbor?

In the meantime let us: Pray. Be present. Be faithful to our callings. Do all we can to reflect the words of Christ: “By this will all people know that you are my Disciples, in that you love one another.” John 13:35