Hear Our Prayers
In a focused effort to prepare for the upcoming General Conference session, the South Georgia Conference is launching a month-long Conference-wide prayer initiative, “Hear Our Prayers.” It will begin the day after Easter and run through the General Conference session, scheduled April 23-May 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Psalm 4:1 says: “Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.” Each day laity and clergy will be asked to pause and pray for our church’s mission and for the upcoming conference at 4:01.
Daily Prayers
April 1: With the hope of Easter people, help us face the obstacles and opposition in our lives with the same enthusiasm we embrace opportunities. Help us move faithfully forward, confident that God’s power is greater than all life will present us realizing that the worst thing is not the last thing. In Christ alone!
April 2: O God who never wearies, pour out your extravagant grace on your people in ways that reveal your quiet strength, your hopeful presence and your faithful love.
April 3: Holy God, in prayer, deepen our devotion and heighten our gratitude so that our actions in word and deed reflect the depth of your mercy and grace.
April 4: Holy God, today may we recognize that our unity is found in Jesus Christ. He is the One who holds us together, whatever we may face in our own lives and in our world.
April 5: Gracious God, Unite us in mind and spirit so that all may see your way amid the paths before us.
April 6: God, pour out your blessings as we continue to be a living witness to the good news of Jesus Christ.
April 7: Breath Prayer: Christ knit us together (inhale) | By Strong ties of love (exhale)
April 8: God of Heaven, we seek a fresh falling of your Spirit for our church, that your love would speak loudly in our lives and that the world might know whom we follow by the way that we love those around us. Open our ears that we may hear your voice calling us to deeper water and deeper relationship with you.
April 9: Oh God, May we lean on the knowledge that you are a God who provides and that in the midst of the chaos and uncertainty of life, you are constant. Your presence is unwavering day after day. May we seek you in all that we are and all that we do.
April 10: God of all creation, We know that you are a God who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and we pray that we may seek to be the same. We pray that before we speak we will listen, before we act we will think, and before we judge we will seek understanding.
April 11: Breath Prayer: Divine Wisdom (inhale) | Be our Guide (exhale)
April 12: O God, When our lives are swallowed by what we think we know or what we think is right, guide us to live our lives in such a way that seeks out your wisdom and knowledge.
April 13: Breath Prayer: Seeking only YOU (inhale) | We listen intently (exhale)
April 14: Today we pray especially for Your guidance for our South Georgia delegation. Give to them—and to us—the mind of Christ and enable us to abide in Him so that we may be fruitful disciples in our own day and time.
April 15: God, May you reveal how you are moving and working in The United Methodist Church, and give us wisdom in how to be a part of that work. Amen. (Written by delegate Dana Goshorn)
April 16: I praise you and thank you for the people of The United Methodist Church. I thank you for
using the United Methodist Church as an avenue to reach the nation and world with the gospel. I am grateful for the members of various congregations who faithfully share their time, talents, gifts and witness. More so, God I am grateful for how you have brought the United Methodist Church through these difficult and tumultuous times. Now, God, as we prepare for the 2024 General Conference, I ask that your Spirit would direct and guide the delegates who will make important decisions about the future of the UMC. I acknowledge that the UMC is your church. Thus, I pray that all the delegates seek spiritual guidance as they address the various issues. May God's will be done at the General Conference. Finally, I pray that when the General Conference ends, each UM congregation will remember that our mission is to Make Disciples for the Transformation of the World. So no matter what happens at the General Conference, may we keep our focus on sharing the gospel and transforming lives. I pray this prayer in the awesome and marvelous name of Jesus. Amen. (Written by delegate Michael Culbreth)
April 17: O God, give us a glimpse of your Kingdom. Help us forsake our own little kingdoms that we might have eyes to see your Way and hearts filled with courage to faithfully follow Jesus. Guide your people called Methodist into a future marked with Easter hope, trusting that the Risen Christ will lead us even when we don't fully grasp where we are going. Grant us your peace as we travel this way together and hearts full of love for all of your children, now and forevermore. AMEN. (Written by delegate Ben Gosden)
April 18: Lord, during this season I pray for harmony among all as Jesus’s new commandment mandates. I pray that everything that I think, say, or do will reflect the love of Jesus and bring honor to him. Amen. (Jn.13:34-35) (Written by delegate John Ray)
April 19: Lord, prepare our hearts and minds for the work that lies ahead of us. Father pour on us Your wisdom and reveal Your will to us, so that every vote brings glory and honor to You and Your kingdom. Amen. (Written by delegate Patsy Thomas)
April 20: Loving and Holy God, I pray our holy conferencing will be informed by the Wesleyan call to “spread scriptural holiness across the land” even as we seek innovative and contextual ministry for our diverse and modern world. May we find ways to teach the unchanging truth and radical grace of God to a world that is ever changing and persistently broken. May The United Methodist Church be the salt and light Christ calls us to be. In Jesus’s name, Amen. (Written by delegate Tony Crosby)
April 21: Lord, we need you amid the big emotions and business of General Conference. Please align our hearts and our will with yours. Open our ears to the sound of your voice. Speak Lord, your servants are listening. Amen. (Written by delegate Precious Hawkins)
April 22: Dear Lord, as we enter this season of General Conference, let us not be filled with anxiety, but one of peace and placing our trust in you. Give our delegates wisdom, discernment, and clarity on the issues at hand, and not let the worries of the outside world distract them. Give each delegate strength and stamina to carry out this important work in the days leading up and during their time at conference. Amen. (Written by delegate Karen Forrester)
April 23: Gracious God, we, your people called United Methodist, are gathering from all over your beautiful and diverse world to work towards your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. Unite us in Christ through a graceful acceptance of each other. Open the eyes of our hearts to see one another as you see us, all made in your image. Help us model to a divided and self-serving world what it means to love one another as you have loved us. In the name of the risen Christ we pray. Amen. (Written by delegate Ben Martin)
April 24: Father, as we gather as a global church with our brothers and sisters from all over the world in worship, holy conversations and the work of your church, give us a glimpse of your kingdom - your will for The United Methodist Church and let it be so. Amen. (Written by delegate Allison Lindsey)
April 25: Loving God, may we clearly hear and heed your direction for the Church. In the midst of the many voices, may we clearly hear your voice. May we, as a Church, accept, honor, and abide by the decisions that are made. May we practice and submit to holy conferencing and go about the work of making disciples of Jesus for the transformation of the world. Amen. (Written by delegate Jimmy Asbell)
April 26: Precious Father, may everyone at our General Conference diligently seek your will as we go about doing the work of the church. Let your Holy Spirit guide us and inspire us as we gather, so that we have the courage and humility to deny ourselves and follow your will. In Jesus' name. (Written by delegate Denise Rooks)
April 27: Lord God, you promise that where two or more are gathered in your name, you are in their midst. As General Conference meets in Charlotte to set the rules and establish procedures for virtually every aspect of the church's life, keep those gathered mindful that the work of the church is making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We pray that your Holy Spirit would permeate all interactions, conversations and procedures. As general conference works to communicate the official United Methodist positions on a variety of issues and global challenges, may all put aside self and be mindful of doing the most good, the least harm and that which shows Christ’s love to a world in need. And dear Lord, please keep us mindful of Wesley‘s admonition to agree to disagree in love. When our hope does not unfold in the timeframe we desire, please give us confidence to rest the future in your blessed hands. We ask all of these things in the name of Christ, who is both Alpha and Omega. Amen. (Written by delegate Scott Cleaveland)
April 28: Gracious God, may your Holy Spirit grow us in grace this day. May the efforts of the General Conference increase the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control of the people called Methodists. We pray this for every delegate, reserve, Bishop, staff, media, and person prayerfully following from home - we are the church together. Amen. (Written by delegate Scott Hagan)
April 29 - May 3:
Breath Prayer:
Divine Wisdom (inhale)
Be our Guide (exhale)
Come, Holy Spirit, come.
"God's command to 'pray without ceasing' is founded on the necessity we have of His grace
to preserve the life of God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without it, than
the body can without air. Whether we think of or speak to God, whether we act or suffer for Him,
all is prayer, when we have no other object than His love, and the desire of pleasing Him."
John Wesley