LINC—Twin Cities hosts “prayers for the city” at Trinity First Lutheran in Minneapolis
Pray for the City participants at Trinity First Lutheran Church (LCMS), Minneapolis, spend time in small groups praying for a wide range of concerns. Photo provided by LINC-Twin Cities
LINC—Twin Cities, a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod-based congregational revitalization ministry, has initiated a new prayer ministry at Trinity First Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Under the theme “Pray for the Cities: Let God Speak,” LINC brings together community members with prayer partners from around the region.
Trinity First Lutheran, 1115 East 19th Street, offers a community meal every Thursday night. LINC is adding an occasional evening of prayer for anyone participating in the meal.
“We use a concert prayer format,” explained Lynn Henry, president of the local LINC board. “A leader talks briefly about an idea like people in government or peace in the neighborhood, and then small groups pray together about that topic for about five minutes, while music is played in the background.
“We want to create a reverent mood in the sanctuary,” Henry told Metro Lutheran. “The leader reads Scripture as people pray for the next prayer time.”
Participants sometimes pray with people they know already, and sometimes find new acquaintances. “We know that people in traditional churches are not always encouraged to pray in small groups,” Henry said. “Here they are.”
“A leader talks briefly about an idea like people in government or peace in the neighborhood, and then small groups pray together about that.”
The initial offering of Pray for the Cities took place in February. Kurtis Smith, an international missionary called through LINC—Twin Cities to serve the local area, offered the guided prayer process at that meeting. With LINC facilitating his mission, Smith works through Trinity First and the associated Franklin Center.
About 100 people participated in the initial effort.
Praying on the National Day of Prayer
Trinity First will host the second Pray for the Cities event at 7:00 p.m. on May 2. As it happens, that is the National Day of Prayer, an annual coordinated national observance highlighted by presidential proclamation. “We know some other churches have prayer vigils throughout the day,” Henry mentioned. “People who are involved in those are invited to finish the day with us at Trinity First.”
For more information about Pray for the City or the National Day of Prayer, visit www.linctwincities.org or call 651/270-4600.
Tags: Bob Hulteen, Kurtis Smith, LCMS, LINC —Twin Cities, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Lynn Henry, National Day of Prayer, Pray for the Cities, prayer, sanctuary, Trinity First Lutheran Church Minneapolis
