There are often needs for prayer that occur between Sundays, and people
are left unsure of how to spread the word to other members of the congregation.
A call to the Rector is obviously one way, but it would simplify the process
for many, and help to get the power of prayer mobilised more quickly if
we used telephone and email.
There are concerns over confidentiality, so it is proposed that the
permission of the subject of the prayer request give their permission before
the prayer request is passed on.
The following system has been used in another church to good effect.
Email Prayer Chain
An email address on googlegroups.com, sjacpc@googlegroups.com
has been created. Members of the church wishing to participate may subscribe
by sending an email to
sjacpc-subscribe@googlegroups.com
or by signing up on a list, which will be placed at the back of the church.
Any member of the list can post a request for prayer (assuming that
they have received the require permission.) The message is delivered simultaneously
to all members of the list.
An email request should also trigger a telephone prayer request.
Telephone Prayer Chain
One main person (or an alternate, if they are not available) receives
a call (or an email requesting prayer). The main contact, after assuring
the required permission has been obtained, then calls two people, who call
two people. These people then call until they reach a live person, but
leave a message on the answering machine of anyone who is not home, telling
them of the request for prayer. Once a live contact has been made, that
person continues the prayer chain. The last person in the chain calls the
Main Contact to say that the request has been received.
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