Introducing our new Prayer Wall
Starting today, St. Stephen is introducing a new way for church members, regular attenders, friends, and guests to engage in praying and praising with members of our church family in a more proactive and intentional way.
Our new Prayer Wall is located at ststephenumc.net/prayers, accessible via a button on our home page and in the main navigation menu. You'll also find the Prayer Wall prominently linked in each Weekly e-Bulletin, emailed to you every Thursday. (Not on the email list? Sign up here.)
Why this change?
Our new Prayer Wall is a digital engagement effort meant to strengthen our culture of prayer, compassion, and care. So much of our lives is already digital — ever present and quickly accessible via the click of a mouse or the tap of a button. Transitioning our process for receiving prayer requests and praise reports to a digital format puts all of our church members, friends, and guests into the "driver's seat":
- Each person is fully in control of what they share, when they share it, with whom they share it
- Each person is fully in control of when and how often they access up-to-date prayers and praises; no more waiting until the Thursday Weekly e-Bulletin, worship on Sunday mornings, or sharings through the grapevine to hear about prayers
- Each person can access prayers and praises 24/7/365 for integration into their own regular devotional practices and life of prayer.
How do I use the Prayer Wall?
Using the Prayer Wall is so easy!
- Go to the Prayer Wall, located at ststephenumc.net/prayers (or access it from a button on our home page or prominently included in each Weekly e-Bulletin)
- Scroll to find and then click the "Add a Prayer or Praise" button
- Complete the form
- Choose to share your prayer or praise as (a) Public, meaning your name will be shown, (b) Anonymous, meaning your name will not be shown, or (c) Don't Share, which means your prayer or praise will not be published on the Prayer Wall and will only be viewable by staff.
- Hit the "Submit" button, then wait for your prayer or praise to be reviewed and approved by church staff; we'll always attempt to review prayers and praises as we receive them.
Remember: Do not share personal information like your or other people's telephone numbers, email addresses, or physical or mailing addresses. (If you do, this information will be removed in our moderation process.)
What about sympathies and complex or private matters?
We ask that you contact Mandy Chandler directly via mchandler@ststephenumc.net or by calling the church office at 704-364-1824 for...
- The passing of church members, especially if private pastoral support or the coordination of funeral, memorial, or other arrangements is required
- Complex private matters that require direct and private pastoral support
You should use the Prayer Wall for sharing news of the passing of friends and relatives who are not members of the church.
Ideas for incorporating the Prayer Wall into your Prayer and Devotional Life
Daily Prayer: Visit the prayer wall each morning or evening, or whenever you set aside dedicated time for prayer. Commit to praying for 2-3 specific requests you see posted each day.
Weekly Prayer Focus: Visit the prayer wall and view recent requests. Choose one or two prayer requests on which you will focus consistent and repeated prayer throughout the week.
Keep a Private Prayer Journal: Keep a journal of the folks you're praying for. Overtime, take notice of any updates. When good news occurs, incorporate prayers of gratitude and praise for answered prayers.
Reach Out with Care and Compassion: At St. Stephen, our members, friends, and guests are never truly praying alone. Let members of our church family know you're praying with and for them. Click the interactive buttons on each prayer or praise, or, better yet, reach out with a phone call, text, or share a kind word the next time you see someone in person or ask folks what you can do to help or support them in their time of need.
Quickly Accessing the Prayer Wall
Here are some ideas for making sure you can quickly access the Prayer Wall:
- Add the Prayer Wall to your computer web browser's bookmarks or favorites. Visit this article for instructions for a wide variety of browsers and platforms.
- Add the Prayer Wall on your smartphone or tablet home screen. Visit this article for instructions for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.