Cancer Prayer Circle
Simply put, prayer is communication between the Creator and the created. The yearning and need for intimate communion with God has been built into man’s soul: prayer is universal and is found in all cultures and in all religions.
When a serious illness such as cancer appears we instinctively turn to prayer for prayer can bring comfort, hope, forgiveness, courage, faith, a sense of community and the feeling of God’s close presence. When grief, sadness, or tragedy strikes, words may fail us; hearts and minds may be unable to form coherent thoughts or word patterns. Devastated, silent, empty, we may only be able to manage a prayer of “Please, God” and hope that these words as well as tears will be heard. At these times we can only rest in God’s presence, hopeful that God’s compassion and mercy will come.
Many say they don’t really know how to pray. Accustomed to attending church services where beautiful formal prayers are prayed with language that’s passed down through the centuries or to hearing prayers with lilting language that have been written beforehand, we don’t feel our prayers are “good enough” or that God will hear them. Feeling inadequate and intimidated, we may not even try to pray, however the most important ingredient is sincerity in the heart of the person praying. Posture, place, words and time don’t matter, only the heart-felt desire to be open to God’s presence and to feel the peace and strength that can come from this communion. Prayer is the response of the human heart to the need for communion with God. Many models and excellent resources have been made available to assist in developing a prayer life but above all, it is communicating, with or without words, in company or in solitude, in joy or in sorrow, in praise or petition, with our Maker and developing a close and sustaining relationship through the good and bad times that life inevitably flings our way.
Our cancer prayer circle is open to individuals with cancer or have had Cancer as well as their family and friends. At each prayer circle we pray for one another, share stories, share communion and an anointing for healing. Participants have an opportunity to be a part of a small supportive prayer chain empowering them to pray for one another as well as share information about oncologists, radiologists, where to go and where not to go for treatment.
Please contact the church office or email our Health Ministries to obtain more details about upcoming Cancer Prayer Circles