Pray Sterling Coming September 12th
PRAY STERLING
An initiative of Transformation Forum
Assisting our community to become agents of change through prayer, community service and business
WHEN: Saturday, September 12, 2009 Time: 2:30 pm – 4pm
WHERE: Sterling Community Center, 120 Enterprise Street, Sterling Virginia
WHO: All area residents, churches/congregations, businesses and civic
WHAT: Transformation Forum in Sterling
WHY: Come and learn how all of us can transform Sterling and make a difference through Pray Sterling.
GUEST SPEAKER: Rev. Dr. Jack Stagman - President Transformation Forum. Jack also serves as Marketplace Chaplain for the Christian Business Forum and is a missionary to the US from South Africa. He has lived in Purcellville with his family for the past eight years.
Through the process of transformation we can become agents of positive influence and change through prayer, blessing and community service for the purpose of impacting business, ministry, government, education, media and the arts.
Transformation Forum’s vision is to establish an influential and united partnership with marketplace and church leaders where the central focus is prayer. The objective is to promote change for the spiritual climate through prayer, fasting and transforming the people and institutions of Loudoun County with practical demonstrations of love and acts of compassion. According to Jack Stagman, Transformation Forum’s definition of Marketplace/Church leaders is “believers who are leaders in business and government who share our vision and mission. These marketplace leaders function as equal partners together with church leaders, working together as one, with a passion to transform and impact society through their spheres of influence.”
The Scriptures speak of God's concern for the poor, sick, abused, molested and unloved. Likewise, Pray Sterling knows God loves unity among his people; Psalm 133 states, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity…” He wants to redeem and restore wherever sin and rebellion have brought harm. This Pray Sterling movement is based primarily on unity among church and community leaders. Pray Sterling believes when God looks at a city, he looks first at the churches and church leaders uniting in prayer - not for their own churches, but for the whole city and its people. Pray Sterling believes God is eager to answer those prayers and bring blessings to the entire community.
Loudoun Transformation Forum groups are meeting weekly in Middleburg, Purcellville, Leesburg and Ashburn. Pray Middleburg currently has a bible study held every Friday afternoon at the Middleburg Tennis Club with about 26 men participating. Pray Purcellville meets every Tuesday from 8 AM to 9 AM to pray at the local train station. Representatives from Intercessors for America and Breakthrough Prayer Ministries attend this meeting. The POC is Dave Dittmeier (540) 338-5380. Pray Leesburg meets every Wednesday from 8 AM to 9 AM in the basement at Thomas Balch Library at 208 West Market Street. This group now enjoys the participation of a local community leader that prays with them. The POC is Pastor Lyman Eddy (703) 505-2315. Pray Ashburn meets every Thursday from noon to 1 PM to pray in the chapel/conference room at the Good Shepherd Alliance Center of Hope in Ashburn Village. The group plans to initiate prayer walks within the streets of Ashburn Village. The POC is Pastor Jeff Jacob (571) 332-2525.
Pray Purcellville at Train Station - Photo Transformation Forum
Local clergy, ministry leaders, intercessors, and non-profit organizations from the various county jurisdictions meet monthly for a meal, prayer, and fellowship. This very popular gathering is known as “The Shepherd’s Table” and is fast becoming the centerpiece of Northern Virginia. The Shepherd’s Table was established in January 2007. The event is organized by Transformation Forum in association with Prison Fellowship at Lansdowne.
These transformation prayer groups are no longer meeting in churches. They meet in train stations, libraries and in the offices of faith-based non-profit organizations. The result is an influx of pastors who never before attended pastor meetings but are motivated to participate or lead community prayers. Pastors are challenged to go into the streets and be at the forefront of community involvement and prayer initiatives.
Circle Prayer at Center of Hope in Ashburm - photo Bob McNanley
Jim Cryer who is a member of Chesapeake Church International in Leesburg recently told me that there is one additional component that is vital to the success of these gatherings. That is the involvement of leaders from all segments of society: local government officials and agency leaders, business owners and anyone in a place of service and/or influence in the community. It all belongs to God and we believe He responds with a level of interest and willingness to move powerfully when we recognize and pray for this type of broad involvement. We would love to be a part of a real move of God that touches society at many levels.
Cryer claims, “By depending primarily on prayer rather than programs and various other activities that have been attempted for years with minimal results, we are acknowledging God's sovereignty over it all. Once a spiritual breakthrough is achieved and God begins to answer prayers, as has happened dramatically in several places, then some of the ‘lesser’ things can be undertaken and we can expect to witness powerful results.”
Bill Bray, a blogger to my column wrote about the importance of prayer in releasing the will of God. He said, “It was the Lord Jesus Christ at the time of his ascension who commanded his disciples to tarry and wait for the Holy Spirit in order to receive power. The result was Pentecost and the birth of the church. A study of the Bible will show that this is one of many scores of commands and examples for believers to pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Almighty God does in fact desire our communion with him through prayer and actually requires prayer of his people at many levels. Most people of faith and reason who read the Scriptures do realize that prayer does in fact release the will of God through his body the church and through individual believers.”Through a united Pray Sterling, God will work His miracles in Sterling. He is waiting to hear from the people of Sterling! Join us on September 12 to prepare for these miracles! For more information about this exciting event contact Brenda Baker: 540-907-5115 Email: heirsofabrahammin@verizon.net.
This event is sponsored by Heirs of Abraham Outreach.
Paul said to the Ephesians,“… walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” [Ephesians 4:1-3]If anyone is interested in publishing a faith article on this web column, please contact Mark Gunderman at gunderman2001@aol.com.