Peninsula District of the United Methodist Church

Peninsula Prayer Partners

Prayer is a relationship with Christ, a union resulting from Jesus' work on the cross that grants us the privilege of being members of God's family. In a true relationship, communication is two sided – each speaking and listening – as in a family.

Prayer has many different forms each serving different purposes: Confession of sin because sin is offensive to God we will want to confess it and keep the relationship at its best. See Psalm 51:1-4, 10, 12; 1 John 1:9 Praise is our response to who God is and all of God's attributes and character. See Psalm 145:3-7 Prayer is also worship . Worship is loving God, adoring and honoring all that God is. See Psalm 42:1-2 Thanksgiving prayer is seen in Psalm 136:1-9, 26. Thanksgiving acknowledges that everything we have comes from God. Prayer takes on two general natures: first, prayer that is offered for yourself called petitioning prayer; and second, prayer offered on behalf of others called intercession .

Scriptural Bases for Prayer

• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray without ceasing”
• Ephesians 6:18 “Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.”
• Matthew 21:13 “Jesus said, My house shall be called a house of prayer…”

Persistence in prayer:

• Luke 11:8
• Luke 18:6-7;
• Colossians 4:2;
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Sample of Prayers found in Scripture:

• Romans 1:8-10; 16:20
• Ephesians 1:15-20; 3:13-21
• Philippians 1:2-11
• Colossians 1:3-14 (verses 9-14 especially)
• 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3; 3:9-13

Suggestions for Prayer:

For the Peninsula District:

• For our Congregations
• For our Pastors
• For our Lay Leaders
• For our Church Families
• To have a vision of what God has for us
• To be aware and use the gifts God has given us
• To recognize the resources God is giving to accomplish our missions
• For those the Lord desires to bring into our churches

For our Communities:

• For our schools, teachers, support staff, and students
• For our Police and Sheriffs
• For our Firefighters and Emergency Service people
• For doctors, dentists, nurses and other health care people

The Serenity Prayer God, grant me the serenity to accept the thins I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. Amen. U.M.H. #459

The Prayer of St. Francis Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Francis of Assisi, Italy, 13 th cent. U.M.H. #481