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Prayer Chain Ministry: United with Our Parish Family in Spiritual Work of Mercy
Imagine being worried about a friend or family member battling an illness or recovering from an accident. We know we need to pray and get everyone we know to pray for them. A simple way is to have the person added to the parish Prayer Chain. You can share as much or as little information as you like about the person needing prayers.
Annette Walker coordinates this ministry for St. John and sends email prayer requests to about 250 addresses. Some of the emails go to a couple or family, so well over 250 people are praying for each request.
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Mindy Freeman manages the St. James Prayer Chain, which has about 12 members. Mindy appreciates that the response is almost instantaneous.
“It is awesome to see how quickly people are willing to jump in to pray for the needs of others,” Mindy says.
“It’s a real comfort to those who ask for prayers,” Annette says. “They can take comfort in knowing a lot of people are praying for them.”
Reflecting on how she began coordinating this ministry, Annette credits God because, as she admits, she isn’t very tech-savvy. It’s an excellent ministry for her because she can’t be as involved as in the past, and so this is a ministry she can do from home.
Each person on the Prayer Chain prays for the requests in their own way. Some may include it as part of their Rosary prayers, while others may say a quick prayer when they receive the email. It’s not about how the request is prayed — it’s the power of numbers.
Annette says there’s an average of three prayer requests per week. She also sends emails with prayers answered when she receives that information. She recalls that Prayer Chain members were praying for a premature baby who eventually was healthy and able to be released from the hospital. This is just one of many stories of healing from Prayer Chain requests.
“A lot of people will call me with a ‘thank you,’” Annette says. “It’s not necessary, but it’s very nice to hear.”
This is a great ministry for someone who is homebound or who has a hectic schedule that doesn’t leave much time for volunteering. It’s also a great way to be united with our parish family.
“This is a way to stay aware of the needs of others,” Annette says. “It’s also an easy way to do a Spiritual Work of Mercy if you are busy.”
The Prayer Chain list even includes people who have moved away — there are people from Florida, Arizona, Africa, and more.
Annette believes this ministry is so vital to the life of the parish community.
“Everybody is friendly and concerned for one another,” she says. “It’s a family here.”