In the book of Romans, God tells us, “… in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28). This promise may have been difficult to believe the weekend after the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting. However, on Wednesday, December 19, 2012, a group of around 20 people gathered together in the narthex of Trinity, Utica. After a weekend of feeling helpless and a little broken, this group of parents, family members, and administrators gathered together to pray.
This was not a prayer vigil, but an all-out prayer assault against the powers of darkness. The Prayer March participants prayed over each classroom, hallway, ministry area, the youth rooms, and the church and school offices of Trinity. The goal of this group was to pray for the protection of the students (physically, spiritually, and mentally), for the learning that takes place in each room, for the students and parents to know the peace of God even in difficult times, and finally for the students to show and experience God’s grace each day.
The Prayer March lasted about an hour; however, the effects of this time will last much longer. One participant shared, “This was such an emotional experience. God’s presence was palpable. A blazing fire was started today.”
Many of the people involved in the Prayer March are going to continue to gather together once-a-month to march through the church and school, storming the gates with prayer!
To learn more on the subject of prayer, consider Journey Into Prayer by Rev. Milton L. Rudnick. Learn how to pray more eagerly, joyfully, and effectively. Also consider Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison’s translation of Martin Luther’s A Simple Way to Pray. Childrens’ books include: God, I’ve Gotta Talk to You and Prayer: Learning How to Talk to God. All books are published by Concordia Publishing House. www.cph.org
