Converge Prayer, Petitions and Praises

“Then Jesus told this parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”  Luke 18:1

God has given us an extraordinary gift in these extraordinary days… TIME.  Time to invest in praying for each other but also for the many needs and opportunities that our united ministries have to advance the Gospel.  This is another time where being “better together” becomes a living reality for all of us in Converge.  While many of us are busy with home schooling, home working or simply trying to figure out how God is going to provide to pay the bills while we’re not working, God is there waiting to meet with us and give us the joy of His presence and the privilege of participating with Him in His unfolding plans and purposes in our local communities and the nations of the world.

As prayers, petitions and praises come to our attention in the Converge National Day of Prayer, please include requests like these:

• For God’s will and purposes to be done and be seen to be done by His people and the lost people of the world.
• That His church in Converge PacWest, across the nation and around the world will emerge from this season stronger and more focused on living to serve Christ and the Kingdom for His glory.
• That the many new and creative ways God is supplying for our churches to meet, grow and serve will fuel a powerful movement of evangelism, mission and church planting.
• That each church will seize the opportunities and discover ways to reach out and help with the real human needs in their communities created by the separation, job losses and health issues arising out of this pandemic.
• For our national, state, local and church leaders to turn to God in these times and to find God’s wisdom and ability to know how to respond to the many challenges they face.
• That God’s people will be faithful to give, pray and serve in whatever ways they can now and in the days to come.
• For the healing of many people who’ve contracted COVID-19 and other health issues and for the peace and comfort of those who have lost loved ones.
• When God’s eternal purposes have been fully achieved, that He would be pleased to bring a quick end to this global pandemic and help with the rebuilding of the things that have been lost, for His glory.

Other prayer requests shared from those in our district:

• Praise: Thanks to our Heavenly Father for always protecting the lives of his children and also for preparing his church for the harvest.
  Request:  Wisdom to guide our own family and to learn through this crisis, how to continue fulfilling our vital function, as light of the world and salt of the earth
• Praise: Thank God for rain in California.
  Request: I pray our church will humble ourselves and pray and seek God's face and turn from our wicked ways, so that God will hear from heaven, and God will heal our city. 
• Praise: For how our church family (Calvary Presbyterian Church in Stockton) has pulled together and served one another in the midst of this pandemic.
  Request: For God to lead the church and our next pastor together with a great fit and in His perfect timing.
• Praise: We (First Baptist Church in Dinuba) are still looking ahead to our transition in senior pastor with Pastor Tom Carter's retirement June 1 and Pastor Rick Foddrill's new role as senior pastor. We are also seeing a lot of unity as a church with the difficult decisions that have been needed because of COVID-19 and are praying for the Spirit's humbling of many hearts to turn to the Lord as a result of this pandemic.
  Request: We have three church members who are near death (not related to COVID-19) and three others with a family member near death or who has already passed (two related to COVID-19). 
• Please lift up in prayer our Converge PacWest Board of Overseers as they serve the Lord in their churches, families, communities and with the District for God's glory--and to Start and Strengthen Churches Together Worldwide! Our Board: Dave Parsons (chairman) of Golden Hills in Brentwood, Damon Owens (vice-chairman) of Genesis Church in Antioch, Manny Lopez (secretary) of New Covenant in Fresno, Tiffany Markum of LifeCity in Santa Clara, Wade Robinson of Calvary in Turlock, Mila Romprey of House of Faith in Hayward, Henry Pauls of Central Community in Fresno, and Ed Andrews (treasurer) of Golden Hills in Brentwood.
• Ask the Lord to lead us in planting five vibrant, gospel-centered, people-loving churches through our collaborative efforts this year!
• Give thanks for the increased number of church planting candidates and opportunities that are rising up in our region. Pray we will have a sense of God's priorities and pacing in every case.
• Pray that the Lord will help our churches see the value of partnering with each other across ethnic and economic lines in order to live and give the gospel (see Jesus' prayer in John 17:20-21).
• Pray for Kimberly Johnson as she battles the Coronavirus and the family as they offer encouragement and support while trying to keep healthy. Kimberly was improving for a time but had a recent setback with a return of a high temperature and shortness of breath.  Pastor Ron and Kimberly Johnson are from East Valley Church, San Jose.
• God is raising up workers for the church planting harvest!  We currently have twelve (plus!) candidate couples in this leadership pipeline. Please be praising God and praying for:

  Jordan & Jenae Diepersloot (VIA Fresno Downtown campus)
  Eugene & Cassandra Jackson
  Damon & Kameelah Whitaker
  Kevin & Brooke Llanos
  Guillermo & Petra Tenorio
  Hector & Rossy Vasquez
  Antione Miller
  Tony & Roxanna Petersen
  Joshua & Jamielynn Smith
  Aaron & Cathy Horner
  Glemar & Imelda Melo
  Avimeal & Damaris Nunez

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