Some people may feel a special calling of intercessory prayer. A friend of mine, who is a Priest, confided to me that my Aunt, who was a member of the congregation she shepherded, had a particular ministry of intercession for children. She was often called upon to pray for children in the parish, particularly those who were ill or in hospital. It's important to understand that prayer is effective, whether or not the person knows they are being prayed for or has contact with the intercessor. Your congregation may have some members who feel called to a ministry of intercession and this is a role that does not require attending meetings or getting out, and may be taken on by a shut-in or a person who is mobility challenged but wishes to contribute to the life of the congregation out of the richness of their own prayer life. Our Sunday Schools and their teachers need to be undergirded with prayer; our parish priest and his or her family need prayer to cope with the challenges of life as a clergy family, those who are struggling in some way in our parishes, with faith, with physical health, with family problems; all programs in our parishes need to be undergirded and supported with prayer. If we are to fully be an earthly expression of God's heavenly love, we need to be seeking ways to express that love in our prayers.
        I've given you some examples of prayer as authentic expression of our love relationship with God. Take some time to think about your own individual role in prayer in the context of the faith community and how you might contribute to the development of prayer ministry in your own parish. Think about prayer in five different areas:

1. Using prayer in a family context: ideas for enriching family prayer times.
   
2. Prayer for teens: the development of an authentic expression of prayer and ways to contribute that expression to enrich our lives.
   
3. Prayer for grandparents: Ways of contributing prayer to our faith communities and families.
   
4. Praying in your own parish: using prayer to support ministry.
   
5. Prayer ministry for and with Sunday Schools: how can we use prayer to support people and how can the Sunday School program do its best work?
   

This article by Nancy Phillips used with permission
for publication in the St. Chad's CHIMES, September, 2002 issue.