By Evangelist Val Eloby-Slade
We give praise and honor to God our Father; Jesus, His Son; and the Power of our Comforter, the Holy Ghost as we continue to celebrate the Bishop Sarah Francis Davis Covenant Keepers and Intercessors (Bishop SFD CK & I), which was overwhelmingly voted into our Discipline at the 2016 General Conference by the participating delegates. We publically thank all those delegates and prayer warriors who helped make this vision and goal become a reality. This entity is a power source under the leadership of Bishop A. J. Richardson of the 11th Episcopal District and the Rev. Dr. James C. Wade, Executive Director of the Department of Church Growth and Evangelism. The director of the Bishop SFD CK & I is the Rev. Dorisalene Y. Hughes from the 5th Episcopal District.
Should anyone have a desire to become a member of this body, you are invited and welcomed to get in contact with the Rev. Hughes at dorisalene@aol.com with the subject line, “Bishop SFD CK & I Team Training.”
The mandate placed upon us many years ago found the Old Testament is of greater urgency today more than ever. Second Chronicles 7:13-15 says, “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.” In addition, 1 Timothy 2:7-8 says, “For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.” Public prayer should be a part of the worship service and should be the role of the church leadership. The Old and New Testaments have clearly given us all these instructions.
Fast forward to the date of Friday, April 13, 2018. It is a date that has already been appointed for the entire church and facilitated by the AME Church as a Connectional Day of Prayer. This day has been supported by our bishops, episcopal supervisors, general and connectional officers, annual conferences, presiding elder districts, local leaders, pastors and clergy, their spouses, laity, and youth. This will be a day like none other. It is a day that the Lord will have made and anointed for our Connectional Day of Prayer. Let us be ready to be glad and rejoice on this day.
Work while there is still time. Now is the time for each local church to plan to be present at the Connectional Day of Prayer by calling into the service line that will be communicated at a later date. Now is the time for every Episcopal district and presiding elder district to plan what your districts will be doing on April 13, 2018. Being creative and involving our youth on this Connectional Day of Prayer is an excellent way to ensure total inclusiveness. We encourage every conference and presiding elder district to develop or re-develop your local prayer teams. Join us at our monthly midnight prayer call every first Monday of the month at midnight (EST). The call-in number is (641)715-3690 and the access code is 833863#.
Now is the time for everyone to begin announcing our midnight prayer call as well as our upcoming Worldwide Connectional Day of Prayer. We encourage you to place the announcements in your church bulletins and online. We encourage you to provide a person or team to document what method of public prayer your local church and presiding elder district facilitated. Report those events after the Connectional Day of Prayer to the Rev. Holmes by email or to POB 5278, Berkeley, CA 92705. To God be the Glory.
