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First Christian Church plans Agape prayer
By LINDA M. LINONIS
GIRARD
Agape, which comes from Greek, means love, benevolence and good will.
Agape prayer meetings are planned at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Sundays at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 140 E. Broadway Ave.
“Prayer is essential to faith,” said Pastor Ron Maurer. “We’re a small church and want to meet people’s needs. We ask the Lord for input and direction.”
The pastor said the church has conducted the prayer meetings for a few years and has “regulars” who attend. “It’s something important to continue with,” he said.
Pastor Maurer said the tone of the prayer meetings takes its cue from the word agape and what it means. “It is on the concept of unconditional love in mind. We pray but don’t expect anything in return,” he said.
The pastor said the church has a prayer list in its bulletin, and the group spends some time praying for those needs. Prayer requests also are accepted.
He added that the Lord’s Prayer is included in the sessions, which usually last about an hour.
“We believe prayer is an essential part of growth, both individually and collectively,” Pastor Maurer said.
Elder Joyce Faiver leads the Agape prayer meetings. A member since 1965, Faiver said she believes “prayer is the basis of Christian life.”
For the first session this Sunday, Faiver said the group, which usually numbers between three and six participants, will follow a format of ACTS, that is, adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. “We’ll praise God, confess sins, thank God for blessings and offer personal prayer,” she said.
The prayer meetings also include a devotion and Scripture passage.
The opening verse will be Ephesians 1:19 and 20, “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.”
Faiver said the prayer meetings began about three years ago at the suggestion of a church member.
“We felt it was something we should be doing ... praying for the church, community, our country and the world,” she said.