Too often prayer is given lip service. Someone asks us to pray and we say we will and then forget the request minutes later. This is rarely if ever done intentionally- it just happens. Other times it may happen because we simply don’t value prayer as we should.
I don’t want either to happen as I make this request of you, the HLPC church family. I’m asking you to pray for your Elders as they gather for some strategic planning for our church. On August 21st – 22nd, the Session will meet and prayerfully plan for ministry priorities for 2016. Why such level of planning? Two reasons immediately come to mind. First, so that we can be good stewards of the resources God has given us as a church and attempt to use them effectively. Second, so that we can be more intentional in fulfilling the calling God has given His Church.
What will the plan for the weekend be? We will look at the church God wants us to be. We want to re-affirm what we understand is the unique mission we have in Houston County and beyond. Then, we want to look at where we are. What are the strengths, the weaknesses, the opportunities and the threats before HLPC? With this data in mind, we want to formulate where we want to go in the year ahead. By God’s grace and with His help, we hope to formulate 2-3 major ministry goals along with defined pathways to pursue them.
This will be a first for us. We’ve not embarked on this level of planning before. I’m very excited for us to be more focused about our ministry efforts as a church. We plan to share with you in October what comes out of this gathering with the hopes that we all are encouraged to be a more integral part of what God can do through HLPC.
This brings me back to where I started. Would you commit to praying daily, starting today, for this Elders’ retreat August 21-22? Perhaps include a prayer for your elders during the time you thank God for your evening meal? I sincerely desire that this whole enterprise be devoted to the Lord and that He guide and direct all that we do. I’m pleading with all who read this to please, please pray! Effective, God-honoring, Christ-exalting, Spirit led church planning demands that we pray.