LCMS WORLD MISSION MONTH -
Jan. 1-7 “Praying to the Lord of the Harvest…”

1. January is LCMS World Mission Month. Pray that the Holy Spirit will renew each LCMS congregation in its Great Commission vision and commitment. Pray that time spent in God’s Holy Word and in prayer will be disciplines of every LCMS member, and that 30 years of declining membership in the LCMS will be reversed.

2. Pray that the worldwide confessional Lutheran mission movement Ablaze! will be empowered by the Holy Spirit and kindled at the grassroots level of the LCMS and our partner church bodies worldwide. Pray that all involved will be focused on sharing the Good News of Jesus with 100 million unreached and uncommitted people by 2017.

3. Pray that the Holy Spirit will cause your heart to burn with passion for His purpose to seek and save those who are lost.

4. Ask God to hold back the evil schemes of Satan, who blinds people to the truth that is only found in Jesus Christ. Think of five people that you know who do not profess Jesus as their Lord. Ask God to give you an open door, courage and His words to witness to them this month. Pray for repeated opportunities to share Jesus with them this year.

5. Pray that at least one member in every LCMS congregation would catch the Ablaze! vision this year and share it with others. Pray that small groups of mission-minded members would form across the United States and that their leadership would ignite the vision among their congregations, circuits and districts.

6. God has created you for unique service in His Kingdom. Pray that God will reveal to you how you can be a Mission Responder and serve Him through your one-person-sized role in His mission.

We ask you to lift your hearts in prayers of Thanksgiving for all the blessings bestowed on us through Christ Jesus our Lord. We pray for His blessings on all, and give to Him the following petitions, that He may grant them to us in His time that they may glorify His name.

We pray for:
...The Media Ministry which is working through the Lutheran Hour Broadcast, ads placed in the papers, phone requests and personal visits by the coordinator, Patrick Jones. Pray that each of these contacts may produce the fruits of faith and strengthen people to continue to seek a lasting relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior.
...The continued task of putting into place both an evangelism and a medical program at the Bath Mountain Medical facility. Pray for Claudious Dell as he continues to find ways to reach out to the people with God's Word. Pray that the doctor and nurse may offer both physical and spiritual help to those who come to the clinic.
...The New Church year that leads us through Advent to the Christmas story and on into Epiphany. Pray that the retelling of the familiar stories brings to each of us a new closeness to our blessed Savior. He came to live on this earth to fulfill the law for us, to willingly give His life, and to triumphantly rise from the dead that we also may look forward to our resurrection and life with Him in heaven
...The special Christmas services in which children proclaim the story of Jesus and His birth. Pray that the children's faith is strengthened and that the message they share enters hearts prepared by the Holy Spirit, that all may grow close to Jesus.
...The needs of the property. Pray that the architect will complete the needed work for the approval by the KSAC, (Kingston-St. Andrew Council) so that we can get the additional paperwork completed by structural, quantity, and electrical engineers that will enable us to build.
...For Pastor Peter and Carla Kirby as they consider a call as Associate Pastor to Trinity Lutheran, Oregon City, Oregon. Pray God to lead them into His will for their future service.
...The members of St. Andrew Lutheran Church of Jamaica. Pray that they will be blessed by the Word that is preached and that they will reach out to others around them and share the good news that Jesus is born, and that He loves them and would have them all to be saved.
....The people of Jamaica. Pray for government leaders, for the economy, for schools, for family relationships that in each of these areas the good and gracious will of God may be sought so that His name may be praised.

We ask for prayers to our gracious Heavenly Father for the needs of all people everywhere but especially for:
… Pastor Rod Dunker, who came at the end of September to train teachers in the public schools to use the Lutheran catechism as a teaching tool. He was very well received; pray that the materials he left would be well used and bless the teachers and students alike, building their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior.
… The schools of Jamaica as they struggle with teacher shortages and discipline problems. Pray for God to raise up talented and committed teachers to take on this important task of training the youth of Jamaica. 
…Continued safe-keeping as the hurricane season comes to a close. Praise God for His protecting hand!
…Wisdom on how to best get the word out about the new broadcasting time and station for the Lutheran Hour broadcast, so that more may hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. 
…Blessings on the Harvest Supper that took place on November 14th. Pray for guidance for St. Andrew Lutheran that this event may be a blessing and a witness to the community.
…Continued health for the ministry staff and their families so that they may be diligent in serving the God of salvation. 
…The new property for the planned Lutheran ministry center, that the building plans would soon be accepted by the KSAC (Kingston St. Andrew Parish Council) so that we can start building. Also pray that we would be able to get the government to waive the property tax on that land, since we are a non-profit organization.
…The World Mission Board, as they give consideration to the call for a new pastoral missionary for Jamaica, that God would give wisdom and speed to their decision. 
…Guidance in how best to go aboutoutreach to the community.
…God to raise up more leaders in the Lutheran church to be trained as pastors and evangelists.
…A stable society in Jamaica that allows people to live in peace and safety, an environment that encourages them to learn about God and His will for their lives.

We ask for prayers to our gracious Heavenly Father for the needs of all people everywhere, but especially for:
• Pastor Rod Dunker, who came at the end of September to train public school teachers in the to use the Lutheran catechism as a teaching tool. He was very well received; pray that the materials he left would be well used and bless the teachers and students alike, building their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior.
• The schools of Jamaica as they struggle with teacher shortages and discipline problems. Pray for God to raise up talented and committed teachers to take on this important task of training the youth of Jamaica.
• Continued safe-keeping as the hurricane season comes to a close. Praise God for His protecting hand!
• Wisdom on how to best get the word out about the new broadcasting time and station for the Lutheran Hour broadcast, so that more may hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.
• Blessings on the Harvest Supper that will take place on November 14th. Pray for guidance for St. Andrew Lutheran as they plan and organize this event, that it may be a blessing and a witness to the community.
• Continued health for the ministry staff and their families so that they may be diligent in serving the God of salvation.
• The new property for the planned Lutheran ministry center, that the building plans would soon be accepted by the KSAC (Kingston St. Andrew Parish Council) so that we can start building. Also pray that we would be able to get the government to waive the property tax on that land, since we are a non-profit organization.
• The World Mission Board, as they give consideration to the call for a new pastoral missionary for Jamaica, that God would give wisdom and speed to their decision.
• Guidance in how best to go about outreach to the community.
• God to raise up more leaders in the Lutheran church to be trained as pastors and evangelists.
• A stable society in Jamaica that allows people to live in peace and safety, an environment that encourages them to learn about God and His will for their lives.