An invitation to prayer and waiting on the Holy Spirit

An Open Letter to my covenant brothers and sisters in the North Texas Conference:

When I reflected on GC 2012, the image that kept coming to me was the Tower of Babel. It seemed to me that various groups were trying to build a tower to the heavens with their various plans and God confused their voices and sent them out.  The anger that I have had at the triads, the new plans, the lack of guaranteed appointments, etc. was amplified by the chaos at GC.  And then a few days ago, after listening to the Bishop’s talk on YouTube and the message about HPUMC, I was angry – again.  I wrote down all the reasons. But when I woke up the next morning, God “hit me upside the head” (as we say in East Texas) and helped me to the realization that my anger was not the righteous anger of God (who knew?) and God gave me a word from the Holy Spirit that I share with you.

I have heard a lot about us needing a “new Pentecost” in recent weeks and months and my clergy study group has been studying the book of Acts for about 2 years.   So when God convicted me of my sin of anger, God also convicted me of the need for emulating the early church.  It says in Acts 1:14 that the disciples, the women, the family of Jesus were “constantly devoting themselves to prayer” while awaiting the Holy Spirit.  So I think this is the word that God has given me: that I/we need to spend a time together in prayer before Annual Conference waiting for the Holy Spirit. 

We all have been praying, but the vision here is to come together on the Saturday before Annual Conference to pray for AC, for the Global church, for ourselves, for each other, for our congregations; to meet without any other agenda, without a plan, without deciding in advance who takes leadership, without even lunch!  Just to pray individually, in groups, in the whole group as the Spirit moves us. 

FUMC Plano has graciously agreed to open their sanctuary from 9-4 on Saturday, June 2.  I invite all of you who also feel this on your heart to come and join me in prayer, for an hour, a morning, an afternoon or all day.  I know this is a busy time, a crazy time to suggest such a thing.  I am assuming that if God wants this to be a group thing, that God will put it on the hearts of others as well as mine! 

I believe with all my heart that one prayer God always answers is the prayer, “Come, Lord Jesus, come. Come, Holy Spirit, come.”  I will be waiting in prayer on the Holy Spirit at FUMC Plano in the Sanctuary on Saturday, June 2 from 9am to 4 pm.  I hope that some of you will be led to wait with me.

Blessings,

Martha Myre

Pastor, FUMC Leonard