Churches should regularly set aside time to gather and pray together.

This prayer meeting will meet on the first Saturday of each month at 10 am and last for one hour. I urge you to come and join us.

This prayer meeting belongs to the members and friends of Sion Baptist Church. The Lord is, of course, at the very centre of all we are and of all we do, but I want to stress that yours is the leading role. That role does not belong solely to the minister or the church leaders.

My prayer, if you like, is that you will come to own and enjoy the monthly prayer meeting. It may not always take the same form. We will aim to be creative and fresh in our approach to meetings. It is right that we should avoid lengthy testimonies and long-winded prayers.

Remember that you will be among friends so you don't need to be afraid. What you say and pray here will stay here. Remember also that you are children of a gracious heavenly Father and that you have the right to come before Him, just as you are.

You may not want to pray out loud, at least to begin with – and that's fine. But come prepared to meet with God and His people. Come with your best attention and willing to listen to God, even to sit in silence sometimes. Come to the meetings with a little note-pad and pencil.

Come with an open Bible. This way, you will never be without help - if you want to praise and thank God, if you need to confess or lament or offer prayers of intercession for others.

The important thing is that we come together. We have all known the joy and the power of prayer in our lives.

Now we need to do this in numbers for (and with) our church.

We often ask, "Where are we going?" "What would the Lord have us do in our ministry and mission at Sion?" "Why aren't we moving forward?"

Matthew Henry said, "When God intends great mercy for His people the first thing He does is to set them-a-praying!"

The greatest thing we can do for this church is to pray.

God bless,

Mark.