Closet Talk for May 2015
1. Emmanuel has a wonderful youth group, about 25 to 35 teens
attend weekly. Pray for Extreme Team (Gr. 6-8) and Senior Youth
(Gr. 9-12) and their leaders, who faithfully plan activities and
interact with them on Friday nights.
2. “A man can be no bigger than the number of people for whom he
genuinely cares for” (Sherm Williams). Pray for people you
genuinely care for and express your care to at least one of them today.
3. Today in worship, a ministry update will be presented by the China Mission Team, about their time in
Beijing last fall. Pray for our worship together and for all of EBC’s mission endeavours.
4. “Nobody cares how much you know – until they know how much you care” (John Cassis). Often it is not
knowledge that people are seeking, but rather to know another human being cares about them. Pray
we will be a church that extends care to all those who come through our doors.
5. “Life needs someone to care for so life can focus on others and not itself. The care that focuses on
others keeps the vision of life clear, not beclouded with self.” Jesus acted with care and compassion to
those around Him. He was not self focused. May we pray to be the same today.
6. “Sentimentality comes easy. But caring is hard – it involves doing.” Feeling sorry for someone is quite
different than having compassion, which drives us to action. Pray for a heart of compassion, that
energizes your soul to actions of care on God’s behalf.
7. Pray for the preparations for our Summer Day Camps. Pray specifically for our Vacation Bible School
when many children from our community attend. Pray for volunteers to come forward to help make
VBS an opportunity for children to learn Jesus loves them.
8. Pray for volunteers preparing VBS materials, so everything will be ready August 10-14. We need willing
hands to cut out crafts and prepare stories.
9. “The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions, and the nearer we get to Him the more intensely missionary
we must become” (Henry Martyn). Pray to draw close to Jesus, knowing that it will change and adjust
your spirit.
10. Happy Mother’s Day, a day to give thanks for all the special women in our lives. Thank God today for
influential women in your life.
11. “Many of us cannot reach the mission fields on our feet, but we can reach them on our knees”
(T.J. Bach). Pray for our Partners in Mission, the Nacho family in Bolivia and the Guthrie Family in
transition.
12. Pray for the Montes Family as they serve in Asia. Pray for health and strength and opportunities to
build friendship.
13. Pray for the Hazel Merritt Mission Group that are making preparations for the Garage Sale. The funds
raised are used for many worthwhile mission projects. Pray they will collect many worthwhile items to
sell on Saturday, June 6.
14. Pray for our Children’s Sunday School Teachers today: Jin Geng, Andy Leong, Genevieve Lisik,
Rebeca Dunn-Krahn, David Wood, Timur Griffiths, and helpers Dawn Stokkeland, and Mary Jane Spray.
Thank God for their faithful service with our children.
15. Pray for our Friday Night Youth Leaders: Margo Lisik, Stephanie Hayes, Isaac Lisik, Jim Gibson and
others who help occasionally. Thank God for them and pray for wisdom and strength as they provide
leadership to youth.
16. “God’s standard for missions: The person of God, with the Word of God, in the Spirit of God, for the
glory of God” (T.J. Bach). Pray for that standard yourself, as you serve God in your mission field today,
whether it be your family, your neighbourhood, or at work.
17. Pray for our ushers and greeters who serve each Sunday making Emmanuel a welcoming place.
Help them by greeting newcomers and showing a spirit of hospitality to those in our midst.
18. Pray for Victoria. Today is Victoria Day. Pray for the Greater Victoria Area and all those that seek to
lead in our community. Pray our community will seek to help those marginalized by poverty and
illness.
19. Thank God today for your family. Thank God for whomever they may be. If you have no immediate
family, pray for those who seem like family to you.
20. Pray for the preparations for the fall. Especially for the leadership teams being developed, such as
Sunday school teachers, youth leaders, adult teachers, etc. needed for the fall programs. Pray those
that God leads, will come forward to help in areas where they are gifted and willing to serve.
21. Pray for Pastor David as he goes on the pastor’s mission trip to Cuba. Pray for a safe journey for the
group, for wonderful experiences and opportunities, and for insights and stories to share with us when
he returns.
22. Pray for Cuba, as it transitions from being a closed country, in some ways, to being more open to other
countries. Pray for the people of Cuba.
23. Pray for Mark Regan as he gets married today. Mark has grown up in our church since he came from
Romania when he was two. Pray for him and his fiancé Amy as they make the commitment of
marriage today.
24. Our God is a healing God. He seeks to heal us in body, soul, and spirit. Pray for our service as we look
at this topic and have opportunities for individuals to come forward for anointing with oil, as they seek
God’s presence in their life.
25. Today the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada are having a dinner at Emmanuel. Pray for everyone
attending and for a greater awareness of the ministries of our denomination.
26. Pray for Emmanuel Preschool as the committee meets this evening to plan for September. Pray for
Yvonne Rush, Preschool Administrator and Pam Rudy, Preschool Coordinator, as they lead.
27. Pray for our worship teams as they prepare for worship each week. Pray for a spirit of gratitude to
permeate all that we do in our times of worship.
28. “If we love Christ, our devotion will not remain a secret.” May God’s love be evident to all those we
meet, by our actions and by our thoughtful devotion to our Lord.
29. Pray for the preparations for Betty Davidson’s retirement tea tomorrow. Betty has worked for 15 years
at Emmanuel Preschool, and many families appreciate her influence in their young child’s life.
30. Pray for Betty Davidson as we thank God for her and for her service in this church through our
Preschool. Pray Betty will be blessed by the day and be encouraged.
31. Pray for Ken Hillmer as he speaks in our service this morning. Pray for the worship to be guided by
God’s spirit.