SUNDAY SERVICE SCHEDULE
8:00 am - Worship Service in the Chapel
9:15 am-Worship Service in the Sanctuary
9:30 am-Sunday School in Education Building
10:30 am-Fellowship in Adams Hall
11:00 am-Worship Service in the Sanctuary
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Central UMC Office
 5 Marvin Avenue
Linwood, NJ 08221
Phone: (609) 927-4882 |
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 As United Methodists, we believe that there are many ways to pray. Christians consider praying to be something we are obligated to do. As such, it is sometimes described as part of a spiritual discipline. To be sure, there is value in thinking of prayer as a requirement for spiritual growth. Thinking of it that way helps us remember to ask for God’s help and blessing each day of our lives. But the danger is that we come to think of prayer as one more thing we have to get done, an additional item for our already crowded "to-do list." If we are not careful, prayer may begin to feel like a chore. So we need reminding that there are many ways to pray, some familiar and some not so familiar. We just might try something new.
A unique thing about biblical faith is the central affirmation that God speaks. God spoke, and all of creation was born. Think of all the characters in the Bible, from Moses to Mary to Paul and beyond, who hear the voice of God and are never quite the same again. If prayer is a means of communication with God, it follows that much of our praying ought to involve listening for what God has to say. Indeed, the entire order of Benedictine monks is built on the notion of prayer as listening. The very first word in the Rule of St. Benedict is "listen!"
At Central United Methodist Church, we have a dedicated DAY OF PRAYER every Wednesday in the Joslin Chapel. From 7am until 7pm, people come and go to pray our prayer list or to lift up their own personal prayers. We offer Holy Communion to those arriving to pray in the early hours of the day.
The United Methodist Book of Resolutions states:
International Day of Prayer
WHEREAS, many societies are intolerant of religious people, and deny them human rights; and
WHEREAS, according to the U.S. State Department, the governments of over 60 nations around the world condone the persecution of Christians; and
WHEREAS, the people called Methodist have traditionally taken the lead in opposing injustice, intolerance, and bigotry; and
WHEREAS, Methodists believe in the power of prayer,
Therefore, be it resolved, that the United Methodist congregations observe an International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.
Be it further resolved, that through our earnest prayers we may grow in our sense of unity with Christians around the world and become more aware of the needs of our brothers and sisters who suffer because of their Christian faith.
ADOPTED 2000
See Social Principles, ¶ 165A.
“Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking Him with a thankful heart. And God’s peace, which is beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe, in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4: 6 and 7 (TEV).
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