Prayer request cards

This is a lovely testimony, that came through to us in January 2025. It is a simple project that can be done through your local church and brings prayer to our neighbours. It doesn’t cost much to do, except the printing costs of the prayer cards, which can be done locally. It also doesn’t cost much time either. We share this in the hope that this may be replicated in many churches throughout the UK. Sarah (Sally to her family) lives in Blackpool and attends a church called Bible Pattern church, Shaw Road. Sarah is 75 years old, with “knees, not like they used to be” and she shares today, her street story..“In 2023 I started delivering prayer request cards at Easter and at Christmas. My road is a mile long and so I split the street into three sections. Each section takes 1 hour to do, but I suppose a younger person would do it quickly. I do it on different days. I also prayer walk my street once every two to three weeks. The prayer request cards, I originally obtained from Neighbourhood Prayer Network, but when stock was no longer available, I had the cards copied and printed locally. I put the prayer request card in an envelope with a letter, explaining that I was committed to praying for the street through Neighbourhood Prayer Network and that all prayer requests would be treated as confidential, unless there was a safeguarding issue. The letter states to only include contact details if they would wish a follow up. I also put an extra envelope in, with the address of the church, so that they can either post it with their own stamp or deliver it to the church. All prayer requests are prayed for through the church. More recently, Bible Pattern Church has also decided to deliver these prayer request cards for half an hour after our Sunday services, choosing different streets. We pray blessings and for hearts to soften. We are currently on a break from this as being on the coast, the January weather has been awful, but will recommence when the weather improves. Some people from Baptist Tabernacle church the other side of town come to deliver materials at Christmas and had some great conversations with people.I have had responses from my own street and some from near the church, with one gentleman attending a service and saying that he enjoyed it. We continue to nurture the contact. I live in a tough area – where relative affluence live side by side with some of the most challenging social, housing and health needs in the UK. Most of my neighbours are just about managing and are the salt of the earth, heroes and heroines in many respects. Some of the prayer requests have been anonymous. The requests are often about the stresses and strains of life and relationships. We also had a reply from a gentleman attending another church, just saying “well done”. Each time we deliver prayer request cards, whether near the church or my own street, we get around three responses each time. A young man came to my door, with a delivery for a neighbour, he is someone that I usually smile at when passing. He told me he had just got a new job and that he had seen me delivering the prayer requests and that he thought I’d want to know. I certainly did and I told him how happy I was for him.In 2024, there was a by election just before the general election and it was a very bad-tempered campaign, meaning that the police had needed to be called to several of the hustings. One of the hustings was due to be on my road, Bloomfield Road. I prayed outside it for peace beforehand. I believe it was the only hustings where the police were not called!I’ve also sent prayer request cards to the businesses based on this road including hotels, social clubs, a retro arcade, supermarket, café, shops, a medical centre and two pharmacies, thanking them for their contribution to our community. In addition, to social service have a base on this road as well as the famous Bloomfield Rd Football Club, so they have received some too. All businesses receive slightly different letters. We have not yet had a response that I am aware off.I feel the word’ blessing’ is very strong, and I am currently reading a book called “I will bless them” by Roy Godwin and I do actively pray blessing over my neighbours on my street. It’s been such an encouragement to see all this happen. I am not an evangelist, but I/we believe we are seed planting.I am blessed that the elders and church members are so supportive and prayerful

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