BETHANY CENTER FOR NONVIOLENT THEOLOGY AND SPIRITUALITY
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Prayer

I need you, you need me. We're all a part of God's body. Stand with me, agree with me. It is his will that every need be supplied. You are important to me, I need you to survive. I'll pray for you, you pray for me. I love you, I need you to survive... I won't harm you with words from my mouth, I love you, I need you to survive...”
- Hezekiah Walker 


“In the world you face persecution but, take courage! I have overcome the world.” and in Matthew's gospel: “come to me all who are weary and carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  -Jesus 
Our group is open to everyone. We practice a intentional prayer life.  We are people working to practice our walk with Jesus in our everyday life.  We do this in two ways.   We encourage each other in our spiritual practice by praying for each other and working to have a daily practice of prayer.  We meet one Friday a month to talk about it and encourage each other in our practice.  Out of this discipline comes the second piece of our prayer life, which is a healing service once a month on Sundays for those who are in need of hands on healing. 

Our understanding of healing and prayer is to enter in relationship with the Trinity: Holy Spirit of Peace, Our Abba (mommy-daddy god) and Jesus. This relationship is beloved; free of all violence, judgment and hierarchy. It claims the space within each person that the world can not touch and will never be able to touch. That space may be covered over in us but, it exists in each of us. The space exists because Jesus went to the cross and handed himself over to the empires of violence, the crowd, the religious institutions. He forgave and loved his enemies and was raised up to new life. He is defeating the violence of the world through self-giving love. The same power that rose Jesus from the grave lives in us. In that space we pray for healing for our world, our enemies, ourselves and each person. That power is expressed through the weak and vulnerable person showing the way to self-giving love and being real.

This is our effort: 

Friday night prayer meeting looks like this
:
1) We sing a few songs and offer a prayer.

2) Each month there is an assignment to strengthen our daily walk with Jesus.  As a community we share with each other our experience in terms of success and struggles with the practice.  Each person has the floor for about five minutes.
Example:  One member wanted to incorporate meditation into his daily life and he shared how that experience went. 

3) We honor that person's work through holding them up to the light as a community.

4) We then give out an assignment for next month  

Our hope is that everyday we can say: 
Jesus, I love you, show me what you see in this person, this situation, this impossible trial. I believe in you. I can't fix this, but I know you can.

Sunday afternoon Healing Prayer Service looks like this:

1)  We will begin with singing and adoration in a peaceful atmosphere drawing from early Christian ecumenical spiritual prayers with simple repetitive chants.

2) We have a strong core prayer group who will pray with anyone requesting prayer according to their needs.  

3) Our prayer for those in need can take many forms depending on the person's comfort and request.  We offer healing touch, laying on of hands, ongoing focused prayer for a specific need.  We have two licensed massage therapists who can pray with you for physical needs as well. 

We offer the hope in the power of healing in the risen Christ.  We are not professional counselors, nor can we give medical advice.  However we have a strong belief in the power of prayer.  

Please check the calendar for dates for Healing Prayer services and Friday night Prayer meeting.  

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Feel free to contact Heather Scanlon: hlscanlon@gmail.com blessings and peace of Jesus to you
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