Praying It Forward: Thanks for 40 Years of Faithful Service
After 40 years of being on the Prayer Chain team (23 of those leading the team), Margaret Hotze is stepping down. We give thanks for her immense dedication and tireless leadership.
-Margaret, you have truly made a difference in the lives of so many in the First Church congregation. As a spiritual shepherd, you have planted seeds of hope and love, and we are forever grateful.
Margaret recently reflected on her experience growing and nurturing this important ministry. See below:
Prayer is the Soul
“Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, unuttered or expressed, the motion of a hidden fire that trembles in the breast.” (From the UM Hymnal, # 492)
Methodists have a long tradition in prayer. We think of John Wesley at his Aldersgate experience, when his heart was “strangely warmed.” We appreciate Charles Wesley’s hymns, as well as so many others which are really hymns of prayer. We remember our Membership Vows: to support church with our prayers, presence, gifts and service.
The First Church Prayer Chain began with United Methodist Women back in the early 1980’s. At that time, of course, all requests had to be shared by phone, so there were two phone chains with each one calling the next person. Then when our interim ministers were here, in the early 2000s, they made the decision that it should be a church prayer chain. And so it was! As people have become aware that the Prayer Chain exists, more and more prayers requests come, and more “Pray-ers” have joined the Team. With the advent of home computers, the common use of email became the way to share requests.
There’s always the question of how to pray. Hymn # 406 often speaks to us in prayer: “We do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Holy Spirit prays for us with sighs too deep for words .” And Hymns # 492: “Prayer is the soul’s desire, unuttered or expressed, the motion of a hidden fire that trembles in our breast.” So, prayer does not need to be in fancy words or well thought out sentences. Prayer is a heart condition—expressed through the Spirit.
It has been a joy and a privilege to have been entrusted with people’s heart concerns regarding themselves or their Dear Ones. It has been a blessing to be in prayer with so many on the Prayer Chain. And now, we welcome Jason Landers as he assumes the responsibility of Prayer Chain Coordinator. There will be changes! We look forward to new ways of doing things—and we will continue to serve through the ministry of prayer.
-Margaret Hotze