Why take time from an intense schedule to meet for a prayer retreat? More than 200 pastors, church prayer ministry leaders, and people with a heart for prayer met at Pine Springs Ranch, Jan. 30-Feb. 1 for “Mountain Top Conversations with God.”
The retreat provided individuals opportunity to enrich their own prayer experience and also to specifically pray for pastors, church leaders, and evangelism in 2004. The Southeastern California Conference sponsored the event, planned by the prayer ministries team.
“I came with a desire to know God personally, just be there and be open. I knew the Lord would put a blessing on each person,” said Janet Kenner, Bible worker, elder, and prayer ministries leader for the New Hope Church in San Diego. Her daughter, Janae, took a few days away from her university studies to accompany her mother.
Keynote speaker Ron Halvorsen, It Is Written prayer coordinator and freelance evangelist, pleaded with attendees to become serious about praying for and winning others to Christ.
In his address Sunday morning, Halvorsen inspired those attending to prayer-walk their communities in preparation for the International Festival of Hope rally, April 17, at the Orange Show grounds in San Bernardino and the Inland Empire evangelistic series in October.
The SECC prayer ministry team, including Karen Martell, chair; Peggy Tomat, registrar; and Rudy Bermudez, SECC liaison, greeted and prayed with each person upon his or her arrival. “It sets the tone for the weekend,” said William Hall, Azure Hills, elder and prayer coordinator.
Early morning devotions featured Derek Morris, Calimesa Church senior pastor, who demonstrated how to engage one’s heart in singing the Psalms. Workshop presenters included Hyveth Williams, Campus Hill senior pastor; Kendrick Curtis, Calimesa Church associate pastor; and Manuel Vitug, SECC summer camp and children’s ministries director.
In the Sabbath school service, F. Lynn Mallery, SECC president, enumerated some of the prayer challenges for the conference, among them the Calexico Mission School and San Diego Academy building projects and the SECC budget. “A budget is not just money,” he pointed out. “It converts into the lives of people as it affects churches and schools.”
“We are saved to infiltrate our society and neighborhoods as salt,” said Halvorsen, in one address. “We are not to evacuate the market place.” He said he longs for Christians to care that people are perishing without God and in the next few months seek the victory God has already achieved.
Next year’s prayer retreat will be held March 3-6, 2005, at Pine Springs Ranch. Churches desiring to develop a prayer ministry may call Karen Martell at 909-849-5791.
