Dear Pacific Union Member,

Are you an Adventist? By that I mean, are you someone who is anxiously looking for and seeking to hasten the second Advent of Jesus? As I visit the churches of our union, I find many Adventists who want to know what they can do to live out the Great Commandment ("A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another," John 13:34).

I also find that many want to know what they can do to complete the Great Commission ("Go therefore and make disciples of all nations," Matthew 28:19-20). I want to share how some members are living the Great Commandment and helping to finish the Great Commission.

There are a number of members, both clergy and laity, who are leading two major prayer initiatives in 2007. The first one is Operation Global Rain, a pastor- and lay-led initiative based in the Central California Conference, that's scheduled for June 27 to July 7, shortly before Soquel camp meeting. The second is the Call To United Prayer from Oct. 12-14.

In Luke 11:9-13, Jesus said, "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

Did you notice how willing our heavenly Father is to give us the Holy Spirit? We are invited to ask, seek and knock. Our prayer warriors, motivated by a deep love for all of us, sense our great need for the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the Great Commission. They are claiming God's promise and have organized these two initiatives as a result.

Please visit the website, www.operationglobalrain.com, for more information on Operation Global Rain, and the Pacific Union website, www.puconline.org, for more information on the Pacific Union-wide Call To United Prayer.

Conference administrators and prayer ministries coordinators are making plans for personal and group activities in which all can participate. Begin today to claim the promise of Jesus for the Holy Spirit's presence in your life. Watch your conference newsletter for the details of activities in your conference, and plan to be personally involved in these special times of united prayer for the Holy Spirit.

Yours for a finished work now,

Arnold Trujillo

Vice President