Indiana — Peter Neri, Indiana Conference ministerial/evangelism/church ministries director, and his wife Jennie were invited to the Spencer (Ind.) Church on May 7 and 8 to conduct a “Finding Peace Through Prayer” seminar.

During the seminar, Neri demonstrated that prayer is the greatest strength of our church. “Power for effective ministry is released only through prayer. Prayer gives focus to the mission of the church,” he said. At the same time, he cited Vander Griend, who said that if personal and family worship are neglected, “other attempts at prayer are like sprinkling the foliage of a plant with water while leaving the roots dry."

After opportunities for sharing answers to prayer, attendees divided into pairs and spent time praying for each other’s concerns. Jennie Neri led workshops entitled "Praying for Your Children" and "How to Have Meaningful Daily Devotions."

The highlight of Sabbath afternoon was a group prayer demonstration. Ten volunteers pulled chairs around in a circle and then focused on one specific prayer request. Each member of the group was instructed to find a Bible promise that addressed his or her desire regarding that one specific prayer request. They then took turns sharing selected Bible promises and explaining their desires. After the circle of promises was completed, the praying began. Each member offered a prayer regarding the request and claimed the particular promise he or she had selected. Neri described additional ideas for variation and meaning, and participants were inspired to dedicate more time to prayer.

Sandy Culp, Spencer Church communication leader