Children & Poverty: The Bishops Initiative

Prayer Guide: June 2005

Prayer

Prayer Focus: That all children will have a relationship with God.

• June 1-4: Pray for children who have no one who cares enough to pray for them.
• June 5-11: Pray for children who have been taught, intentionally of unintentionally, distorted images of God.
• June 12-18: Pray for teenagers who have been neglected by the churches in their neighborhoods.
• June 19-25: Pray for children who have never been invited to a church, a Vacation Bible School or to a relationship that opens itself to the grace of God.
• June 26-30: Pray for all children and youth who long for God's justice and mercy.

Call to Action

Learn more by committing to be in loving relationships with the children or youth in your congregation or community. Take the church to children and youth in a nearby community with an "Extend the Love of God" program that fosters adult faith friends and mentors to reveal the love of God through ongoing relationships.

Identify where you see children in need of a relationship with God in you own neighborhood, the wider community or around the world.

Act by committing to help bridge the gap between a child or youth and God. Encourage a small group within your church to join with you. Covenant to serve as faith friends or mentors to reveal the love of God through ongoing relationships with a child or teenager. Make an intentional effort to invite unchurched children, teenagers or families to your congregation's fellowship and ministry.

Plan to distribute a prayer calendar for 2005-2006 on children and the poor to your congregation on Sunday, June 26, 2005 or hold a special prayer service that day.