Once again, people living in and near Redwood Falls, Minnesota, will gather for the annual Prayer Service for Life and Healing. This year’s service will be hosted by Redwood Alliance Church (231 E 2nd Street) on Sunday, January 19 at 4:00pm. The prayer service will be followed by a potluck.
But why? What drives the local Ministerial Association to organize this ecumenical service every year?
We decided to ask the ministers themselves why they feel this special event is important. Here’s what some of them had to say.
Unity in Community
Pastor Nate Belkstrom of Living Word Church, said, “A Prayer Service for Life and Healing is a good idea because it brings people from different churches together for a common cause. It also is the fulfilling of a biblical principle in regards to the importance of praying for an issue first.”
Pastor Dennis Entinger, worship pastor at Cornerstone Christian Church, agreed. “It brings the community together in a time of worship and concentrated prayer for those thinking of or who have had an abortion,” he said. “It is an annual reminder to us of the importance of life.”
Prayer for Compassion
Some might assume that “praying for those who had an abortion” would equate with condemning them. But in reality, the service is meant to increase the compassion of the community toward people who find—or have found—themselves facing that difficult choice.
“Regardless of ‘position’ there is still pain for any person directly related to decisions when ending a pregnancy is considered,” said Pastor Randy Koppen of First United Methodist Church. “That pain is extended beyond the individuals, into the wider community. Prayer gives us the freedom to speak to God and to listen for God’s compassionate voice. A community of prayer demonstrates the imperative to love as Christ loves us—not only individually, but as the church, the Body of Christ.”
Life: Valued Every Moment
The Prayer Service for Life and Healing reminds our community that human life is valuable at all points along a person’s journey—from the moment of conception to the moment of death. With that in mind, the service encourages attendees to pray for people impacted not only by abortion, but also by other ways in which life is de-valued and denied.
Father Tony Hesse, of St. Catherine’s Catholic Church emphasized, “All life must be protected and respected, at all stages. As churches, sharing a common value, we are able to worship and pray that God will soften the hearts of those who see otherwise and to help us celebrate and protect the lives He has given us, especially the most vulnerable.”
Praying for Change
In a culture rife with practices like euthanasia, assisted suicide, and elder neglect or abuse, these Ministerial leaders say they coordinate the Prayer Service for Life and Healing to give parishioners opportunity and impetus to pray for positive, life-affirming change.
“It is tempting to think that the opposition is so great that we can’t make a difference in the battle for life,” said Pastor Tim Dean of Redwood Alliance Church. “This is wrong thinking. Lives are touched and changed every day, and lives are saved because we have not given up.”
He added, “The greatest reasons for this service are to encourage each other to be a voice for God promoting life, and to pray together for life and healing.”
The Prayer Service for Life and Healing is open to all people who desire to pray for life to be valued and protected, and for healing to be ministered to those hurt by past choices. Choices Pregnancy Center encourages you to attend.
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The staff and volunteers of Choices Pregnancy Center stand with these ministers in loving people from conception to death.
We know that our communities include
neighbors who have chosen to terminate their pregnancies
and have since lived with shame, guilt, and regret.
We also know there is hope for healing from the fallout of abortion.
Please talk to us about how to find that healing.
We would love to walk with you personally as you discover
the path to “Surrendering the Secret.”