Day 11 of ”27-Day Prayer & Fasting Journey” with Rev. Dan Fuller

Greetings in the name of Christ Jesus !  HE IS RISEN ! I hope you are having a blessed Resurrection Sunday.

My name is Dan Fuller and I am the Presiding Elder of the New York Binghamton district in the Northeast Conference of the Global Methodist Church. Welcome to Day 11 of 27 Days of Prayer as we prepare for our Annual Conference gathering on May 8-10 in Cortland, NY.

The nine churches of the New York Binghamton district are located in the Southern Tier of the state of New York.  This is an area of rolling hills and river valleys near the Catskill Mountains. Something I love about our district is that our area has a wonderful history and heritage of vibrant, biblical, and evangelical Christian faith - Methodist and otherwise.

Our churches are:

 ▪ Christ’s Church in the Valley

▪ Conklin Forks Methodist Church

▪ First Methodist Church of Campville

▪ Gibson Corners Methodist Church

▪ Hawleyton Methodist Church

▪ New Hope Methodist

▪ Union Center Methodist Church

▪ Wesley Methodist Church

▪ Whittemore Hill Global Methodist Church

Pray for us today, that we would faithfully live into our shared mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ and to spread scriptural holiness across the globe.

We in the New York Binghamton district are eager to see many of you at Annual Conference in May.  We encourage you to use these days of preparation to hear God’s Word and pray with us as we prepare to fan the flame that the Holy Spirit has kindled in us all.  

Here is today’s focus Scripture passage from Matthew 28:1-10: 

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

This is the Word of the Lord.  Thanks be to God.

Today’s Prayer Focus

The two Marys went to the tomb at dawn on that first Easter Sunday not expecting a bright day. They came simply to look at the place where the body of Jesus lay in darkness. The angel’s proclamation, and the witness of the empty tomb, is accompanied by a command to “go quickly and tell.” The women hurry away, “afraid, yet filled with joy.” Center your prayers this day on becoming a person of faith, one who hurries to tell others the good news.

Today’s Suggested Prayer (Easter Prayer from The Book of Worship for church and Home, Copyright © 1944, The Methodist Publishing House, p. 177, alt.)

Almighty and everlasting God,
who turned the despair of the disciples into triumph
by the resurrection of Christ;
give us faith to believe that every good which seemed to be overcome by evil
and every love which seemed to be buried in darkness and death,
shall rise again to life immortal.
Through Jesus Christ, who lives with you forevermore. Amen.

You can find this prayer, and all the other prayers of the 27 Days, on the Conference website, northeastgmc.org.

May the Lord richly bless your faithful prayers. Amen.