On Sunday, October 29, 2023 Pastor Bruce Johnson preached on “The Stewardship of Prayer”. The Gospel Lesson was Matthew 22:34-46.

The sermon emphasized the importance of prayer in the lives of individuals and the early church, highlighting the need for aligning with God's purposes, experiencing God's provision through prayer, and being witnesses to the Risen Lord through prayer and fasting.

• Prayer is essential for aligning our lives with God's purposes and receiving His provision.
• The prayers of individuals and the church help meet the needs of others and strengthen their faith.
• The early church devoted themselves to prayer, seeking guidance, wisdom, and strength from God.
• The early church prayed for boldness and the Holy Spirit filled them, enabling them to speak the word of God with confidence.
• Prayer was essential for the leaders of the church to fulfill their work, as seen when they chose seven men to minister to the poor so that they could continue to devote themselves to prayer and the service of the word.
• Even in the face of persecution and martyrdom, Stephen prayed for his enemies, demonstrating the powerful witness of forgiveness.
• Discipleship is not just about private spirituality but learning to follow Jesus together in a community.
• Loving our neighbor is paramount and requires active involvement in each other's lives.
• Reformation is an ongoing process in the church, and the solution to bad church practices is reform and renewal, not abandonment.

Led by Patrick King on keyboards, the Common Ground Praise Band consists of AJ Rios (drums), Megan Parker, and Arlet Williams. They sang Open the Eyes of My Heart, Draw Me Close to You, Way Maker, House of Prayer and The Blessing.

Sunday was the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost.