News from CCCEV Prayer Ministry

When Bob Bakke takes the stage at the Elevate Prayer conference in February, he will look forward most to encountering Christ.

For Bakke, prayer conferences and concerts of prayer and other gatherings of people for prayer provide a unique opportunity to see Christ become manifestly real to everyone present. And he looks forward to being here when that happens at Central.

"Christ is always present with us, as the Bible tells us," Bob said during an interview just before Thanksgiving.

But, when "Christ puts on display His presence in a glorious way, as He did at Pentecost, well, that usually only happens during corporate prayer gatherings."

It's that special presence of Christ that Bob is hoping to experience here at Central for this year's Elevate Prayer Conference Friday and Saturday, February 18 and 19. Read More Here

Central Prays

My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations..." Mark 11:17

Central became a house of prayer in a big way this past week. We had people praying their hearts out 24 hours a day, for 7 days as we hosted the 24/7 Prayer Event on November 13 through November 20: four days at the Mesa campus and 3 days at the Gilbert campus.

During November each year, Central's Prayer Ministry brings us this creative effort to encourage the congregation to pray. It is organized by Paul Covert, Prayer Pastor, Cathy Cryer, Associate Prayer Director, and their team of servant ministers. Ten rooms or stations are set up with props, décor and an activity that prompts you to pray, think and respond. Central has been participating for five years, and each year we see people being profoundly moved by what God is saying to them as they spend time in each station.

This year the theme was, "Sermon on the Mount" from Matthew 5-7. Team members based their creative efforts on various passages of that Sermon by Jesus. The rooms addressed: Mercy, Worry, Judging, God's Upside Down Thinking, Meekness, Love Your Enemies, The Lord's Prayer, and Salt and Light. Read More Here

Making a Christmas List and

Checking Where to Send It!

For a Prayer Pastor like Paul Covert (and the rest of us Christ-followers as well, hopefully), the most effective wish list at Christmas goes to Someone way above Santa's head!

Paul remembers the prayers of one Christmas especially well. He sheepishly tells the story, admitting it is an even better story because his faith level was not shining brightly for this particular situation in a church of about 100 people where he Santa was pastor.

One of the congregation's families was in trouble financially and had to move to Mesa from Glendale, where the church was. When a delegation from the church went to gather a list of needs for this family for Christmas, they discovered their friends were living in a neighborhood of equally needy Haitian refugees.

The report they brought back to Pastor Paul not only included sizes and needs for the family they knew and loved, but for the general need of the entire neighborhood of 25 families! Read More Here

Central Joins Forces with Other Churches

For Luis Palau's CityFest/Season of Service

International speaker and evangelist, Luis Palau, is coming to the Valley for a major evangelistic outreach called CityFest, at Tempe Town Lake March 19-20. Other events and opportunities for serving will begin in December to lead up to that outreach. See some of the Season of Service opportunities listed below:

CityFest Partnership:

We are partnering with CityFest throughout the next four months. This means that we will be in a Season of Service where we are showing the light of Christ to our community that will culminate in a massive Festival in Tempe in March where thousands of people will then hear the message of Christ.

Please pray for:

1) Leadership and organization of the event

2) Unity of the Body of Christ, His Church, so that observers might know we represent Jesus

3) Sustained partnerships between churches and their communities

4) The impact we will make (and that will be made on us) through our Impact Days

Impact Days

The Purpose of the Impact Day is to mobilize large groups of people to make the biggest impact in the shortest amount of time in the name of Jesus. We are encouraging all of our Central people to put on their I Heart t-shirts and invite their friends to participate in making a difference.

· Street Light Impact Day - December 4: we will be going to the sight of the Street Light ministry to get our hands dirty with work projects.

· Neighborhood Impact Day - February 5: identify the needs of your neighborhood and collectively meet them.

· Matthew Party - February 6: open your home on Super Bowl Sunday and throw a party to get to know your neighbors better.

· Homelessness Impact Day - February 26: to be determined according to each campus

· CityFest Event -- March 19-20: at Tempe Town Lake from 1 to 9 p.m. both days. Invite your friends to this event and let them be impacted by the gospel message presented by Luis Palau.

· Campus Impact Day - April 16: clean and polish the campus you attend in preparation for Easter Weekend. Build community with your campus

· Education Impact Day - May 7: serve the schools, teachers and education system in your area. (Teacher Appreciation day is Tuesday May 3)

Please pray for:

1) Pray for Corey Bullock as he leads this effort for Central.

2) Pray for Central people to participate in a strong and supportive way.

3) Pray that many will be won for the Kingdom through all these outreaches and events.

4) Pray that our communities will be strengthened by these efforts.

New Year's Day Sunrise Prayer at Wind Cave

Wind Cave Trail For more than 10 years Arizona Call to Prayer has called for Mountaintop Prayer at sunrise on January 1st to honor God and usher in the New Year. This year join Rhonda VanderPloeg for a hike up Pass Mountain at Usery Mountain Park to pray; as we greet 2011. We will meet at the Wind Cave trailhead at 6:30 am. The trail is 1.6 miles to the destination and rises about 800 feet, so come prepared. Park entry fee is $6 per vehicle. For more information contact Rhonda VanderPloeg at mitiAZ@MomsInTouch.org, 480.307.8613.

On Our Knees for Central

The church, like the individuals who comprise it, is in constant need of prayer. Please join us as we ask for God's guidance, help and blessing concerning the following: Read more here.

Prayer News

WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN A NEW STUDY REGARDING PRAYER IN MEDICINE?

An article from Christian Newswire announces that a graduate student at Usciences is currently recruiting participants for a new, national survey on the "inclusion of spirituality in medical practice and integration of prayer." The article provides details regarding the purpose and source of the online survey and invites U.S. Citizens to participate. A link to the brief survey is provided in the article and participants are not required to reveal their name or contact information. Read more.

PRAYER POWER AND HORSEPOWER

NASCAR will always be a sport for risk takers, and in an era when "public prayer" is in constant debate, it seems that most NASCAR drivers and fans have no problem risking confrontation from "anti-public-prayer" groups. An article at nascar.com proclaims "Christian faith still has a large part in NASCAR." Read more at nascar.com

FAITH AND PRAYER HELP BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, OVERCOME DEPRESSION, AND LOWER HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

An article and video from ABC affiliate, KTRE in Nacogdoches, TX, shows that those who are "religiously involved" experience major health benefits. Read and watch more.

BOOK BY MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL PROCLAIMS PRAYER'S POWER

In his new book, Healing Prayer on Holy Ground, Cardiologist Dr. Mark Sheehan recounts stories regarding the impact of prayer in the lives of his patients. Dr. Sheehan says, "The purpose of the book is to give people hope and encouragement through times of pain and suffering and remind them they are not alone," Read more in an article from the Christian Newswire.

AID GROUP REQUESTS PRAYER AS HAITI'S DEATH TOLL RISES

Still reeling from the earthquake, Haitian's are now faced with a deadly Cholera outbreak. In a recent public appeal, the president of the aid organization Bright Hope asked that we "Please keep the Haitian people in your prayers as they face yet another life threatening challenge." Read more at christianpost.com