Once they were settled in Jamestown, Rev. Hunt led the colonists in regular prayer services twice a day under the cover of an old tattered sail until a permanent structure for the church could be built. Captain John Smith recorded the account of the prayer meetings:  "When I first went to Virginia, I well remember, we did hang an awning (which is an old sail) to three or four trees to shadow us from the sun, our walls were rails of wood, our seats unhewed trees till we cut planks; our pulpit a bar of wood nailed to two neighboring trees...this was our church."  The first church would be destroyed by fire, but a second one was built that would provide the setting for the baptism of Pocahontas.  (This historic moment is captured in a beautiful painting displayed in the Rotunda of our nation's Capitol Building in Washington, DC. See artwork HERE). 

Under the shadow of the old sail the settlers sought the wisdom, protection, and provision of God as they used the "Home Guard Prayer: A praier duly said morning and evening upon the Court of the Guard, either by the Captain of the Watch himselfe, or by some of his principall officers" to guide their prayers.  The original prayer can be read HERE (An audio of a portion of the prayer which was prayed in August of 2014, as a memorial declaration for the revival of God's original purposes for the church and our nation at the Jamestown Settlement can be heard HERE).

Before the colonists stepped foot on the sand of Virginia, Rev. Hunt called for a waiting period of three days that they might examine and purify their hearts and consecrate themselves fully to the Lord's purposes in the New World.  Long before this historic moment in our nation's birth took place, a spiritual nation was birthed in like manner, which provided the example for believers how all of God's work would be carried out.  "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).   The apostles had been instructed by the Lord Jesus to wait in Jerusalem for ten days until they were endued with power from on high. "Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives...When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying...They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers" (Acts 1:12a, 13a, 14). It was in the upper room, in Jerusalem, where the first prayer meeting of the church took place - a  meeting that lasted for ten days.  God used that time to prepare His messengers for the promise of the Holy Spirit. They were to be purified and cleansed by the Holy Spirit to be a kingdom of priests who would carry on the purposes of His kingdom.  During this time their fleshly mindset which was focused on waiting for the Lord to establish an earthly kingdom in this world, was transformed into a spiritual mindset as their expectations were raised by the hope of His setting up of an eternal kingdom not of this world.