Dear Family:

In my remarks this time I would like to focus on a very important program of our church in which few people participate—prayer meeting.

On a weekly basis we have a group of about 35-40 people who meet on a regular basis on Wednesdays from 7:00-8:30. This is a very small group compared to our church membership and those who are not coming a losing a great blessing!

Prayer meeting in the middle of the week gives those who attend a shot of spiritual adrenalin to help carry them through the rest of the week. The program is simple and yet very important. It begins with a season of testimonies, praises and prayer requests and then a season of pray follows. This is the opportunity for the church family to know about the needs in the congregation and to pour out their hearts to God. It also provides a golden opportunity to enjoy fellowship with other members.

After the season of testimonies and prayer we go into an in-depth study of the Word of God. During the twelve years I have been at Fresno Central we have studied, among other things, all the parables of Jesus, the entire book of Daniel and we are presently studying the book of Revelation verse by verse. So far we have finished the Seven Churches and are about to finish the Seven Seals. Soon we will begin the most difficult series in Revelation—the Seven Trumpets. At each session I give out written resource material that will help the participants in further study.

When I am gone, Elder Finn is presenting an outstanding series on the Book of Acts. His material is practical and priceless. Rumor has it that pastors save their best material for Sabbath mornings but in this case you will find that the pastors save their best for prayer meeting. Those who do not attend are missing an incredible intellectual, social and spiritual blessing. The informal environment of prayer meeting, in distinction from the worship service, allows for questions and comments from the participants. We all have a great time together.

The time is coming when we will have to stand alone for our faith and then we will remember and crave those wonderful times of fellowship with our fellow members. The sun is setting on our sick world and Jesus is soon to come. Should we not be pressing closer and closer together in fellowship, prayer and Bible study? The apostle Paul admonished us: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25)