SISTERS AND BROTHER-IN-CHRIST PRAYER AND BIBLE STUDY MINISTRY    

I.  OUR MISSION STATEMENT OR CREED:

     We, the Sisters and Brother-in-Christ of Manoa Valley Church, believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior;

     We believe in the power and privilege of prayer in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

     With the Lord’s guidance, we will sincerely study and practice God’s Word in our daily lives so that we can become the Christian He wants us to be;

     We joyfully reach out to help our church, congregational members and neighbors in need;

     We support each member of this ministry wholeheartedly with their joys and concerns;

     We ask the Lord’s blessings on our ministry and that He grant us the wisdom,  integrity, compassion and guidance in meeting present and future tasks and challenges, always remembering that God’s will be done in all situations.

     TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY.

II.  SCRIPTURE FOCUS OF MINISTRY:

1. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.”  Romans 12:12

2. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.”  Proverbs 3:5, 6

3. “Commit your ways to the Lord and He will do this:  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn and the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”  Psalm 37: 5, 6

III.  ACTIVITIES:

1. Each member has the opportunity to be the moderator of one of our monthly meeting and to coordinate the  prayer time.

2. We have a prayer line that is active throughout the year.  Requests may be forwarded to any of the members who can then have it run through the line.  ALL PRAYER REQUESTS ARE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.  We usually have about 300 requests that are processed in a year.

3. In observance of National Prayer Week (First Thursday in May is National Prayer Day) we pray at the chapel of Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children.  We pray for the patients and their families, for the staff and the various needs of the hospital, annually.  We have made 8 consecutive prayer time visits thus far.

4. We annually visit the homebound and long term care members of our church during the month of July and August as we have done for the past 8 years.                             

5. We have for the past 12 years had a CHRISTMAS OUTREACH at the Izutsu residence where new members, individuals experiencing grief or hardships or old friends of MVC are invited.  A minister shares a message, followed by a buffet lunch sponsored by the ministry.  Fellowship is promoted via songs and games, in the name of our Lord.

6. Ministry members serve communion several times a year and a prayer team gladly lifts the various prayer requests after communion in the back of the sanctuary each month.

7. We honor our committed pastors during PASTOR APPRECIATION DAY to thank them for their commitment  to MVC.

8. We contribute and serve refreshment four times a year, under the sponsorship of the worship committee, after services in the breezeway.

9. We organize meaningful workshops as needed to help meet congregational needs, such as the “Death and Dying Workshop” a few years ago with over 100 people in attendance.

We hope to organize an Alzheimer Workshop in September, 2007, to become more aware of this illness and 
gain some understanding of a caregiver’s responsibilities and resources available in the community.

10. We have had fundraisers in the years past - to send the youth on a mission to Mexico, to raise funds to help with our church budget via a food fair, and even sold Christian books (3 Anyway Books by Kent Keith, who generously donated the profits to the church).

The ministry is open to anyone who wishes to study God’s Word and believes in the power and privilege of prayer and is willing to participate in our prayer line, that is very active.  We meet on the 4^th Friday of each month in the Sunday School 
office from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

For more information or prayer requests, you may contact the following members or call the church office at 988-3271, 
or email the church. See below for email address.