8.19.2026

prayer  /prɛər/noun   An act of communication by humans with the sacred or holy.

symphony  /ˈsɪmfəni/ noun
A long piece of music that is usually in four large, separate movements, that is performed by an orchestra

A Symphony of Prayer. A service in several movements, interweaving scripture, and music, offered by God’s people as a prayer. 

This Sunday’s service will be our fourth  annual “Symphony of Prayer.” I was at a Camp Meeting outside Birmingham back in the late 90’s and one of the services was  “A Symphony of Prayer”  and I have never forgotten it. I couldn’t wait to get back and offer one to the home folks! We did a couple there. I led one for the staff at a church I served after that, and now we’ve observed them at Christ Church as an annual service for the last 3 years. It’s a beautiful, moving time of worship!

Each movement of the service is based on a phrase from the Lord’s Prayer, with related scripture and songs. Interwoven are various types of prayers: adoration, intercession, trust, thanksgiving, etc.  

But, isn’t every service a prayer service? 

Well, yes, as a matter of fact every service is. That’s why the Church of England entitled their worship book The Book of Common Prayer (or the BCP). The word “common” in the title doesn’t mean “ordinary” or “unimportant” like we often think of it. No, the “common” in The Book of Common Prayer refers to the community of God's people. The BCP contains daily prayer services, weekly eucharist services, weddings, funerals, etc. but no matter the purpose of the service, when the community of God’s people come gather together, Jesus is in our midst and it’s a time for prayer! 

The “Symphony of Prayer” is one long prayer, beginning with “Our Father” and ending roughly 90 minutes later with “Amen.” 

What happens in the middle? Well . . . you’ll have to come and see!

Why have one now? 

I’ve been out of high school for . . . um, a while now, but even 30 years after grad school, I still think in terms of school semesters and summer breaks. Around here, school started back last week (remember the good old days when school got out Memorial Day weekend and didn’t start back until after Labor Day weekend?), and people are coming back from their summer vacations and settling back in.

Maybe that’s why autumn has a feeling of starting fresh, like the start of a new school year. 

But more than that, the end of summer has always had a psychological effect on people. It was this pre-autumn time that the Roma people  (we used to call them “Gypsies” but that’s not politically correct) would break camp. The Celtic people considered August 1 a “thin place” in the year’s calendar, a transition time, when the veil between this world and the next was particularly thin. More people change jobs at this time of year than any other. Sadly, more people — especially young people —  take their lives at this time of year (contrary to popular belief, the holidays have the lowest rates). 

There’s something . . . restless about the end of summer. Warm days are coming to an end (and they can’t end soon enough for me!) and winter is coming on. 

This is a perfect opportunity to set aside a time to pray. 

So, on Sunday we’ll pray for the needs of our country and the needs of the world. We’ll also pray for our future as we worship and serve together. We’ll pray for our individual needs as well. 

This “Symphony of Prayer” is a service of faith. We gather because we BELIEVE. We believe God has saved us; we believe God has called us together; we believe God answers prayer. 

We pray; therefore, we believe. We believe; therefore, we pray. 

John Wesley famously wrote, “Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth. God does nothing but in answer to prayer.”

I’ve asked specific people to lead us in prayer, but I’m asking for the folks who call Christ Church home to come on Sunday ready to pray — not necessarily aloud, but certainly in your hearts. If Wesley is right, that “God does nothing but in answer to prayer,” then let us, together, offer up prayers to God thanking Him for what He has done for us, but then trusting God for a future in His service.

And then let’s watch and see what God is going to do!  

Looking forward to praying with you on Sunday! 

Blessings,
Pastor Terry