April 2007

To: All Intercessors
From: Fr. Alan W. Hansen
Subject: Prayer Update and Requests

Greetings all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though the Episcopal Church continues to be in great tension, this ministry is being revitalized and our “tent” expanded. I want to acknowledge the role of intercession and your prayers as the main reasons for this phenomenon. Without your vigilance I would hate to think where we might be.

Praise Reports

The follow up conference to Yes These Bones Can Live held in mid March was tremendous. We had just at 100 participants from the Diocese of Springfield, IL and had attendees from Memphis and St. Louis as well. We entitled the conference, More Than Words…Reclaiming the Vitality of the Early Church. The focus was on Christian Healing and we spent the weekend training congregations leaders (clergy and lay). As you know this pilot program is addressing the challenge of declining and plateaued congregations. We are just ending the first year of a two year program. Pray that the Lord would breathe on these old bones with the Holy Spirit.

Nashotah House Doctorate of Ministries Program. ACTS 29 Ministries has been asked to be a main presenter for this new Doctoral Degree through Nashotah House Seminary near Milwaukee, WI. This is quite a blessing in that we will be training and equipping clergy and lay leadership. I will be conducting a two week course of study on congregational development primarily centered on the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Ascension, Miami Breakthrough. I am very pleased to report a door that opened for ministry in south Florida. ACTS 29 was asked to lead a conference on Inner Healing and it was a powerful weekend indeed. The congregations were mostly comprised of people from the Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and other islands in the Caribbean. The reason I mention this is because they have many friends in churches in the Caribbean and are a rather tight knit group and will share their joy with other congregations. It was such a powerful weekend that I was asked to come back in December and lead a “revival” on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Night. It will be basically, singing, teaching and altar calls! Alleluia Jesus!

Increases. I regularly ask you to pray for increases in funding and ministry opportunities. I want to thank God and ask you to join with me praise for a modest increase in three areas. First our mailing list has increased almost 40% in the past year. This is important because it is how we keep in touch with our friends and a major means of financial support. Second, we have been asking people to make a modest pledge to the ministry and now have over 100 people making a monthly contribution to support ACTS 29. Third, the ministry calendar is very healthy for the first time in many years. We are almost full for 2007 (see below) and are already booking events into 2008.

Prayer Requests

Protection, Protection, Protection. Please pray protection over me, the family and the ministry. Lately we have been hammered at home and in the office with a number of things. My son had a minor accident ($1,000 out of pocket to fix the other car); he was injured in a soccer match (bad ankle sprain); my secretary has been very sick off and on for the past two weeks; all the computers are struggling with “issues” that have kept us down and unable to work; the website is being redone and its taking forever; my daughter had her debit card compromised and money stolen (we will get it back but this is scary) and I have felt heavy, anxious and down lately. I am sure it is a spiritual attack against us because of all that we are doing. I am begging you to pray for my protection.

Yes These Bones Can Live Funding. I have asked you to pray for funding for this initiative. We have pending a number of gifts totally $12,000 that need to come. Please pray God will release these funds for this work.

Building and Relocation. This continues to be a request and I ask you continue to pray for the building to sell and for us to be able to relocate to a more convenient location for the staff. Ask the Lord for wisdom and proper timing.

YouthQuake Golf Tournament. We will be hosting our 5th Annual Golf Tournament here in Atlanta on May 17th. Please pray for good weather, a full compliment of 72 players and for all 45 sponsors to come through with their gifts.

YouthQuake Steering Committee Meeting. I will be meeting next week in Orlando with several key youth leaders as we prepare for YQ 08. The goal is to make YQ the National Youth Event for the “orthodox” within the Anglican/Episcopal tradition.

YouthQuake SW Florida Meeting. I have a group in Sarasota that wants to host YQ in their area. This meeting is also next week and your prayers are asked for God to give us wisdom and timing.

Funding Requests. Please continue to pray for our financial needs to be met and increased. Presently we are understaffed and under funded for all we have a heart to do. I am praising God for the modest increase we have received in pledges, however, we need more churches, donors and major donors to fully fund and staff all that is on our plate. Specifics: Pledges 200 by the end of 2007; 20 new churches; 100 new donors. Thanks.

As always I invite your feedback. Should you receive a nudge of the Holy Spirit during your prayer time; should you receive a word from the Lord or a vision/image you think would be helpful, send it to me via email or call me at 678-520-9427. I would love to hear from you any time.

God’s Peace – Fr. Alan W. Hansen