October 30, 2014
Making a Difference – Parents in Prayer
Each Monday morning, after the hustle and bustle of household routines, morning commutes, and the drop-off line at Prince Avenue Christian School, a loyal and faithful group of parents can be seen pulling into a parking place, making their way to the library, and gathering together for one united purpose. Prayer!
Parents in Prayer is a group that was started many years ago at Prince. Currently the group is led by Colleen Brown, a Prince mom whose son and a daughter are both in high school. The group includes men and women, young and old, parents and grandparents – all people who care about our school, our students, and our faculty and staff. “At first, being a part of the group really stretched me. Praying out loud was not something I was used to doing,” Colleen says of her early experience with Parents in Prayer. “I quickly realized that I did not have to pray out loud. I just needed to pray!”
Colleen has grown from her initial timid days as a participant in the prayer group to being the group’s leader. “I have seen the difference that prayer makes not just in the school, but in my life personally. I have gotten to know so many other parents as well as teachers and students. I just love it.” Colleen emphasizes that participants in the group have a “come as you are and come when you can” philosophy. “There is no need to dress professionally or feel as if you need to participate every single week. Don’t let the fact that you are in your sweats or that you do not know very many people or that you are afraid to pray out loud keep you from coming. Just come!”
Typically Parents in Prayer receives a list of current prayer requests submitted by the faculty and staff from the school’s media center director Nancy Simpson. The group then adds any other known requests, special needs, or current concerns to the list. They divide the requests among the group, and they pray. The group also makes use of the school’s rotating schedule to touch base with each teacher during his or her planning period at least once during the school year. A few parents will meet with the teacher, ask for specific needs, and pray specifically for that teacher. Of these special times with teachers, Colleen says, “I get more of a blessing from this time than they do.”
David Shivar, PACS Chaplain expresses his appreciation for Parents in Prayer as part of the school’s overall mission. “Anytime we have a presence of prayer in the school, it is an invaluable blessing. The fact that this presence is in parents who have a love for their own children as well as the school is just an extra blessing. They are not only calling on the Lord but demonstrating a true partnership with the school’s purpose. This is a tremendous encouragement to teachers and staff.”
In referring to specific prayers, Colleen says, “We have seen specific answers to specific needs – miracles some of them. There are some requests we pray over for weeks, months, or years. We just keep praying.”
Parents in Prayer wants the parents and grandparents of Prince Avenue to know that the prayer group is active, open, and available. Parents in Prayer meets every Monday morning following morning drop-off in room 122-B (Media Center). For more information, contact Colleen Brown. Colbrown3130@att.net or 706-202-1436.