As you review this website, you will find that prayer is the first core value listed for our church. Prayer is also listed first in our mission statement. At Oakdale Park Church, we not only believe in prayer, we rely on prayer.
We are fueled and guided by prayer. We pray by and through faith given to us by the Holy Spirit of God. We humbly pray like the publican in Christ’s example of prayer “Lord, have mercy on us, sinners”. We are baffled by the mystery of prayer. We wonder how we finite humans can talk with and have communion with the infinite creator of the universe, the living God.
Though we mentally cannot understand prayer, in our hearts by the Spirit we still pray, and know and feel the need to pray more. The more we pray, the more humble we become, believing that through weakness and meekness and becoming less, we will be blessed by the Father. Getting into prayer is like going home. Things just feel right, like what we were created to do and to be. At Oakdale we say “pray for prayer”.
Please review the weekly schedule and join a Bible study or prayer group. To request prayer or to listen to the needs of others you may call our Prayer line at 616.246.6376. To receive the Prayer line sent electronically by email you may call the church office at 616.452.5764 and request it or you may request it (here).
Every year at the beginning of Lent, time is set aside for prayer for every hour of every day, for a 3 day period of time. At Oakdale, we have been so blessed by the 24/3 Prayer weeks we have done in past years. The Holy Spirit’s presence has been evident as we have joined in concentrated prayer for one week. During this time, each person (or more) signs up for a 1 hour slot (or sometimes 2-3 hours). At your designated time, you enter the prayer room to be still before God, listen to music, read the Bible, express your thoughts on the walls or in a journal, bring your prayers before the Lord, and let God speak to you. Each year there has been a theme to focus on and the Visual Arts team works hard to create a beautiful space that invites you into God’s presence. Through this week of prayer we as a church have experienced God’s presence and know that He is working through the many prayers that have been lifted up. We are grateful for the way God continues to move in our lives and the lives of many others through prayer.
Below are some links that may further help in exploring prayer as well as some books that could be referred to. We pray for blessings for all of us as we grow in the faith and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ through prayer.
www.24-7prayer.com Mobilizing 24-7 Prayer video
The Holy Bible …especially The Psalms, the prayer book of the Church
Beginning to Pray, Anthony Bloom
A Beginners Guide to Prayer, Michael Keiser
The Jesus Prayer, Frederica Matthews- Green
Seeking God’s Face, (Praying with the Bible throughout the Year), Philip F. Rinders (available through Faith Alive or of course on www.amazon.com as are the above book suggestions).