Holding a posture of prayer
A reflection on prayer, and the Uniting Church entering a time of ‘Uniting in Prayer’, by Rev Cyrus Kung, Act2 Administration and Engagement Officer.
This article was first published in the April 2024 edition of Revive magazine.
As we move further into 2024, I am reminded that life can get busy real fast. Our calendars can fill up, our priorities get stretched and it may be tempting to reassign those lofty new year’s resolutions to be lofty goals for the coming year instead. The ebbs and flow of the church calendar can also share similar sentiments. As the year rolls on we have services to run, bible studies to join, reports to write and an ongoing list of things we must do. These are all real challenges and real tasks that need to be attended to, however for those who have been around the church for a while we also know that this is not the primary reason why we tirelessly engage in all we do.
Having a posture of prayer has been an important part of the Act2 Project as we have been listening to those from across the country. This posture of prayer reminds us that amid all our busyness and efforts that we belong to the people of God and that we are still on the way to our promised end. It is in this posture, that we find strength in continuing to address our daily needs but also to take time to celebrate, honor and grieve all that God is doing in our midst, both in the past and in the present.
Holding a posture of prayer in all that we do is an ongoing and lifelong journey. It is not just reserved for times of change, high stress and busyness. However, it is in these times that we may need that posture the most, so that we may be attentive to God in all things and the leading of the Holy Spirit for all things to come. Prayer can be recognised in all sorts of shapes and sizes, whatever that shape and size might be for you in this season, we hope it is something that you may attend to.
Why not take some time out to pray today?
About Uniting in Prayer 2024
The Act2 Project has moved into the third and final phase, Recommendations for Action. From December 2023 the Project has been working through hundreds of responses from across the Uniting Church and developing recommendations for the 17th Assembly in July 2024.
Uniting in Prayer is a time to pray and reflect on our past and present as the Uniting Church and what God might have in store for our future. All who call the Uniting Church home are invited to join together in thanksgiving and hope to pray and seek the leading of the Spirit for the years ahead.
This year we will be drawing on the upcoming Assembly theme, “Threads of Love, Weaving Christ’s Love Across Cultures and Boundaries” as a catalyst for reflection. You can read more about the theme on the Assembly website – uniting.church/on-the-road-to-the-17th-assembly/
During these days of prayer we will join together to pray and reflect on our past and present as the Uniting Church. Seeking to acknowledge and honour our shared humanity in God our creator, and act upon our shared call to shape a world that mirrors the love and unity Christ has for us all.
Rev Cyrus Kung is currently the Act2 Administration and Engagement Officer.
