Prayer Needs Week of January 6 -January 11, 2014

• Pray for those caught in frigid temperatures across the nation. In particular, the bitter cold will impact the homeless as well as the poor in homes without heat as well as those traveling for work or on the roadways because of other means. Pray for their safety and for the compassion of communities and conscious- shelters and neighbors.

• Pray as Washington debates and votes on reinstating federal unemployment insurance. Pray they embrace compassion and look at the humanity of the need to reinstate federal unemployment insurance. There are families suffering- struggling to make ends meet not because they are lazy, inconsistent in responsibility, but because “life” has happened to them and they are just trying to survive. The bible tells us “the poor will always be with us” -Matthew 26:11. If this is true, and it is- compassion will have to be a long journeyman.

• Pray for states as lawmakers, advocacy groups and everyday people grapple with whether to support the legalization of  recreational Marijuana- cannabis. Pray for states that have already legalized marijuana- Colorado and Washington State. As we struggle to walk alongside so many already struggling with addictions, legalizing recreational marijuana has the potential of escalating addictions on too many levels.

• Continue to pray for the family of  Jahi McMath, a 13-year-old girl on a ventilator after a tonsillectomy that left her in a coma. She has been released from an Oakland, California hospital and moved to an undisclosed location.

Prayer Needs Week of  December 28 -January 4, 2014

• Pray for the family of  Jahi McMath, a 13-year-old girl on a ventilator after a tonsillectomy left her in a coma. Doctors have declared her to be brain dead but her family remains prayerful for a miracle. Her parents are believing they can find another hospital to take their daughter. Legal challenges have emerged. Because she has been pronounced brain dead with a ventilator keeping her “alive”, it has been a legal nightmare keeping her on a ventilator while the move is to remove her.

 Prayer Needs Week of August 19, 2013

Pray for the family of Christopher Lane who was killed by 3 teens and pray for the families of the 3 teens.

• Three teens took the life of an innocent Australian Athlete- Christopher Lane, while he was jogging in Duncan, Oklahoma- near Oklahoma City while visiting his girlfriend and her family.
• Christopher Lane of Melbourne Australia was on a baseball scholarship at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma
• Christopher Lane was randomly killed by 3 teens set out to kill “for the fun of it”.

Pray for those shot by an elderly gentleman in Vanceboro-Craven County, NC who was said to be suffering from PTSD.

• workers trimming trees were shot – reason not clear at time of reporting
• pray especially for Billy Dial a 72 year old resident on the street helping- a good Samaritan, trying to protect others from being shot

Pray for school districts everywhere- especially Dekalb, Georgia- gunman entered school no loss of life.

Prayer Needs for the Week of August 12, 2013

Pray for those challenging the Voting Rights Bill under the guise of the Voter ID Bill. Pray for reasonable minds, politics and fairness.

• end to straight ticket voting
• no Sunday voting after 1:00 pm
• early voting cut by a week
• increasing poll observers
• eliminating same day registration
• denying 16-17 year olders early registration
• and the list continues… click on link for full story http://www.democracy-nc.org/downloads/MonsterLaw-IDAug2013.pdf

DYING BLACK TEEN IN NEED OF A HEART BUT DENIED ADDING HIS NAME TO TRANSPLANT LIST

• 15 year old black male dying given 6 months to live
• Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta refused to put his name on transplant list because they believed he would be “non compliant”
• every child, everyone has a right to life and not to have doctors “judge” play “god” and decide who lives or dies according to color, economics or according to their access to power

Prayer Needs for the Week of July 22, 2013

Pray that the voting rights of Black and Brown, young and old people are not suppressed and that the right to vote remains the right of all eligible voters. Pray that the North Carolina General Assembly will not pass a proposed voting rights bill that supports:

Excerpts from an article written by:Scott Keyes

. Implementing a strict voter ID requirement that bars citizens who don’t have a proper photo ID from casting a ballot.

·          Eliminating same-day voter registration, which allowed residents to register at the polls.

·         Cutting early voting by a full week.

·         Increasing the influence of money in elections by raising the maximum campaign contribution to $5,000 and increasing the limit every two years.

·         Making it easier for voter suppression groups like True The Vote to challenge any voter who they think may be ineligible by requiring that challengers simply be registered in the same county, rather than precinct, of those they challenge.

·         Vastly increasing the number of “poll observers” and increasing what they’re permitted to do

·         Only permitting citizens to vote in their specific precinct, rather than casting a ballot in any nearby ward or election district. This can lead to widespread confusion, particularly in urban areas where many precincts can often be housed in the same building.

·         Barring young adults from pre-registering as 16- and 17-year-olds, which is permitted by current law, and repealing a state directive that high schools conduct voter registration drives in order to boost turnout among young voters.

·         Prohibiting some types of paid voter registration drives, which tend to register poor and minority citizens.

·         Dismantling three state public financing programs, including the landmark program that funded judicial elections.

·         Weakening disclosure requirements for outside spending groups.

·         Preventing counties from extending polling hours in the event of long lines or other extraordinary circumstances and making it more difficult for them to accommodate elderly or disabled voters with satellite polling sites at nursing homes, for instance.

North Carolina On Cusp Of Passing Worst Voter Suppression Bill In The Nation by Scott Keyes.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/07/23/2340941/nc-voter-suppression/

Continue to Pray for the Trayvon Martin Family

• They remain courageous as they advocate for justice for all especially young Black and Brown kids
• They “stand their ground” according to their faith

 

Prayer Needs for the Week of July 15, 2013

PRAY FOR  VOTING RIGHTS AS A NEW STRICTER VOTER ID BILL HAS BEEN INTRODUCED BY THE NC REPUBLICAN SENATE

• The NC General Assembly votes to adopt stricter voter ID laws than an earlier bill
• Stricter laws will impact college students whose college ID’s would not be a “legal” form of Voter ID
• Sunday, early and same day registration voting is also in jeopardy

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/18/3038818/senate-republicans-unveil-stricter.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/18/north-carolina-voter-id_n_3617956.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

PRAYER FOR PARENTS WITH BLACK TEEN BOYS

Please pray for the parents of teen black boys who are asking questions about the Trayvon martin Verdict.

• Parents are lost for words to explain to their black boys why Ttrayvon Martin was killed but his killer was found not guilty.
• Parents across all economic spectrums are struggling to understand the verdict and how they equip their kids who are also Trayvon Martin.
• Parents have to explain to their kids why the justice system is not color blind.
• Parents have to face historical “demons” of injustice they thought had long been cast out of communities of color .

100 CITIES, 100 VIGILS IN RESPONSE TO THE TRAYVON MARTIN VERDICT

Please continue to pray for peace and calm as vigils are scheduled around the country on the steps of federal buildings as young people mourn not only the non guilty verdict of George Zimmerman, but the erosion of their confidence in the justice system.

TRAYVON MARTIN’S PARENTS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Please, please pray for Trayvon Martin’s parents as they grapple with a not guilty verdict of George Zimmerman in the death of their son, and loved one.

• Trayvon Martin’s parents will never have an opportunity to watch their son grow, graduate, become a dad and a meaningful contributor to society
• His parents will have to celebrate holidays and special occasions without him
• Pray his parents find peace while justice remains a journey

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER

Please pray that the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, as he grapples with whether to file civil rights charges against George Zimmerman for the death of Trayvon Martin.

• a jury of 6 women – 5 white and one, as reported, of hispanic origin- found George Zimmerman not guilty
• the judge did not allow the word “racial” to be used in the trial but did allow the word “profiling”
• it has been said that the jury did not believe race was an issue and was not discussed in delibrations
• George Zimmerman’s profile of Trayvon Martin brought race into the conversation
• arguably so, race was indeed a factor in the case
• meeting the statues that would regard this as a “civil rights violation” is said to be tough benchmark to reach

PRAY FOR AMERICA

Pray that both the US House and Senate work together for America.

ADDICTION AND YOUNG STARS – GLEE STAR ACTOR CORY MONTEITH’S DEATH AND HIS ADDICTION

Please pray for the family of Cory Monteith who starred in the popular TV show Glee. He was found dead in a Canadian hotel.

• Autopsy reveals that Cory Monteith died from an overdose of heroine and alcohol
• Cory had made public his personal fight with alcohol beginning at age 13
• Cory was optimistic that he could recover and took steps to sobriety
• Cory lost his fight

Prayer Needs for the Week of July 8, 2013

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN FOUND NOT GUILTY OF KILLING TRAYVON MARTIN

Please pray for peace and calm around the nation as George Zimmerman is found not guilty for shooting Trayvon Martin, an unarmed young black male wearing a hoodie and having skittles.

BUDGET CUTS HEAD START PROGRAM FOR 3 YEAR OLDERS

Please pray for the number of low-income families with 3 year-olders who will no longer have a Head Start slot- be dropped from the Head Start rolls or kids who Head Start Program is being cut all together.

• Local cuts to Head Start  will place families already economically vulnerable in an unfortunate predicament.
• Working families will have to figure out ways to work and afford childcare.
• Cuts to Head Start ends in communities making choices about the value of a preschool education. While sequestration – cuts at the federal level cut resources, in the end, it is the state and the local education administration that will have to make the last call.

HOUSE BILL 392 – BILL PROPOSES SIGNIFICANT POLICY CHANGES TO RECEIVE WELFARE BENEFITS

Please pray for House Bill 392. It would require welfare recipients to pass drug test, and to pass a background check to ensure they have no outstanding warrants etc. in order to qualify for benefits.

• There is lots of concerns about this bill to include state agency concerns about its implementation.
• There are concerns that the message being sent is that applicants failing testing or inquiry should, “Stay away … You’re not deserving.’ ”
  Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/08/3017735/proposed-policies-could-deter.html#storylink=cpy
  Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/08/3017735/proposed-policies-could-deter.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/08/3017735/proposed-policies-could-deter.html

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT GOING LIVE

Please pray all North Carolinians will have access to affordable health care. Pray the politics of health are resolved in favor of those who have none.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/06/3013944/1-million-north-carolinians-will.html

NC ” REBRANDED” FROM MODERATE TO ….?

Pray as lawmakers “rebrand” North Carolina. Pray they consider women, the poor and middle class families and communites; many of which are without the resources to adjust to abrupt changes to public supports and other resources.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/06/3013805/mccrory-wanted-to-rebrand-nc-the.html

Prayer Needs for the Week of July 1, 2013

A WOMAN’S RIGHTS AND HER BODY

Please pray for North Carolina lawmakers as they continue to grapple with individual rights of  women around issues of abortion and their legal rights of choice, or not, and the constitutionality of either side. In a surprise vote by the North Carolina General Assembly late Wednesday night, Republican Senate voted to add restrictions to abortion clinics. Clinics would be required to meet new standards similar to those for outpatient surgical centers. Significant change in standards of operation for abortion clinics is said to impede upon the constitutionality of women and that many clinics would be forced to close because of a lack of resources to meet new legal requirements. Such restrictions is said would drive women “underground” to get abortions from unregulated clinics far more dangerous and deadlier than those being regulated by today’s standards.  The bill now goes to the House.

• The public was also outraged because it was seen to limit an individual woman’s rights, but also because the bill was authored in another bill that addressed Sharia law and it denied public input.

• Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/03/3007643/opponents-of-nc-abortion-bill.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/03/3009072/abortion-vote-puts-tillis-and.html

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/03/3009032/abortion-bill-protest-fuses-causes.html

MORAL MONDAYS

Please pray for Moral Mondays and the many men and women, clergy, lawyers, doctors, moms and dads, community leaders, who protest cuts to the poor and middle class families living all over the state. Many of them are arrested as they protest as an act of civil disobedience. Pray elected leaders understand the need to include a broad constituency in their public policy making so reasoned legislation is achieved.

• Moral Mondays began in April 2013 as the newly elected Governor and General Assembly introduced legislation that was harmful to the poor. The link below provides a detail look at the timeline.

http://chapelboro.com/news/state-government/the-anatomy-of-the-moral-monday-movement/

19 FIRE FIGHTERS LOSE THEIR LIVES FIGHTING FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD

Please pray for the families, friends and communities of:

• 19 Fire fighters who lost their lives fighting Yarnell Hill fire, northwest of Phoenix in Arizona

http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/01/us/arizona-firefighter-deaths/index.html

17 YEAR OLD TRAYVON MARTIN MURDER TRIAL 

 Please pray for the families involved in the murder trial, and the communities his murder has impacted; pray for calm and justice.

• Last week open arguments began for the Trayvon Martin murder trial. George Zimmerman murdered Mr. Martin saying it was in self- defense.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/05/us/trayvon-martin-shooting-fast-facts/

  1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT-U.S. SUPREME COURT STUCK DOWN KEY COMPONENT

Please pray for states, counties/districts, and communities with a history of voting rights abuses against African Americans:

• Last week the US Supreme Court on a vote of 5-4, struck down Section 4 of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 aimed at preventing discriminatory voting practices. It provided federal oversight to ensure counties disenfranchising blacks, would have to apply for federal clearance before they could make any changes in their voting laws.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/06/voting_rights_act_lawsuit_a_ti.html

DOMA-DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT STRUCK DOWN AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

Please pray for families all over the nation as they struggle to understand legislative action by the US Supreme Court as it redefines marriage and family and what it means to what they believe.

•  Last week the US Supreme Court on a vote of 4-5, strikes down the Defense of Marriage Act- DOMA.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/07/01/poll-supreme-court-gay-marriage-affirmative-action-voting-rights/2479541/

KIDS GO HUNGRY DURING THE SUMMER

Please pray for the more than 1 out of 5 or 16 million kids  that go hungry in America and during the summer, that number grows to overwhelming levels. Pray that churches, families and neighbors create a coalition of feeding the hungry; helping kids to never go to bed wishing they had food to eat.

•  With school out during the summer months many families already struggling to make ends meet, lack the resources needed to feed their kids. Hunger impacts more than a child’s appetite for food, it impacts their overall health, their ability to learn and their outlook on life. Many churches and community based organizations often lack the needed resources to meet the need and can only do so with generous giving. A few dollars can go a long way. So give.
• http://www.nokidhungry.org/pdfs/Facts-Childhood-Hunger-in-America-2013-grid.pdf

AFRICAN AMERICANS, MALES AND KIDS ARE AT A HIGHER RISK FOR SUMMER DROWNINGS

Please pray that kids that lack the ability to swim will make wise choices and play safely in the water. Pray that caring adults will make a priority, every child in every community has an opportunity to learn the basics of swimming- how to safely play in the water during the summer.

• ·         African Americans ranks the highest in fatalities for not knowing how to swim, while males and kids are also the categories most vulnerable.

http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/water-safety/waterinjuries-factsheet.html