Pray

Praying at our Taco Fiesta

Prayer is a very important part of my relationship with Christ, and this year I wanted to be more intentional about incorporating mandatory prayer meetings for the executive team of IVCF at SFU.  We as leaders needs to commit our time, and our mission to Christ, and lift all things up to Him.  So we have been prioritizing prayer, and ensuring that it is a part of our firm foundation for our ministry.  We are trying to build a prayer culture within our community so that we will not lose sight of God's vision and will for IVCF at SFU.

Catherine Luu - IVCF SFU President

I can say for certain that I am deeply encouraged and excited at the passion and excitement around being a community built off of a foundation of Prayer.  Ever since I experienced the power of Prayer at Urbana 12 through the Prayer Intercessor's team, I have been praying that intercession be the culture of IVCF @ SFU.

Now Catherine isn't necessarily the one who is leading us in the prayer.  What she did was use her power as the upcoming President to create a system/structure that enables us to be in prayer more on a regular basis.  God has blessed us with Anika, who has been with us from the beginning, with the desire and passion to start building and forming what the IVCF @ SFU Prayer culture could look like.  Here's what her experiences are so far:

I've been involved with InterVarsity at SFU for 3 years now, ever since my first week on campus. I've seen a lot of changes in our community and in myself during this time; I'm now part of an exec. team that I never even imagined would exist. My role this year is Spiritual Life Coordinator and I've been tasked with guiding our community into a deeper understanding and practice of prayer - what we've called developing a prayer culture.

Practically this has looked like hosting the prayer-focused portion of our weekly meetings and taking on the planning of our recent prayer retreat. We've explored silence and listening prayer as well as prayer-walking around our campus. The topic of liturgy also came to the table, giving us the opportunity to discuss this historically rooted practice and try it out for ourselves. During our prayer retreat we renewed our vision and our values by writing short litanies for hospitality, leadership, justice, faith and other fruit that we long to define us as a community. 

I am still growing into this role with IVCF and learning what it means to create a culture of prayer, all I can say is that I am struck by the beauty and grace of Jesus. Constantly before the Father in prayer. Interceding on behalf of those he loves. Extending the invitation to do as he does and walk in a mindful creativity, expectant of the wonders that God will reveal. Pray for us at SFU, and let prayer touch every area of your lives as we long for it to do in ours.

Anika Barlow - Spiritual Life Coordinator

Please continue praying for us as we wrestle what it means to be a community of prayer.  Pray for Anika (and our executive) that we would grow in our own ability to pray and intercede.