An Edon pastor is hoping a box where people can place requests will help his church make an impact in the community.
David Miller of the Edon United Methodist Church came upon the idea of a prayer box through social media and thought it would work here. The United Methodist Church has always had a prayer ministry and time is given every Sunday for joys and concerns.
“I thought this could be a tacked on thing to what we do on Sunday morning,” Miller said.
Miller brought the idea of the prayer box to the congregation in January and a member, Gary Hukill, took it upon himself to build the display. The result is a cross with a base filled with rocks to keep it in place. The box hangs on the cross with a tube underneath holding a pen and paper so people can submit their requests.
The box is kept locked so people’s privacy is protected.
The box has received seven requests so far.
“We are starting slow, but we will gather up speed,” Miller said.
The community has many people with needs, but who don’t want their names mentioned in public. The prayer box will act as a way to serve that segment of the population, Miller said.
Two requests Miller retrieved June 2 were about a man asking for prayer for his wife and another asking God about the upcoming presidential election. The requests will be brought up at the Sunday service, but no names will be used and the latter request will likely just become a prayer for the nation.
“People can put their names on it (slips of paper) if they want to be recognized,” Miller said.
The knowledge the church (where attendance is 70-80 per week) is praying for them is a comfort in and of itself and it can act as a community outreach for the congregation, Miller said.
But with Miller leaving June 22, it is hard to say what the fate of the prayer box will be. Miller was encouraged that when he posted a photo of the prayer box on the church’s Facebook page, the new pastor was the first person to like it.
“I don’t know what he’s going to do with it,” Miller said. “What I had envisioned it was before I knew I was moving. I hoped a prayer group would spin off from it. They would meet in the morning and pray for the requests.”
Miller is going to be overseeing two churches in Stockport, in the southeast portion of the state.
The congregation wanted to get word of the prayer box out in the community so people would know the church cares and wants to pray for local needs, Miller said. So if people walk by or drive by the church, they will know what the box is all about, he said.
‘It’s a way for the church to kind of reach out in prayer,” Miller said. “Some people have asked me if this is going to make the church grow. I don’t know if it will or not.
“It’s just another way for the church to have an outreach into the community.”
James Pruitt may be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com