Magherally and Annaclone 'Speak Jesus'
Speak Jesus is a diocesan initiative to help connect and reconnect every home in Down and Dromore with a local parish.
All churches across the diocese have been asked to hold special prayer services on or around their patronal festival days, as we rededicate ourselves to serve our communities and to ‘Speak Jesus’ into every life.
Revd Karen Salmon, rector of Magherally and Annaclone, shares how her parish has been learning to 'Speak Jesus'.
"We are two small rural church families with a long history of supporting local and overseas mission, but are a little more hesitant at personal evangelism. We began our Speak Jesus initiative with a worship evening when we were introduced to the worship song ‘I speak Jesus’. We then introduced this at our contemporary worship service and by the time of our Prayer Service in May we could sing the truth and hope of these words with enthusiasm.
"We have planned a family fun day and guest Sunday for the first weekend in September, so our prayer nights in March and May, and Holy Week Prayer Stations introduced the idea of praying for the people of our parish townland by townland and street by street. At our Speak Jesus Prayer Service everyone was given a slip of paper with the name of a road or street where church family members live, or one of our Parish townlands and asked to pray for known and unknown people who live there.
"We have taken Speak Jesus literally, praying and speaking the names of Jesus over families, individuals, school communities and businesses. Where we are aware of particular circumstances, we are praying that our Wonderful Counsellor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Emmanuel would be very present for each person in that place. One of our church family members is cycling through the townland he is praying for, praying people will experience the Lord Jesus’ presence with them."
Revd Karen Salmon