Praise God the Father for sending His Son Jesus Christ to bear our sins and take the punishment we deserved. Ask Him to help us remember the vital nature of Christ's death and resurrection while we celebrate His birth. Pray for us to find freedom and forgiveness through our faith in Jesus and for many who have not repented of their sin and put their faith in Him to do so this Christmas season.

This week we are praying for our Fellowship Families Ministry, a Brook Hills initiative to care for, support, and make a safe space for families affected by incarceration. The initiative includes our work with Prison Fellowship at Christmas through the Angel Tree program as well as ongoing support to families throughout the year, including food support, holiday gifts, small groups, job search assistance, and invitations to Brook Hills events. We’re also praying for Bethel Baptist Church of Collegeville and Pastor Thomas Wilder.

Day 1: Pray for the Angel Tree families that are attending the Fellowship Families Christmas Party on Sunday, December 11. Pray for the gospel to be made clear and for the love of Christ to be made known to all who are in attendance.

Day 2: Pray for the children in our Fellowship Families. Pray for the Lord to help them have peace this Christmas as they are missing a loved one this holiday season. Pray that the Lord would be made known to them as their Father in Heaven and that the children would know His deep love for them.

Day 3: Pray for the incarcerated relatives of our Fellowship Families. Pray they would come to know the love of Christ and be given a second chance at life. Pray that they would do the hard work of repentance and that the Lord would begin to restore their families and their lives.

Day 4: Pray for the single mothers, fathers, grandparents, and other guardians that are caring for children on the outside while their loved one is incarcerated. Pray that the Lord would give them strength, resources, and joy for the journey. Pray that through their example of love and grace, the children in their care would have a better picture of Christ’s love.

Day 5: Pray for relationships to grow between Brook Hills volunteers and the Fellowship Families they serve. Pray for a strong foundation of friendship to be laid at the party and for those volunteers to continue to nurture those friendships all year long.

Day 6: Pray for the Fellowship Family Leadership Team. Pray that God would bless them for the countless hours they spend each year preparing for the Christmas party and then continuing to love on the Fellowship Families all year long. Pray that the Lord would let them see the fruits of their labor and be renewed in their work.

This week we are praying for Long-Termers, Sarah W. and Beth W., who are moving to North Africa with three others on a church planting team. The country they will be living in is 99.6% Muslim and most people speak Arabic or French. They will initially be diving into language learning at a language school and building relationships with their neighbors and locals, with the desire to share the hope of Jesus with people who have never heard the gospel.

Day 1: Pray for Beth as she says her goodbyes in the next couple of weeks and finishes up last-minute preparations. Pray for the Lord to be near and that she will cling to His promises. 

Day 2: Pray for Sarah as she wraps up time here in Birmingham and as she heads home for Christmas. Pray that she would be able to be present with people and for grace to take care of all the final logistics and packing.

Day 3: Please pray for Beth to trust the Lord in the midst of so much change and transition, specifically for ease of travel through customs and getting settled in North Africa.

Day 4: Pray for Sarah to abide deeply over the next several weeks and months as she gets settled in North Africa. Pray against any anxiety that might come with transitions and a new culture.

Day 5: Pray for Beth as she enters language learning and that the Lord will give her perseverance, joy, and success in learning.

Day 6: Please pray for patience and grace for Sarah in the language learning process. Pray for energy, endurance, joy, and the ability to retain what she is learning.