St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

The Prayer Group

Prayer for anyone in need, for any reason. Whatever you are carrying, you do not have to carry it alone.

Some weights are not meant to be carried alone

A diagnosis. A surgery on the calendar. A marriage under strain, a child you are worried about, a grief that will not lift, a decision you keep turning over at two in the morning. Every life carries seasons like these, and Scripture’s answer to them is startlingly practical: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”1

That is what the St. Andrew’s prayer group does. We will gladly pray for anyone in need of special prayers, for any reason. Anyone can request prayer, for themselves or for someone they love. It is quiet, faithful, unglamorous work, and it is some of the most important work the Church does.

Praying for others is an old, old job

The church has a word for it: intercession, which simply means bringing the needs of someone else before God.2 You do not need eloquent words or a strong feeling of faith to ask for it. You need a name and a need. The group takes it from there, steadily, week after week, for as long as it takes.

A circle with no edge

Most of the group’s communication happens by phone, text, and email, on purpose. It means that poor health cannot push you out of the circle, distance cannot, and neither can belonging to another church. Folks who cannot meet face to face take part as fully as anyone. The group is built so that nobody is too far away, too unwell, or too busy to pray or be prayed for.

Join us

We welcome new members gladly, and you do not have to be a member of St. Andrew’s, or of any church, to join. If you are willing to pray for your neighbors, you are qualified. James puts the job description plainly: “The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.”3 Powerful and effective, and it can be done from a kitchen table, a hospital bed, or another town entirely.

Ask, or join, today

For a prayer request, or to join the group, contact the Rev. Quincy Hall at (205) 665-1667, or send the church a note. Whatever you are carrying, you do not have to carry it alone, and neither do the people you love.

  1. Philippians 4:6, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. ↩︎

  2. The Book of Common Prayer, “An Outline of the Faith,” p. 857: “Intercession brings before God the needs of others.” ↩︎

  3. James 5:16, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. ↩︎

Questions & Answers

How do I request prayer?
Contact the Rev. Quincy Hall at (205) 665-1667 to ask for prayer, for yourself or for someone else. That is the whole process.
What can I ask prayer for?
Any reason at all. An illness, a surgery, a diagnosis, grief, a hard decision, a worried-over child, a thanksgiving. If it matters to you, it is not too small, and nothing you are facing is too big.
Do I have to be a member to join or to ask for prayer?
No. New members are always welcome, and you do not have to be a member of St. Andrew’s, or of any church at all.
How does the group stay in touch?
Much of the group’s communication happens by phone, text, or email, so those who cannot meet face to face, whether because of poor health, distance, or attending another church, can still take part fully.
Does it cost anything?
No. Prayer is free, given gladly, with no strings attached.
I am not sure what to say. Can I still ask?
Yes. Tell us a name and as much or as little as you want. God already knows the rest.