The Concert of Prayer for Project: Congregation Multiplication has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 1, from 9-11:30 a.m., at Shepherd’s Heart Fellowship, Uptown. (The original event was cancelled due to the “Blizzard of 2010!”)

The Rev. Mike Wurschmidt (Shepherd’s Heart), his wife Tina, and Pastor Ray Almgren (House of His Presence), with wife Renaid, are co-leaders of the event, which is open to all members of the diocese.

"The Wurschmidts and Almgrens have vast experience with facilitating prayer movements, and I am thrilled that they have teamed up to empower us to worship God and lead us through focused prayer, begging Him to build His Church," noted Jenni Bartling, congregational developer for church multiplication.

When Jenni started to pray and strategize about how the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh could engage every parishioner in starting new congregations, she thought she heard God say, "Pray." As she recalled, she replied that she was already praying. God’s clarifying response to her was everyone in the Diocese should be praying for this effort. "He was right," Jenni said. "Everyone must pray, and it's something that we can all participate in no matter what our circumstances."

"We know, from the book of Acts, that the early church was birthed and sustained in prayer," she continued. "Why would we dare to expect today's church to be any different? Imagine being a part of a diocese where, like in Acts, people are aware of God's holiness and love in a way they have never known before, resulting in bold witness and service to advance the kingdom of God. Just imagine it!"

 The diocese launched a Season of Prayer for our Project: Congregation Multiplication (P:CX) initiative at November’s annual diocesan convention. More than a quarter of the leaders in attendance committed to pray, and some even asked for additional commitment cards to take back to distribute their parishes. The P:CX prayer warriors agreed to pray for one or more of these church planting factors: Potential New Congregations; Existing Parishes; Church Planting Missionaries; Possible New Locations; the P:CX Leadership Team; and Myself (asking God what specific role s/he is to play).

Sample prayers for Project: Congregation Multiplication can be found here. To become an intercessor or learn more about May’s Concert of Prayer, email Jenni Bartling.