ChapelThis semi-weekly column is devoted to ministry hacks.  If you have a hack you would like to share, please email Jason (Jason [at] peacefulministry.com) so he can add it to the blog!

Use Recurring Events to Keep Your Prayer List Current

As ministers, people ask us to pray for them regularly.  This happens so often that if we are to keep our promises, then we will have to find some easy way to keep those names and requests in front of us.

An easy way to do it is to set up a recurring calendar event as a prayer list.  I use MS Outlook, so these steps come from my familiarity with that program.  If there are drastically different steps on your Mac, please help us out by putting them in the comments section below.

Setup

  1. Open a calendar event for today.
  2. Mark the event as an “all-day” event.
  3. Type “Pray for these” in the subject line.
  4. Start adding prayer requests to the notes section.  I include an opening sentence and closing prayer before and after the requests, like this:

    5. For all who have commended themselves to our prayers; for our families, friends, and neighbors; that being freed from anxiety, they may live in joy, peace, and health, especially…
    1. Sally, that you would heal her broken leg.

    2. Bill, that you would give him peace and grace in his job transition.

    3. Jonathan, that you would show him your love.

    4. Etc…
    Almighty God, to whom our needs are known before we ask: Help us to ask only what accords with your will; and those good things which we dare not, or in our blindness cannot ask, grant us for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

  5. Once you have it filled in, find the recurrence option and set the event to recur at the interval you choose.  For me, I have the event recurring daily.

Use

  1. When you want to use the list, open it.  In Outlook, it asks if I want to open the series or just that occurrence.  Open the series.
  2. As you pray, add, edit, or rearrange the requests.
  3. Save and close the event.  This makes sure that all your edits are carried forward.
  4. Delete the event – but only that occurrence!  All of your changes have already been made in the subsequent events.

The great thing about this hack is that you have your prayer list always available and editable, but you also have a constant reminder on your calendar (so it’s harder to forget) and a way to mark it “complete” (for the sense of closure).  Half of faithfulness is tricking yourself to remember to be faithful.  Give it a try and let me know how it works for you!