Prayer Ministry information for presentations.

1. INITIAL QUESTIONS WE ASKED: BASIS FOR PRAYER MNINISTRY “CHARTER”
1. What is the specific purpose of the ministry? To provide the Pastor with dedicated,
intentional prayer support. To give people a direct outlet to prayer being said for their
intentions.
2. What are the desired outcome and “deliverables?” That God hears us and answers
prayer needs. God’s answers are often “Yes,” “No,” “Not yet” or “I have a better
idea.” The prayer team is a way to formally and systematically help the pastor and
others discern what the answers to their prayers are.
3. Are there apparent measures or indicators that define the limits of the prayer
team? Time available for each of the prayer team members. Once they sense that they
no longer have the time to dedicate themselves to the ministry, they can ask to no
longer belong.
4. What cost limits or considerations are there? Time, electric, presence, energy,
computer and budget of the prayer team moderator.
5. Are there effects that despite the achievement of the desired outcome cannot be
tolerated? People who ask for prayer must ask with care. (They may get what they
asked for). Confidentiality, people’s reputations and good names must be respected.
Gossip must be avoided.
6. Are there organizational values (parish, Church, archdiocesan) that cannot be
violated at any cost or benefit? All members of the prayer team must must get child
abuse clearances since they might be dealing with issues that involve children. The loss
of confidentiality, loss of trust, expectation of team and team member not comment or
judge people based on prayer requests received will not be tolerated. In short, nothing
public to cause scandal if someone is on the prayer team should be permitted. Cannon
law, local, state and federal law, parish and archdiocesan guidelines are also in effect.
7. What kind of timelines for delivery of outcomes must be considered? Prayers
requests will be received, vetted, edited for appropriateness and then sent to the team
within one or two days. Members pray daily at least twice a day for people on prayer
list. Prayer requests are posted for 1 month. If prayer requests require longer time,
people can renew the request after one month. Will use anonymous – special intention
when needed.
8. Are there restrictions concerning the utilization of the volunteers? Are there
restrictions concerning parish resources? Budget for the ministry. Requests for
advertising the ministry
9. Are here any “sacred cows” that must be spared? If abuse is reported to anyone on
the follow they are legally obligated to follow “Mandated Reporter” guidelines.
10. What criteria can the ministry use to know that it needs to obtain the (Pastor’s)
permission, rather than wait for forgiveness? Same as #6 and #9
11. What organizational realities or environmental factors – internal or external –
that need to be considered to understand problems or issues clearly that might
need to be addressed? Initially not sure. These will be discussed on a monthly basis
between Pastor and prayer ministry moderator.

2. 12. What are the consequences if expected delivery of outcomes is not fulfilled? For
organizational issues, Pastor and prayer team moderator will discuss these. Pastor will
elevate the issues to other appropriate parties depending on the issue.
13. What incentives are there for the team if the outcomes are reached. Exceeded?
Great joy and hope which enables us to continue to pray for others. Father formally
offers thanks to the prayer team on an annual basis by offering a day of reflection,
retreat, dinner or other means that the prayer team welcomes and deems appropriate
14. Can the (Pastor) override decision arrived at by the team that he does not like?
Yes. What would be the implication if this occurs? If a difficult situation arises,
how would team deal with Pastor? Initially, prayer team moderator will speak with
Pastor directly. If situation is not resolved, prayer team leader has permission from
Pastor to discuss the situation further with the prayer team members and approach
Pastor again.
15. If the (Pastor) becomes too involved in the ongoing work of the team, how will the
team let him/her know? Prayer team moderator will meet and speak directly with
Pastor.
16. What kind of Prayer Ministry do you want? What vision do you have? This is the
Pastor’s Prayer Ministry. We will change what isn’t working at any time. We can stop
it if it fails. We can rejoice when it works and praise and thank God for our new ability
to help our parishioners.

3. GUIDELINES:
Selection of Team Members:
 Our initial group came from people who had completed the “Called and Gifted” Spiritual
Gifts Inventory and gifts interview (St. Catherine of Siena). We looked for people who
had the “charisms” of intercessory prayer, discernment of spirits, encouragement, healing
and prophesy.
 The Pastor added other prayerful people who, he felt, would be willing and even enjoy
being a member of the prayer team.
Procedure:
 Commitment for the prayer team is one year. If people wish to no longer be members, the
contact the prayer team moderator.
 At the beginning of each month, the prayer team receives notification about the specific
prayer intention-of-the-month of the Holy Father.
 The prayer team moderator asks the Pastor for any prayer intentions he has for the
coming month. We also keep intentions that, we feel, should remain on the prayer list.
 During the month, we contact the prayer team when other individual intentions come.
 Intentions are kept on the prayer list for 1 month and then removed unless discerned
otherwise.
 We ask prayer team members to pray twice (once in the morning and once in the
evening), as well as to lift up the intentions during the “Prayer of the Faithful” during
Mass.
 The specific prayer “method” or style is up to the discretion of each prayer member.
HOW WE STARTED THE MINISTRY:
 We set up a special email address for the prayer ministry. This would be exclusively
managed by the Pastor as well as Prayer Team Moderator.
 The Pastor and prayer team moderator examined the list of Called and Gifted attendees
and discussed whom might be good for the ministry. We then contacted them personally.
 We appealed to the parish-at-large through the parish bulletin and various parish social
media for 2 weeks.
 We noted in the St. Monica bulletin how people could get in touch with the prayer team
to submit intentions. This information was also communicated on parish media.
 Final elections of prayer team members were notified. Guidelines were sent to them.
 We emphasized, again, that privacy must be maintained for the respect of those
requesting prayer.

4. SAMPLE LETTER TO PRAYER TEAM:
Dear Members of the Prayer Team:
Father Zlock recently discerned, and received confirmation, not only the importance, but of the
absolute necessity of establishing a prayer team for himself and for the parish. During a recent
Webinar for pastors Patrick Lencioni - Catholic Consultant and author of The Better Pastor- said
that prayer is the foundational element. It is more important than a commitment to a healthy
organization or even a passion for evangelization and discipleship. Co-founders of the Siena
Institute Sherry Weddell and Fr. Mike Sweeney, O.P. said at a recent “Forming Intentional
Disciples” conference, “Don’t do anything else until you have a prayer team in place first.”
We need a mechanism put in place so that you the Team know that a prayer has been answered.
We’d like to tell you what happened. So we will begin to request permission to share with you
the team when prayer is answered. We’d like them to contact us after 1 month so that we know
how they are doing.
If you hear anything about a new prayer intention, please contact the Director of Prayer Ministry
about the intention. Simply respond to the prayer request reply area that I send you when we
have something new to pray for. If you sense something about a situation or something or
someone that needs prayer, please contact the Director of Prayer Ministry and this special
request will be made know to the rest of the group.
The Lord will use us. Thus you can see the significance of what you do for the Parish of St.
Monica. May God continue to bless you and your families for all that you do for the members of
St. Monica’s Parish.

5. SAMPLE BULLETIN ANNOUNCEMENT
On April 17, 2016 a Prayer Ministry began at Saint Monica Parish. Upon prayerful reflection,
Father Charles Zlock created this new Ministry in support of his ministry, for the people of St.
Monica Parish, to support the Parish Vision and Mission and to have our prayers impact the
neighborhood and wider world.
Several members of the parish have generously answered the call for this vision. A “Director of
Prayer Ministry” has been appointed who will work together with the “Prayer Ministry Team”
and steward the ministry.
FAQs:
What does this Ministry do exactly? The Prayer Team regularly receive prayer requests sent
into them via this link on the Parish Website.
How does one submit a prayer request? Prayer requests can be submitted via an email link
located on the parish website. People may leave their your first and last name and your e-mail
address if they wish. On the website is stated, “May we share your name and the information
about the situation that needs prayer with the prayer team? Yes No” to allow people to tell the
prayer team the whether they wish their name mentioned or if they wish to remain anonymous.
How long does the Prayer Team Pray for the intention? Intentions will be brought to prayer
for 1 month. If more prayer for a situation is needed, a new request can be sent so that prayer
may continue for an additional month.
Will anyone else besides the Prayer Team know about the prayer intention? All requests are
first received by the Director of Prayer Ministry who reads, discerns and, when necessary, edits
all prayer requests before passing them on to the Prayer Team. All prayer requests are held in
confidence. Names and specifics about a situation are not revealed to the Prayer Team unless
requested.
It is the hope of Father Zlock that this new Ministry will be a great comfort to people in need of
it. As a Parish, please keep Father Zlock and the Members of the Team and its Director in your
prayers.