(Sat., January 24, 2009 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. in front of Christ Church, Schenectady; Torre Bissell, David Carlson and Deacon Alan Hart.)
a–indicates anointed with Holy Oil.
t–indicates received one of the wooden crosses Torre gets from Dennis Adams of North Carolina.
c–indicates received one of our yellow Christ Church cards.
Note: Before I (Alan) left for the Table this morning, my wife Deacon MaryCarol prayed aloud with her hand on my arm for God’s anointing on His Table this day. She reminded me that “…Prayer is usually a last resort to a lot of people when, really, it ought to be the FIRST resort.” That thought and encouraging prayer has stayed with me all day!
This was a very blustery morning which swept through us and our visitors and made it feel a lot colder than it was (27 degrees at start), but … people came!
a,a,a,t — TRACY — This very young Mom stopped with her two children, BIANCA and CODY. We prayed for her to be the woman and mother God intends her to be. We anointed her as well as the two children and prayed that the kids will grow up to follow in Jesus’ path.
ROGER — This was a young man who was the front seat passenger in a car driving by but slowing at the light in front of the Table. He rolled down the window of his side and asked us what we were doing, and we answered that we were praying for people. David asked “Would you like us to pray for YOU?” and he told us his name and said “Please do!” We prayed for him as the car drove away.
LINDA – This nice lady is a weekly visitor to the Table who stops on her way to get the bus on the corner. We prayed for her continued safety and provision.
JUNE and t–CHAMPAGNE — These two young women stopped for prayer. June is a repeater, proudly wearing her cross. Champagne wanted prayer for her friend LYNETTE, but did not go into details. JUNE asked for prayers for “her family.” Later, these women returned with a woman who appeared to be the mother of June, but she rejected our invitations for prayer despite June’s encouraging to get prayer.
t–REENA — This one is a whopper and a keeper! Reena approached us from Swan Street and seemed surprised to see us out by the sidewalk. She sat right down at Torre’s invitation and said she wanted prayer for her niece SHAKTI, who was involved in a car accident a few days ago. We then prayed for Shakti, but Reena afterward said ‘No, you don’t understand. I want you to come to our apartment and PRAY for her there!” Reena did not know about the Prayer Table; she had expected to go to our church door and ask a clergyman to come over and pray with the girl. So … Deacon Alan got up and walked with Reena to the apartment where the four women live upstairs, took off his shoes inside the door as reena did and went in and prayed for Shakti, anointing her forehead with Holy Oil. (She said her head is what hurts the most, although she had a black cast on her right arm.) It was very clean and orderly there, and I could see our church plainly from their front window. What an amazing thing that Reena came to Christ Church for help from God! What a holy honor to be able to do a “house call” and work in His name!
a,t,c — LAURIE — This woman, middle-aged, came back today after visiting us two weeks ago. She drove in and parked in our lot. Lauirie is seeking to be free from addiction to smoking. After we prayed for her, she got back in the car and drove away. (She KNEW the Table was there for her!)
(We prayed from a distance for a man on University Place who was collecting bottle and cans for the nickels he obviously depends upon so desperately. He has stopped before; his name is Tom or Bill or something … we forget. He didn’t stop this time but we prayed for him anyway. God protect him.)
A man carrying heavy bags — This pleasant man nodded at us and thanked us but said he was too busy to stop but wanted us to pray for him. We did — to be safe, provided for and protected.
CONNIE — Asked for prayer for two friends who have died this past week. One was JOHN, who Alan remembered as having been a former basketball star for Mont Pleasant back in the 1980s. John died of cancer and was only 38. We also prayed for Connie to be strong and and steady.
BOB and JEANNETTE BALLARD — They stopped and asked for prayer for EVELYN, who is having fluids drained out this morning at the Ellis campus on McClellan (former St. Ckare’s) and for peace of mind for Bob and Jeannette.
LESTER — Our friend who stops each week and is trying to battle his addiction to alcohol stopped for prayer very willingly this time. (The past two weeks we have had to hail him over when he was trying to avoid us and hoping we wouldn’t see him.) He cheerfully said “I’ll see you tomorrow for dinner” as he plans to attend our Neighborhood Meal.
STEVE — We prayed for provision for Steve; that God will protect him and provide for him.
YOFFI — Came right to our Table from a block away, heading right for us carrying a cup of coffee he bought at the corner convenience store. Yoffi asked for blessings for himself and his family.
Albany Intercessor
