At the close of each Circle of the Word at the jail, the women are invited to write prayer requests on an index card, if they would like the Monday morning prayer group at Grace Church to pray for them. They can also just write their names. Most everyone accepts the invitation; occasionally someone needs to dictate if writing is too much of a challenge. They write with sincerity and focused concentration. Sometimes they write their own prayers or express gratitude for the prayer group.

After reading and praying with the cards myself, I pass them on to the prayer group. The above photo was taken this morning when I brought the prayer cards from last Wednesday’s circle to the Monday morning prayer group (which today met at a home for seniors). Grace’s “prayer warriors” are silently reading the cards.

They then began the hour of prayer, as they do every Monday at 10:00 a.m., by reading aloud each prayer card. Following the reading of each card they pray, “Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.” The person who reads the card will take it home and pray over it daily during the week.

The Grace prayer group has been doing this ministry for over a year, every week Sacred Stories class is held. It is a boundary-crossing spiritual experience for members of the prayer group, as well as for those of us physically going into the jail. Several Circlekeepers are also in the prayer group.

Grace’s senior pastor is a member of the prayer group and has observed how the cards have impacted it: “Through the prayer ministry for the women our Grace prayer group has connected with a world outside themselves. This connection has brought a growth in the prayer group participants’ understanding and experience of God’s love and God’s people.” For myself, I have learned as never before the importance of local church spiritual practice. I am grateful to have been shown a way to mobilize that practice in response to the needs of the women in the jail.