Vertical: Praying for God’s Vision

By Autumn Dunzweiler

UCC communications coordinator

The Vertical: 40 Days of Prayer initiative is praying for God’s vision in the Upper Columbia Conference and beyond. The purpose of the prayer initiative is to encourage members and churches to dedicate themselves to prayer for 40 days, beginning September 1 – October 10, 2022.

“Prayer connects you and me to the source of all power. Prayer changes things,” explains David Jamieson, UCC President. 

Vertical: 40 Days of Prayer officially kicks off in September, but there are many events to participate in prior to the September 1 start time. 

During the August 26-27 Equipping for Service in Yakima, Washington, the program will specifically be focusing on prayer. Equipping for service is an Upper Columbia Conference Ministries Training weekend, dedicated to training local church members to bring One More to His Kingdom! Wrapping up the training weekend in Yakima will be a Prayer Supper Sabbath evening.

The College Place Village Church will hold a Prayer Breakfast at 9:00 a.m. on August 28. 

The prayer meeting on August 29 at 6:30 p.m. features Ruthie Jacobsen, former prayer coordinator for the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. She will be leading out in worship on Zoom. Jacobson hosted a weekly talk show on 3ABN, “When God’s People Pray,” where invited guests shared experiences of God’s faithfulness. She has conducted Prayer Conferences across North America and a score of other countries. 

“We want to encourage the members of Upper Columbia Conference to participate in all the prayer Zooms for an inspiring hour, three times — before, during, and after the 40 days of prayer,” says Kathy Marson, UCC prayer ministries coordinator.

August 29 will be the first of these three Vertical prayer times on Zoom with David Jamieson and Ruthie Jacobsen at 6:30 p.m. During the 40 days of prayer, Pavel Goia will join a Vertical Prayer Zoom on September 19 at 6:30 p.m. and then on October 6, just before the visioning weekend, Randy Maxwell will join a Vertical Prayer Zoom at 6:30 p.m. 

“These are set to really encourage members to ask for God’s power throughout our conference churches, schools, and homes,” adds Marson. “Now more than ever we need to be in prayer, giving God permission to use us and mold us to His purpose.” 

All are invited to participate and attend the many events leading up to the Vertical: 40 Days of Prayer initiative from September 1 until October 10. 

“The goal of the Vertical prayer initiative is to reach out to lost men and women and boys and girls for the kingdom of God,” Jamieson states, “but one of the great challenges that we face in the Upper Columbia Conference is, how we do that?”

Following the 40 days of prayer, representatives and thought leaders from across the conference will come together for a Visioning Weekend at Camp MiVoden to develop a vision for Upper Columbia Conference moving forward. 

For more information on Vertical: 40 Days of Prayer, along with resources and other tools, please see the webpage at www.uccsda.org/vertical.