Every January for the past five years, the Chicago Metro Baptist Association has hosted a prayer conference for churches in the region. This year, however, instead of a conference, CMBA will commemorate the day of prayer on a bus tour through Chicagoland.
“I wanted to celebrate our fifth year as a milestone,” said Cheryl Dorsey, prayer coordinator for CMBA. “And a bus tour is a good way to see the neighborhoods we’ll be praying for.”
The bus tour, scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 26, will focus on praying over the Chicagoland mission field. The group will travel through various neighborhoods with stops at five churches: Hillcrest Baptist Church, Faith Tabernacle, Advent Church, Chicagoland Community Church, and Iglesia Bautista Erie.
CMBA pastors will share their prayer concerns for their churches and communities, and facilitators Dorsey and Phil Miglioratti will lead the tour as they “pray onsite and en route,” for those concerns.
“As we travel between each church, we will review the social and spiritual profile of the neighborhoods, praying en route for those communities,” Dorsey said. The heart of the prayer tour is to cover leaders in the region with prayer.
“Chicago is hard ground,” Dorsey said. “I was hearing of all this terrible persecution going on in the churches and the difficulties of pastors.” She felt a sense of righteous indignation, Dorsey added, and felt moved to lead people in Chicagoland to pray for the shepherds God has placed in the city.
The day of prayer will begin at 8 a.m. at Hillcrest Baptist in Country Club Hills and conclude there at 4:30 p.m. IBSA is partnering with the Chicago Association to provide the bus for the day.
“There are 50 seats on the bus and many spots are still available,” Dorsey said. “We welcome all to join who are able, regardless if you’re a leader in a church or not.”
Dorsey added that even those who can’t take the tour can still be part of the day of prayer. She encouraged those who aren’t able to attend the entire tour to meet the bus at one of the five locations nearest them. “More prayer, more power,” she said.
“Please invite your congregations to come and participate in your location. We want to maximize the prayers being launched for the Kingdom in Chicagoland.”
Registration is free and only required for those riding the bus. For more information or to sign up for the prayer tour, contact the CMBA office at (773) 278-4400 or e-mail Cheryl Dorsey at Pray@ChicagoBaptist.com.