Meeting Times
We meet for prayer meetings at the church during the following times:
- Tuesdays, 8 pm (English & Chinese)
- Saturdays, 8 am (English)
- Sundays, 8:30 am (English)
- Sundays, 9 am (Chinese)
Why Go To Prayer Meeting?
Excerpt from article on GCC’s Prayer Meetings by Pastor Jeff (Reposted from GCC’s 30th Anniversary Publication)
One of the greatest blessings I have seen in the two years that I have been a Pastor here at GCC was the growth of the prayer meetings. Currently our church has four corporate prayer meetings a week: Tuesday Night, Saturday Morning, Sunday Morning English and Sunday Morning Mandarin. Tuesday Nights have been a special blessing as it is a combined prayer meeting with both the English and Chinese Congregations coming together to pray for the church and for each other. The numbers fluctuate at times, but there is a group of about ten that come and prays every week. There has been many times when I come to the prayer meeting feeling spiritually dry and leave refreshed and ready to continue in my walk with Christ. Here are some reasons why I would encourage anyone to come and join any of our prayer meetings:
1. Prayer gives a break from selfish living.
Paul instructs the Philippians not to look only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others (Phil. 2:4). He was talking about the attitude of Jesus that we are called to imitate. Too often our lives are consumed with our own situations and concerns. Coming to prayer meeting and praying for our brothers and sisters take eyes off of us and turn them back to God. It reminds us of God’s glory and of his faithfulness. Not only that, but it reminds us of the needs of others and that we are not alone in our struggles.
2. We can bear one another’s burdens in prayer.
In Galatians 6:2, we are instructed to “bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ” (ESV). Many times I hear of the needs of people in the community for the first time in our prayer meetings. Sometimes I get updates from people as well. It is also a comfort for myself to hear people lift me up in prayer. This is more than just wishing well of people, it is a sense that we are bringing the needs of our brothers and sisters before the Heavenly Father who knows what we are going through.
3. The people of God are humbled and unified when we pray.
Paul taught the Philippians to not “be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6-7 ESV) When he wrote this, Paul was addressing a divided community. It’s hard to be divided with people when you’re being prayed for by them and in turn praying for them as well. In moments like this, I have often been reminded that my personal petty feelings against people can often be wrong. One of the reasons is that when you pray in a community, you are being reminded of the God who sent his Son to die on the cross to make you and your brother and sister one with himself.
4. God is pleased and glorified when we turn to Him in prayer.
“[And] call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. But to the wicked God says: ‘What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?’” (Psalm 50:15-16, ESV) One of the things that this verse talks about is how God is glorified in times of our suffering. He is glorified when we turn to him and we are saying that God is trustworthy and capable.