Prayer meeting celebrates anniversary
- by John Syratt

Twenty seven years is a long time to pray. A Tuesday morning men’s prayer breakfast, which has been running consecutively in Calgary for 27 years, continues to attract people willing to make the 7am weekly commitment.

In 1980, while Calgary petroleum engineer John Allen was sitting on a beach in Hawaii, he started praying for China. He felt God touch his heart and he began weeping and realized something needed to change in his prayer life. He came away with a vision to pray more.

"When I got back home I shared it with John Teibe, our pastor at the time," said Allen. "He asked if I would share it at our watchnight service."

After Allen told of his Hawaii experience, a friend approached him and asked, "What are you going to do about it?" That question was enough impetus to push him forward.

Allen arranged a meeting for 7am with four or five people at First Baptist Church and a Calgary prayer ministry spanning 27 years was birthed.

"We’ve seen lives changed through prayer," Allen told the 18 people gathered at the anniversary prayer breakfast on January 31. "I’ve seen my life change. We’ve seen many go through hard times but God has been answering our prayers."

Allen hasn’t been able to attend much since he took on the management of an oil sands project in Fort MacMurray.

"I’m project oriented," Allen noted. "I set it up and go do it. It’s so easy to say what kind of mission can I go on for God? Or ask what kind of mission does God have for me? I was challenged to ask, ‘What kind of me does God want for His mission?’ This has been a wonderful group."

"It brings pleasure to God’s heart when God’s people come together to seek His face," retired pastor, John Teibe, told those gathered for prayer. "Prayer movements have grown and you’re aware of what Global Day of Prayer (GDOP) has done around the world. Please pray for the leadership of our next GDOP on May 27th, Pentecost Sunday."

John Hutchinson, who helped start Calgary Concerts of Prayer, shared a devotional at the breakfast and challenged everyone to take the promises of God seriously when it comes to the great outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit in the last days. He talked about the Day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts and said, "If that is the foretaste, what is the full meal deal, including dessert, going to be like? I believe the Church is going to go out with a glorious bang."

The Tuesday prayer breakfast is held at 7am every week at Phil’s Restaurant on Glenmore Trail at Elbow Drive SW, Calgary. For more info call John Teibe at 247-6707.