History of Pray Fast Act

A small committee was formed in late summer of 2018.  A committee that was geographically scattered among three states:  New Mexico, Tennessee and Texas.  For six months Cynthia Barton, Reverend Daniel Headley and myself (TJ Malinoski) corresponded by numerous emails discussing, debating and crafting the language of a memorial for the adoption of a day of prayer and fasting.  By the early months of this year, we had a draft of a memorial with a language and terminology that was rooted in the Confession of Faith and the Directory of Worship. We focused on the need of God’s grace as individuals and as denomination with action words clarifying that, as Cumberlands, we are a people who are believing in God to respond to the reconciling love of Jesus, confessing that we rebel and reject, rejoicing that God acts to restore, responding to saving grace, recalling that our renewal is of God’s grace, reminding that prayer is inseparable from the Christian life, declaring we are commissioned to witness and guided by the primary purposes of prayer.   The committee submitted its final draft to the Missions Committee and Presbytery del Cristo adopted in March 2019 as a memorial to be sent to General Assembly.

The 189^th General Assembly adopted a denominational day of prayer and fasting for renewal and revitalization.  The date chosen for the day of prayer and fasting will be Ash Wednesday February 26, 2020.   The Ministry Teams of the Ministry Council will be developing and providing resources and ideas to help you, your congregation, and your presbytery in various ways of participating on this day.  Look for these resources in the coming months through this publication, the Missionary Messenger magazine, Ministry Council website and in the Ministry Teams social media venues.

For the first time in Cumberland Presbyterian history, or at least in very, very long time, Cumberland Presbyterians will be joining together on the same day in prayer seeking to be renewed by the Holy Spirit to live out our commissioning to witness to all persons who have not received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and to bear witness to God’s mighty act of reconciling love accomplished in Jesus Christ by which the sins of the world are forgiven.