During Lent, you’re invited to fast and pray with others from Blacknall every Monday beginning Feb. 23.
Each fast day will begin with in-person prayer at Blacknall from 6:45 - 7:15 a.m. in room 404, with the fast lasting until sundown. If you can safely extend that time, you are welcome to go longer each Monday.
If you can’t make it to the church for morning prayer, you can join on Zoom.
Or, if mornings don’t work for your schedule, consider gathering with a friend or group of friends to pray sometime during the day — praying during a normal mealtime is a good place to start.
Break Your Fast with Community
We’ll host a group supper of soup and bread to break your fast on Monday evenings, March 2, 16, and 30. Meet in the Fellowship Hall at 6:30 p.m. for food and stick around for prayer. RSVP here to help us plan for how much food to make.
Why fast?
Throughout Scripture, individuals and communities fast and pray to seek God’s guidance, empowerment, deliverance, and often as an act of repentance. These communities experience spiritual breakthroughs, answered prayers, and a deeper relationship with God. We desire to see this happen in our life together. As we enter this season of Lent, we are eager to hear what God is doing and saying among us as individuals, but also in the life and mission of Blacknall.
How to fast
If you are new to fasting or want to learn more, read these two short guides to help you get started:
You can also email David Dunderdale or Kim Dunderdale for advice and insight on how to safely and prayerfully fast.
During Lent, Blacknall members, attenders, and friends will be bold in what we ask of God. That means praying for specific needs for ourselves and our community, with hope that we'll witness God's work in us and around us. Each week, we're taking inspiration from our mission statement: “Our calling is to glorify the Triune God, to make known the crucified and risen Christ, and to advance the Kingdom that God is building in us, in Durham, and around the world." Whether you’re able to join us in person, on Zoom, or praying on your own, use the suggestions below to guide your prayer on Mondays.
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• Pray for Blacknall’s times of corporate worship— that God would draw us near to Him, unite us, and be glorified in our gathering together.
• Pray for an opportunity to speak about God’s goodness in a conversation with a friend, coworker, or neighbor. Ask that the Spirit would open a natural door to share how great God is.
• Pray for fresh eyes to see God’s glory in a way you haven’t noticed before—and the courage and joy to share that glimpse with someone else.
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• Pray that God would give you a clear opportunity to tell someone about the crucified and risen Christ.
• Pray for the faithful proclamation of the gospel—the good news of the crucified and risen Christ—in the preaching at Blacknall.
• Share with someone a new insight or meaningful reminder from what you heard preached about the crucified and risen Christ.
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• Pray that our small groups would be places where God’s Kingdom is experienced and formed in us—through authentic community, Scripture, prayer, repentance, and love.
• Pray that our children’s and youth ministries would be instruments of God’s Kingdom, nurturing faith, forming young disciples, and revealing Christ to the next generation.
• Pray for specific ways we can join God’s Kingdom work—for attentiveness to the Spirit, courage to obey, and opportunities to serve, encourage, or bless someone in a tangible way this week.
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Pray for God’s Kingdom to be built among us according to Matthew 25:31–46:
• Pray that we would care for those who are hungry, responding with compassion, generosity, and practical help.
• Pray that we would care for those who are thirsty, offering both physical provision and the love of Christ.
• Pray that we would welcome the strangers in our midst, creating a community where every person feels seen, safe, and received.
• Pray that we would provide for those who are naked, reflecting God’s heart for provision and dignity.
• Pray that we would faithfully care for those who are sick, offering presence, prayer, and tangible support.
• Pray that we would visit and remember those who are in prison, honoring Jesus’ call to see Him in “the least of these.”
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• Pray for specific needs from our missionary prayer list, asking God to strengthen, protect, and encourage those serving in the US and globally.
• Pray for God’s work in Democratic Republic of the Congo, including for our friends and ministry partners at the Congo Initiative.
• Pray for troubled places in our nation and around the world, asking God to bring peace, justice, healing, and hope where it is most urgently needed.