wfn.org | Pastor provides free resource to groups praying for farmers

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Nov. 13, 2002 News media contact: Tim Tanton7(615)742-54707Nashville, Tenn.
10-71B{515}

By United Methodist News Service

For eight years, the Rev. Karl Goodfellow has been using the power of prayer
to help farmers in Iowa and surrounding states.

Now the United Methodist pastor is expanding the Safety Net Prayer Ministry
to add even more states to the program. Goodfellow believes that swelling
the ranks of prayer warriors can only be good for America's endangered farm
families.

"Around the nation, our farm families are just really getting devastated,"
he says. "When you recognize how many United Methodist churches in this
nation were built in small communities by the offerings that came from farms
... sometimes I feel like we've turned our back on these people."

Goodfellow, of Miles, Iowa, is pastor of the Preston and Sabula United
Methodist churches in the eastern part of the state. Besides maintaining the
network, he produces a devotional guide and other resources that prayer
groups can use to support farm families in their areas.

"This year, we're praying for about 40 percent of the farmers of Iowa," he
says. In the past eight years, the network has prayed consistently for at
least 25 to 30 percent of the farmers in the state, he says.

He estimates that the network has almost 4,000 people praying. Most of those
are in Iowa, but the network also includes groups in Illinois, Kansas, Ohio,
Wisconsin, the Dakotas and Nebraska. Endorsed by the United Methodist Church
in Iowa, the Safety Net Prayer Ministry includes Lutherans, Baptists,
Mennonites, Presbyterians, Catholics and members of the United Church of
Christ and other denominations. In addition, Goodfellow is making prayer
materials available to civic organizations and other groups.

"Research is showing that prayer is probably one of the most powerful forces
on earth, and how many churches have effective prayer ministries?" he asks.
"We piddle around with prayer chains," but a lot of churches don't do much
with prayer ministries, he says.

The Safety Net Prayer program's resources include a 60-day devotional guide,
which offers a farm or rural theme for each day. Prayer group members are
asked to pray for 10 to 15 minutes a day, focusing on such concerns as the
ongoing drought and recent flooding, the need for a successful harvest as
well as safety in what is often a dangerous occupation. "A lot of the
miracle stories that I hear are with farm accident-type things," Goodfellow
says. 

This year, some of the farmers have bills that must be paid now, but their
crops didn't come through, he says. Moreover, many of the states are
experiencing drought, and cattle and pig farmers have had to sell their
stock at low prices. One farmer told Goodfellow of losing $300 on every head
of stock that he was selling.

Some farm families deal with their problems amid a sense of isolation, while
others feel ashamed that they're struggling with financial issues, the
pastor says. "Sometimes, somebody from the outside needs to reach out and
say, 'You know, we're thinking about you.'"

The resource materials include a letter or postcard that can be sent to each
family on the prayer group's list. Each group is asked to develop a list of
local farm families from a plat book. In a high-farming area, each group
member will usually pray for about 10 families. 

The farmer who reads a letter from the prayer group could be struggling
today, Goodfellow says. The letter or postcard lets the family know that
Jesus Christ cares and that the church is concerned, he says.

Goodfellow is looking for more groups, noting that the prayer power
increases with the number of people involved. While one person probably
spends 20 hours praying during the course of the two months, a group of five
increases that amount to 100 hours, he says.

Having 3,000 people praying would amount to 60,000 hours of prayer over the
course of two months, he says. "That's pretty powerful."

The Safety Net Prayer devotional is free, though Goodfellow asks that the
prayer group assist with the price of shipping - usually a couple of
dollars. He also asks that each group order at least five devotionals.

For more information, contact Goodfellow at Safety Net Prayer Ministries,
P.O. Box 236, Miles, IA  52064; (563) 682-7824; or by e-mail at
office@snprayer.org. Details on the devotionals and other prayer resources
are also available at www.snprayer.org online.

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United Methodist News Service
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