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Creative Evangelism Neighbourhood Watch... and Pray
Michelle Moran
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The idea is to contact people in the neighbourhood personally and let them know that they are being prayed for regularly or specifi cally by a Parish, Group of Churches or Prayer Group. The exact methodology can be adapted to local circumstances. Basically, all that is needed is a group who are willing to pray, and a system of letting people know that they are being prayed for. In my village this is done as a Churches Together Ecumenical Project on a street by street basis. The particular streets are published in our local magazine and on the village web site. However, the more personal contact that you are able to have with people increases the effectiveness. Some parishes have a card system where simple but attractive cards are sent or preferably personally delivered to households letting them know that they are being prayed for. On the cards there is a contact address and a space for people to write any specific prayer concerns. The cards are then collected a week later or they can be sent back and the specifi c requests are then prayed for as well as the neighbourhood in general. The card system can be adopted on a large or small scale to suit local circumstances. Perhaps your prayer group could begin in a small way, or the parish in a systematic way which over a period of time would cover the whole locality. This scheme works very easily in an ecumenical setting and could be introduced leading up to Christmas or Easter. This method of reaching out into the neighbourhood is user friendly as you are fi rstly offering a service rather than inviting people to come to something (this may come later) or asking for money. It is a gentle way of making contact with folk and if backed up by personal visits to drop off or collect the card it is an easy way to create opportunities to meet people. I know many people who have benefited from such a scheme. In my locality some elderly residents began to look forward to the visits. Others who were weighed down by pressures felt relief in being able to ask for prayer support in a fairly anonymous unobtrusive way. Several local residents said that they felt the healing presence of the Lord in a powerful way as a result of knowing that they were specifi cally being prayed for. Sometimes we want to look for tangible results. However, we know that praying for people does make a difference.
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As
Christians we are called to make a difference in the world. This can
seem to be beyond us, an unattainable goal. Perhaps, therefore, it
is good to look at the world around us, the places where we live and
work as well as being concerned with national and international issues.
What difference does it make to the people who live in your area that
there is a Catholic and Christian presence in the locality? Are they
aware of you, and do you in any way impact their lives? It is easy
to get overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenge. So, I am going
to share one way in which some Parishes and groups are beginning to
reach out into their localities. 
