SCHEDULE 11:00AM - Gather at the Crosses 1,000 crosses will be spread across the city, on each block along Madison & Halsted/Sheridan. Note: Join people already at a cross, or go to a vacant cross to pray 11:50AM - Spread Across Blocks (where possible) Spread down the block at arms length. Instructions from Prayer Leaders. Suggested Action: Post to your social media, inviting others to join in: Join us in prayer in 10min, etc. Use #HandsAcrossChicago 11:59AM - Tune In / Live Stream Join the Facebook Live stream at the Chicagoland United in Prayer Facebook page. Suggested Action: Live stream to your personal / church / organization social page, inviting others to join in prayer. Use #HandsAcrossChicago Noon - Pray as One: The Lord's Prayer & United Prayer We will begin by praying the Lord s Prayer together, as one. Then, a prepared prayer together. Suggested Action: Bookmark the link in advance, or download / print the PDF 12:10AM - Pray in Small Groups Break into huddles (5-7 people) and pray for your neighbors and neighborhoods. Use Prayer Points, Consider Suggested Actions, Prayer Walk, Offer Prayer to Passersby 1:00PM Conclude Thank you for participating. You are welcome to take and keep the wooden crosses.
UNITED PRAYER, HIGH NOON Matthew 6:9-12 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation but, deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Opening Father God, in the Name of Jesus Christ, we the people of our beloved city Chicago, this city you love, stand together with our hearts united in prayer, seeking your shalom, your wholeness, your well-being and your Peace for our city. You are the Prince of Peace and without You there can be no Peace! We are Your people, those known by Your Great name! As the Body of Christ, we welcome your Peace upon our City. Empower us by your Holy Spirit to live as peacemakers within our communities. Repentance As recorded in Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus, You command us that we are to... love You, the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, that we should love our neighbor as ourselves. We have not always done that. We repent, acknowledging that our shortcomings in not fully operating in this Kingdom principle have left our families, leaders and communities vulnerable to the forces of evil to operate with a strategy of killing, stealing and destroying. 1 John 1:9 instructs us that, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness., Therefore, we confess and repent to you Father God, for not loving others as You commanded, for not being the Light to the World and the Salt of the earth. For not going into all the world making Disciples of Jesus Christ. We repent for not speaking well of and not praying for our leaders daily as we should. For not making ourselves available to be a visible support to those who serve us in so many capacities.
Law Enforcement So we pray now for all Chicago Police Department Command Staff and all Chicago Police Officers who give so unselfishly day by day, putting their lives on the line so that we don t have to. We pray for them and their families well-being, safety and success. Lord Jesus Christ, we also pray for those officers that need heart renewal. Encourage the discouraged. Strengthen the weary. Heal the broken. Only you can know the depth of a person s heart. Only you can heal every hurt. We ask you to do that God. Education We pray for all educational administrators, all teachers and all non-instructional staff. We bless their families. Give them strength, wisdom and health to instruct our children. Thank you for every staff member that works diligently to provide a safe, clean, inviting academic environment that promotes learning and growth. Guide them in preparing our children for the bright future you Lord Jesus have planned for them. Elected Officials We pray for and bless every elected and appointed official of our City! Lord Jesus, keep them surrounded by Your people of prayer, intercession and Heavenly wisdom, and may each of them do your will, obey your leading and fulfill the purpose for which you ve allowed them to be in service to the public. Reward those officials who serve with integrity and humility. Grant them wisdom and health. O Lord God, we humbly ask that you expose any corruption, deceit or dishonesty among our government officials. Let them fail in their efforts to bring harm to the people of Chicagoland. We pray that those who operate in this way will be replaced with the righteous, for when the righteous are in charge the people have cause to rejoice! Marketplace We pray for and bless our marketplace, that it will be robust, experiencing unprecedented growth in every sector! Provide more opportunities for good paying, family sustaining, and debt canceling employment than those in need of them. We pray that the spirit of lack behind systemic poverty is exposed. In the name of Jesus, we ask Father God for the healing balm of heaven to flow down upon every street, on every block, through every community healing all brokenness, depression, loneliness, hopelessness, rejection, low self-esteem, grief and bitterness.
Families, and Healing and Freedom From Violence Lord we pray for and bless every family, in every home on every block, in every neighborhood throughout Chicagoland. We especially pray for all families and communities that have lost a loved one to violence and injustice in any form! Father God, we pray for their strength. We pray for healing for the entire family, for friends and the community. We pray for each of them as represented by the 1000 crosses standing along these streets throughout Chicago today. Just as Cain killed his brother Abel because of Cain s brokenness and feelings of hopelessness, there are Chicagoans killing other Chicagoans. Even as the blood of Abel cried out from the ground to the Lord for justice, we hear the blood of the slain crying out for the end of such hatred and senseless loss of precious life. Deaths that have their root in evil have no place in God s city. Jesus, only your blood provides for forgiveness and reconciliation. We pray for that to happen soon. O Lord God, let us treat every human life with value, dignity and respect. Grant that we will honor and celebrate life from the womb to old age. Heavenly Father, we offer these prayers to you in faith, believing in your love and power to accomplish your purposes, fulfilling the destiny of this city and region. We re-commit ourselves to live in obedience to your commands, that the reality of Your Kingdom will be made visible here in Chicagoland. All Glory to Your Name, Amen!
PROPHETIC DECLARATION We proclaim that the liberty of the Lord has come to Chicago! That Christ the hope of Glory has come to Chicago! That the Prince of Peace and His shalom has come to Chicago! That the Love of the Kingdom of God is present mending every heart, every situation and every circumstance that has plagued our great city! Every curse in and over our city is broken! We are no longer the city of Al Capone. Chicago is no longer the windy city, we are the City of The Wind of God! God, we thank You that You are blowing Your life giving breathe on Chicago the City You love! That those dead places that have suffered injustice are now coming back alive! That the broken-down walls of our city are being repaired and rebuilt! That disunity is replaced with Unity! That segregation is being replaced with Oneness. Violence is being replaced with Shalom. Death is being replaced with Life from the womb to the grave. Darkness is removed with the Light of the gospel of Peace, lack is removed with Prosperity, hurt is replaced with healing and wholeness. We declare that for all the 77 neighborhoods and 227 micro-neighborhoods of Chicago. We the Church of Christ standing side by side, locked hand by hand across the land of our city, proclaim that all the ground the soles of feet tread upon, has been given to us, the atmosphere over Chicago is now filled with our voices of petitions and hope in the promises of Gods Kingdom. Our voices of faith are breaking the bands of wickedness! Satan and his demonic host are falling like lightening! The spiritual climate is released, the atmosphere is changing, and the Blessing of Abraham is flowing! We foresee an end to the rampant expression of the works of the kingdom of darkness because we announce that today is the beginning of the manifestation of the Kingdom of God throughout Chicagoland! We proclaim that this is the acceptable year of God s favor! This is the time of the free-flowing favor of our God for the City of the Wind of God! Each citizen in Chicagoland will experience an Agape Love revival in their hearts, homes, businesses, churches and community! The Love of King Jesus! That Love that never fades, never becomes obsolete, never keeps an account of suffered wrongs, a love that quickly forgives! The Love of Christ Jesus that has been extended to all mankind! That Love displays compassion for the hurting, lost and broken! This Agape Kingdom Love is ruling and reigning in our city! We believe this, we receive this and expect to see the Word of God we have declared to manifest in power! In the name above every name Jesus Christ the Lord! Amen & Amen
PRAYER IDEAS Repentance and reconciliation within the Church. Pray for John 17 oneness in the Church and the Kingdom and purposes of God made visible. Pray for the end of violence, racism, poverty, and injustice in Chicago in every form. Pray for our youth/families and their safety this summer. Pray for our police officers, fire department, and all working to maintain peace and wellbeing in our neighborhoods. Pray for our neighbors who do not have homes, who are in poverty, or who are fighting addictions. Pray for our educators and all who are working to teach our children. Pray for blocks, block clubs, churches, and community organizations that are fostering relationship and trust in our neighborhoods. Pray for community impact during the 40 Days of Jesus Summer : Loving Our Neighbors and Neighborhoods (Now-Aug 26). SUGGESTED ACTIONS Learn the names of your community stakeholders so that you can pray for / with them specifically. (i.e. local police commander, alderman, principals, pastors, block club leaders, social service care providers, etc.) Invite them to join. Provide poster board and write prayers, words of encouragement for your community / city Pray on corners where crosses are stationed (Over 500 crosses across the route). Prayer walk your section of the route. Sing, worship, take communion together. Set up a prayer sign / booth and offer prayer to neighbors. Give out gospel literature or other resources. Invite community members to participate in Jesus Summer / 40 Days activities throughout the summer. Welcome / invite other churches and residents to join you along the route. PLEASE DON'T! Do not block streets Do not obstruct or inconvenience others What s Next? 40 Days of Loving our Neighbors & Neighborhoods - www.jesussummer.com Ongoing Rhythms of Prayer & Action - www.chiunitepray.com (sign up for updates here)