Prayer service planned for Kim Pegula

[C.Biscuit97]

I love Kim and hope she is doing alright. 

[Beast]

23 minutes ago, sonyab1974 said:

What?!?!! She passed away?! 😵

What are you talking about? 

[Dr. Who]

1 minute ago, Beast said:

What are you talking about? 

Poster read the thread title and made a hasty and presumptuous conclusion.

[Beast]

Just now, Dr. Who said:

Poster read the thread title and made a hasty and presumptuous conclusion.

Glad to hear that because it had me immediately searching for news.

[mannc]

1 minute ago, Beast said:

What are you talking about? 

It’s an understandable reaction.  When is the last time you heard of a church holding a “prayer service” for someone who is still alive? This whole thing is bizarre…

[Dr. Who]

Just now, mannc said:

It’s an understandable reaction.  When is the last time you heard of a church holding a “prayer service” for someone who is still alive? This whole thing is bizarre…

Seems rather odd to me and I am someone sympathetic to prayer and the role of religion in the public square. If a local church wants to include someone in their offering of prayer, that is certainly a valid expression of care and concern. Making some kind of publicized event of it goes beyond that and I suspect that is where some of the suspicion and feeling that something is not quite right is coming from.

[Beck Water]

14 minutes ago, mannc said:

It’s an understandable reaction.  When is the last time you heard of a church holding a “prayer service” for someone who is still alive? This whole thing is bizarre…

 

It's not that uncommon in these parts to have a prayer service organized for a church member with a serious medical condition - someone in a coma, or being treated for cancer, or otherwise seriously ill.  It's usually just the family and "Church Family" and sometimes friends outside the church.  A lot of Midwestern church denominations believe very strongly in the power of prayer for healing and it makes a lot of sense to pray for someone while they're still living, from that POV.  And for a serious illness, to feel that a bit more focus and duration than the normal call for prayers during a regular service might be needed.

 

I've never before heard of such a service publicized like this, or done for someone who is not a regular member of the church. 

 

Course there's a lot of stuff I've not heard of so. 🤷‍♂️

 

Edited April 17, 2023 by Beck Water

[Beast]

48 minutes ago, mannc said:

It’s an understandable reaction.  When is the last time you heard of a church holding a “prayer service” for someone who is still alive? This whole thing is bizarre…

I suppose. But don’t you think there would be a thread title saying she was no longer with us if that was the case?

[mannc]

Just now, Beast said:

I suppose. But don’t you think there would be a thread title saying she was no longer with us if that was the case?

To me, "prayer service planned for ______________" means that person has died.  As I said, just a completely bizarre situation.

[RiotAct]

Just now, mannc said:

To me, "prayer service planned for ______________" means that person has died.  As I said, just a completely bizarre situation.

nah I’ve seen prayer services for people in rough shape but still alive all the time.  Now, the term “memorial service”, on the other hand…

[Jukester]

20 minutes ago, mannc said:

To me, "prayer service planned for ______________" means that person has died.  As I said, just a completely bizarre situation.

Agree. That was my first thought when I saw the thread title. 

[Captain Hindsight]

10 minutes ago, Jukester said:

Agree. That was my first thought when I saw the thread title. 

Mine too, I did check google right away

[sonyab1974]

On 4/17/2023 at 10:31 AM, Beast said:

What are you talking about? 

There is a service for her. I'm so confused.

On 4/17/2023 at 10:35 AM, mannc said:

It’s an understandable reaction.  When is the last time you heard of a church holding a “prayer service” for someone who is still alive? This whole thing is bizarre…

Yes! Exactly! Thank you!

[sonyab1974]

On 4/17/2023 at 11:59 AM, Captain Hindsight said:

Mine too, I did check google right away

I did too!!!!

[SoMAn]

I don’t understand the need for communal prayer as opposed to anyone who wants to independently pray in solitude.
Does a group prayer somehow boost the signal to the creator to ensure it doesn’t end up in the ‘missed messages’ bin?  

 

I got the impression from Jessica Pegula’s public message that Kim is still recovering, but we probably shouldn’t expect her to ever be 100% back to where she was prior to her cardiac and stroke episodes. I think it’s likely she’ll always have speech and mobility issues. She’s lucky to have survived. God bless her. 

[pkwwjd]

Let me address a couple of points, since I am an ordained pastor in the Wesleyan Church (the same denomination as Eastern Hills Wesleyan).

 

First, Kim (Kerr) Pegula's family has a long history in the Wesleyan Church denomination, especially in WNY. Her dad has served in lay leadership positions for many years and Kim graduated from Houghton College (now University) which is one the five Wesleyan Church denomination schools for higher Ed. Yes, it is from the Methodist line of churches, definitely not prosperity gospel or super charismatic. While some larger churches have more revenue, typically our denomination sets the basic budget for pastoral salary, and it is not exorbitant (typically think around $600-700/week). I don't know any Wesleyan pastors that are rich according to American standards. Now relative to the rest of the world, we're all extremely wealthy ...

 

Secondly, it is not common, but also not unheard of, to hold a prayer service for those in serious health conditions. My church held one for a member who was intubated during the worst of COVID. She recovered and the family was supported through that time because of that service.

 

Lastly, why would we assume we pray for someone after they pass? From a Christian standpoint, the time that God could typically intervene is before they pass. King David, in 2 Samuel, fasts and prays fervently for his newborn son. When his son passed away, he got up, washed and ate some food. His servants asked why he was no longer "mourning" (by fasting and praying) ... David's response was essentially while the boy was living there was still a chance that God would show his grace and heal his son. Once he died, the matter was settled.

Edited April 19, 2023 by pkwwjd

[Marcus Aurelius]

I will pray for her with one of my mother's favorite verses in the Bible:

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43  And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44  She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45  'Who touched me?' Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, 'Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.' 46  But Jesus said, 'Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.' 47  Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48  Then he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.' (Luke 8:40-48, NIV)

[Momma Pecoraro]

I know a Lutheran who converted to Catholicism last year at 59.

 

That’s all I got.

[boater]

11 minutes ago, Momma Pecoraro said:

I know a Lutheran who converted to Catholicism last year at 59.

 

That’s all I got.

Dad converted to Catholicism at 75. He found great comfort in it in his passing days. I'm considering the same.

 

That's all I got.

[Dan in Owego]

22 minutes ago, boater said:

Dad converted to Catholicism at 75. He found great comfort in it in his passing days. I'm considering the same.

 

That's all I got.

Might want too consider Orthodox

 

Know a couple who have later in life as well