Guidelines for Parish Representatives

guideline cross

Thank you for being a Parish Prayer Representative.

The AFP Parish Representative is a person of prayer who will actively encourage and enable others of their parish in the life of prayer.

The following guidelines will assist you in this ministry.

Make an Appointment with Your Incumbent

  • Pray together.
  • Review these AFP Parish Prayer Representative guidelines with your incumbent.
  • Ask that your ministry be commissioned at the Sunday worship service.
  • Prayerfully consider ideas for prayer and spirituality events.  Establish goals and set dates for these events for the parish or a cluster of parishes.
  • Ask for, and note, suggestions.

Choose a Co-Worker

  • Choose a Co-Worker(s) with whom to share this ministry.

Be Alongside Your Clergy and Church Family

  • Offer resource material:

o   received at training and enrichment days;

o   from your own prayer experience;

o   available through your Diocesan or Deanery Representative.

  • Encourage the value of a personal and corporate prayer life.
  • Initiate opportunities for Prayer events, in consultation with your clergy.
  • Invite others to get involved.

Communicate News of Prayer Related Events

  • Advertise Prayer and Spirituality events by posting them on your church’s bulletin board, in the weekly service bulletin, parish newsletter, and parish or Diocesan website.
  • Keep things up to date.

Prayer Representative Resources

  • It is helpful to keep a three-ringed note book or files in which to keep the following:
  • Good prayer material and resources;
  • Lists of Book Stores & Retreat Centers;
  • Spiritual Directors and speakers on prayer;
  • Evaluations of events;
  • You might want to keep a journal to record prayer activities, events, meetings etc.

Training and Enrichment

  • It will be to the benefit of your ministry that you and your co-worker(s) attend any events that are offered in your Diocese or beyond in the wider church.

AFP Membership

  • We encourage each Prayer Representative to become a member of AFP Canada to assist in supporting the ministry of AFP.
  • There is no fee to become a member. In addition to an annual request for financial support, we welcome donations throughout the year..
  • Members of AFP receive the AFP Canada Newsletter and other news, either in hard copy or electronic format. Electronic format saves printing and mailing expenses, and it also allows you to send it out to many members of your parish at no cost.
  • One becomes a member by contacting the AFP Membership Coordinator and giving your contact information. For electronic distribution only name and e-mail address are needed. For hard copy distribution, name and address including your postal code are needed.
  • We encourage each Parish and Congregation to belong to AFP. There is no fee for being a member of AFP, and membership by a parish means that newsletters and information will get to the church office and clergy as well as to you.

Contact Your Diocesan or Deanery Representative:

  • If you wish help in your ministry of prayer;
  • If you change your address, telephone number or Email address;
  • If you resign from this ministry – Prayerfully suggest the name of a successor in consultation with your Rector, and  pass on your files to your successor.

A PRAYER FOR THE PARISH

O God, our heavenly Father, bestow upon our parish the rich blessings of your loving kindness; that we may prove ourselves a people of your favour and glad to do your will. Make us alive to all the opportunities and responsibilities of our time. Keep us open to all who need our love and fellowship and inspire us with a vision of a world won for Jesus our Lord.