New Website Encourages Prayer—for 9/11 Victims and More
This week, through a new free website created to become the “preferred social networking site for Christians,” we can honor the victims of 9/11 by pledging prayers for those we lost and for their families.
The launch of the website, called Circle of Prayers coincides with the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which our nation will solemnly mark Sunday.
But beyond 9/11, circleofprayers.com enables users to join an online community dedicated to deepening its relationship with God and neighbor through prayer.
“Prayer works. It’s as simple as that,” says Jeff Stachewicz, a Washington-based businessman who created circleofprayers.com. “Time and again, in matters big and small, I have personally witnessed the power of prayer in my life and the lives of countless others.”
He adds, “We provide this website free of charge, no strings attached. Our only goal is to encourage others to pray.”
Every day the world presents challenges, obstacles and tragedies compelling us to seek understanding and guidance. The Circle of Prayers provides an arena for people to pray for the individuals and events affecting their lives.
This is how the website works:
Users can create a prayer topic or add to an existing prayer topic, then pledge prayers and build participation by sending prayer requests to others, including family, friends or members of their church community. By forming “Prayer Circles,” we can all help spread the power of prayer, for where two or three come together in His name, He is with us (see Mt 18:19-20).
“For example,” says Stachewicz, “church parishioners can use this website to post the names of those sick, deceased or needy within their family, parish and community. Moreover, users can pray for victims of hurricanes and other natural disasters, or for our fallen military service men and women, and other victims of violence, including those killed on 9/11.”
The web site contains over 5,000 web memorials which a user can select from, and pledge a prayer.
Throughout Scripture, God calls upon us to speak with Him through prayer. Through the privilege of prayer we can acknowledge and express our gratitude to Him as well as our needs, our hopes and the need and hopes of others.
Christ tells us “all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours” (Mark 11:23). Such is the power of prayer that “everything is possible to one who has faith” (Mark 9:23).
We have strength in numbers. Let us pray.
