Welcome to the 2026 First Lutheran Prayer Challenge!

As we begin a new year together, we are inviting our congregation to take part in a simple and life-giving practice: the 2026 First Lutheran Prayer Challenge.

This prayer challenge is not about adding another task to our already busy lives. Instead, it is an invitation to grow closer in our relationship with God and to become more attentive to the ways God is already at work—in our own lives, in the lives of others, and in the world around us.

At the heart of this challenge is simplicity. We begin with the Lord’s Prayer, the prayer Jesus taught his disciples, and then use a brief and gentle guide for prayer known as the ACTS model: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. This model helps give shape to our prayers while leaving plenty of room for honesty, silence, and grace.

When we pray, we are never praying alone. Whether we realize it or not, we are joined with millions of Christians around the world, across time and place, who are also turning toward God in prayer. Just as we pray together in worship, our daily prayers during the week join the shared prayer of the Church beyond these walls.

You may find it helpful to pray at the same time each day—perhaps in the morning, during a lunch break, or before bed—so prayer becomes part of your daily rhythm. Some days prayer may feel focused; other days it may feel distracted or brief. That’s okay. Prayer is not about perfection, but about returning—again and again—to the God who promises to be with us.

As Scripture encourages us, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Through this simple practice, we trust that God will draw us deeper into relationship and help us notice the quiet, faithful ways God is at work among us.

We invite you to use the prayer handout included in the newsletter as a companion in your daily prayer life throughout the year. These handouts will also be available at worship.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Amy