Pray for the Lou Week 2021

Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle!
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory! Selah
-Psalm 24:7-10 (ESV)

 
As I continue to follow the threads of unity and prayer among congregations in and around St. Louis, this year's Pray for the Lou Week is a significant piece. This week follows last year's single-day Pray for the Lou on 3.14.20, when area churches joined together to pray in and for neighborhoods in St. Louis city. This year, that vision was expanded to a full week throughout the broader region, and included regional prayer rallies, prayer walking in area neighborhoods and a special 3.14 "Preach for the Lou" Sunday, with many pastors across the area preaching from Psalm 24.

I was able to attend four of the eight regional rallies in person while still following pandemic protocols. Two were online only, but all were and are available to view online via Pray for the Lou's Facebook page and other means. Just attending the first rally in North County, I began to sense the Lord was actively answering prayers we'd begun to pray years ago, and I was eager to see how this would play out throughout the week. Seeing pastors share pulpits with intercessors from North City to Jefferson County while hearing similar requests for our Lord to move in and around St. Louis at each location was increasingly encouraging as the week went on. Our collective desire is to see the King of Glory, King Jesus, fully enter and affect every part of the St. Louis area.

On Saturday, participating churches were mobilized to go out and prayer walk in their local communities, and ours took part by stepping out to pray for our neighbors, schools, businesses and government. It is powerful to consider how many areas were prayed for simultaneously that morning.

A local prayer walk in Hazelwood

This morning of prayer walking was followed up by a virtual closing worship celebration you can watch right here:

While we continue to pray for more churches and leaders to catch this vision of prayer and unity, I remain encouraged to have many more congregations join together this year with the goal of seeing the Kingdom, not just an individual congregation or denomination, grow in and around St. Louis. And I'm increasingly thankful God's provided the many intercessors I know praying and working to keep the momentum going. 

It's time to believe and embrace the reality that we are already one in Jesus, and we want to see cooperative relationships between leaders and congregants continue across every one of our perceived dividing lines. As we pray for God's peace and presence here, let's see what the Lord will do when His people connect beyond a week or an event and move together in His power.

If you or your church weren't able to be involved this year, follow PrayfortheLou.org to keep up with what's to come.

As always, keep praying, St. Louis!