DAY OF PRAYER letter
June 2026
Preparing, Planting, Harvesting
Pastor Carrie Butler
Faithful Intercessors,
As many of us know, flowers, vegetables, and fruit all depend on careful preparation, attention, patience, and perseverance. Healthy growth begins long before anything appears above the surface. The soil must be prepared. Plants need the right amount of sunlight. They need water, nourishment, and care. If I hope to enjoy bouquets of dahlias, sweet peas, and roses, I must first do the unseen work of enriching the soil. If I want tomatoes, zucchini, and sugar snap peas, there is a great deal of ordinary, faithful labor required before the harvest arrives.
There is a reason Scripture begins in a garden and ends with the picture of abundant life flourishing in God's presence; something I've had a lot of time to reflect on as I work in my own garden. Our Creator understands that growth takes time. He knows that what is beautiful and fruitful rarely appears overnight. It requires attention, cultivation, learning, and surrender. It requires something of us.
Jesus reminds us of this truth in Matthew 13, where He tells the parable of the farmer scattering seed. Some seed falls on the path, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some on good soil. The difference is not the seed - it is the condition of the soil that receives it. Jesus concludes with these words: "Whoever has ears, let them hear."
As we join this Day of Prayer, may we come with hearts that are ready to hear. We are the soil. Each of us carries places that need tilling, nourishing, watering, and tending. Prayer is not simply bringing requests before God; it is making space to listen. It is slowing down enough to hear the voice of the One who knows us completely and loves us deeply, allowing the Spirit to guide our prayers. Today is another opportunity to prepare the soil of our hearts as we lean in to listen.
As we pray, we remember the many “gardens” God is cultivating throughout our church family. For our Worship & Creative team as they nurture musical gifts, strengthen unity, and prepare for the seeds being planted now for extended service times and One Church 2026. For our Adults ministry as they create opportunities for deeper friendships and spiritual growth this summer, trusting God to help new connections take root and flourish.
We lift up our students' ministry as they navigate a season of transition - 8th graders stepping into high school, seniors preparing for what comes next, and leaders faithfully tending the ministry during big changes. Ask God to provide the staff, volunteers, resources, and encouragement needed for Go Camp and for every student to know they are seen and loved.
Pray, too, for our Kids & Family ministry as leaders seek wisdom to cultivate lifelong faith in the next generation, and for our prayer ministry as God continues to grow a culture of bold, Spirit-led prayer across CTK. May the seeds being planted through healing prayer, worship nights, and everyday intercession produce an abundant harvest in the months and years ahead.
And of course, as we think of gardens, let's not forget our CTK Farm and FoodShare ministries, where the need for willing hands is both practical and spiritual. Pray for volunteers to step into the Response Team work, for strength and sustainability for those already serving, and for God to provide the right people for important leadership and care-giving roles throughout our blessing ministries.
May God prepare us well. May He plant His truth deeply within us. May He send laborers into His fields (literally!), strengthen those already serving, and bring forth a harvest of faith, hope, love, and obedience that multiplies far beyond what we can imagine.
If you’d like additional guidance for praying for our community and the world, consider picking up a 24-7 Prayer guide to focus on a specific topic.
With expectation,
Carrie
CHRIST THE KING PRAYER GUIDE
CTK Staff (from Melonie Kemp, Executive Pastor)
Over time, but more in recent months, an unusual number of the women on our staff have been facing significant health challenges. While we continue to trust God as our Healer, Sustainer, and Provider, these needs are real and ongoing. We would deeply value your intentional prayers for healing, strength, wisdom, and endurance.
I also ask that you join us in prayer for the marriages and families of our staff. We have seen a noticeable increase in challenges and spiritual opposition impacting those who are faithfully serving the Lord. We stand confidently in the truth of who we are in Christ and the authority we have through Him, yet we also recognize the importance of faithfully covering one another in prayer.
Please pray for God's protection over our staff and their loved ones. Pray for unity in marriages, peace in homes, resilience in difficult circumstances, and a fresh outpouring of God's grace, strength, and presence. Pray that our team would remain rooted in Christ, filled with hope, and strengthened for every good work He has called them to.
Your prayers matter. They are a powerful gift to those serving on the front lines of ministry, and we are grateful to know we are not carrying these burdens alone.
Thank you for standing with us and faithfully lifting this ministry before the Lord.
Worship & Creative (from Ivelice Cuenca, Worship Pastor)
- Due to the service time changes, please pray for us as we (1) help develop musical gifts within our team members, (2) continue to cultivate a culture of worship, and (3) as we grow in playing as a team.
- Please also start praying over One Church 2026! For this event to prosper, it can only be by the Holy Spirit's direction and aid.
Adults + Young Adults (from Julie Burleson, Lead Adults Pastor)
- As the Adults team is transitioning into summer, we are focusing on holding events that will provide opportunities for people to connect with each other - whether it's through serving together or through doing fun things together - the summer provides space for deeper friendships to form. We are also holding a series of classes on Sunday mornings between services that provide the opportunity to go deeper in their learning and their relationships with Jesus. We are hopeful that these different options will allow new people to participate in the life of our church, and that they will stick around for a long time to come!
UNITED / Students (from Josh Lease, Students Pastor)
- Pray for 5 more female volunteers to join our HSU community and 3 more male volunteers to join our MSU community.
- Pray that we'd fundraise $12,000 for Go Camp!
- Pray for all the students that need to be at Go Camp to register and pray for all our volunteer needs to be met.
- Pray for our staff team with me transitioning out. Pray for Katie, Megan, and Shayna to have peace and to feel well supported.
- Pray for whoever my replacement will be - that they would be a fantastic fit and exactly who our community needs right now.
- Pray for Mae and I as we move soon :( Pray for health and that we'd get well connected to community.
- Pray for high school seniors graduating! Pray that they would experience God's guidance and that they'd be able to trust Him as they move forward.
- Pray for 8th graders transitioning to high school, that they would get connected to our high school community and feel seen.
Kids & Family (from Duane Weaver, Children’s Pastor)
- Pray that we are able to cast a vision for current and potential volunteers to invest in building relationships with children, which is the crucial ingredient for children to experience real gospel-centered transformation. As we move through summer and into fall, we are evaluating our ministries to balance Education, Application, and Transformation, which will help anchor children for lifelong faith. We will need wisdom as a leadership team to identify the changes needed and help our volunteers implement them in our classrooms.
Prayer (from Carrie Butler, Prayer Pastor)
- One of the ways we have really seen God moving in our church family this season is through prayer and opportunities to pray! Alpha Leaders recently went through prayer training for the Healing Night and Holy Spirit Day, learning a model of prayer for blessing and healing. For the All-Campus Worship Night, we gathered a prayer team from a few of our campuses who prayed for people who came forward in a time of response. It is so encouraging to see how people are engaging, feeling more empowered to pray for those around them. So, my request is for wisdom in stewarding this ministry, boldness for our people as they take risks and pray for others, and for the “culture of prayer” at CTK to continue to grow and flourish.
Blessing (from Nathan Ford, Outreach Team Director)
- Foodshare and Farm: For willing hands to serve at the farm ASAP. There is much work and not enough hands. The core team is doing their best but they will only last so long. In short for the people of CTK to step up and in to serving at the farm and for the sustainability and health of volunteers putting in an excess amount of time to keep up with farm demand.
- Response Teams: This is probably the most spiritually mature group of leaders we have ever had. Though a smaller team, each person brings a unique perspective and approach to what God is doing through them and through Response Teams. What I ask is for constant prayer that they seek the wisdom of the Lord throughout the entire season and can demonstrate others that come on the projects even just for a moment.
- Benevolence: We are still praying for someone to fill the Financial Case Manager position. Pray that God would provide the right person with the right set of unique skills and experience to serve our church well in this area.