Prayer Path to Commitment

“We are a church for all ages,” explained Jan Jonker, one of the organizers of Laguna Presbyterian Church’s evening of prayer on Wednesday, October 22. Some 150 members, friends and passers-by journeyed along a prayer walk, marked by tiny white lights, candle light and footprints, through the Rose Garden, by the newly steel strengthened tower, into the Music Room where a cellist and pianist played, to a bench to write their prayers to insert in prayer wall.

A visitor commented, “For a church under construction, it is beautiful!”

Participants prayed for guidance and strength in processing their commitment to God, and their financial contribution towards the restoration program underway. At one station, participants were invited to acknowledge the obstacles that hold them from commitment: excuses, fears, anxieties, and insecurities, write them down, and incinerate them in an ember filled bowl, to symbolize entrusting their concerns to God.

Young families were encouraged to come at 6 p.m., for the first half hour. Beth Pinney and the Praise Team, led them in singing and prayers of thanks for God’s many gifts to their church and church family. Then they processed to the grassy area near the pre-school to insert their prayers of commitment into their own prayer wall. Seth wrote, “I promise to give money to your house.”

Jonathan prayed, “I promise to donate more than 10% of my allowance to the church to help build the sanctuary.”

Laguna Presbyterian Church is undergoing a major restoration. What began as an effort update and return the sanctuary to its authentic Spanish Colonial Revival style, morphed into a 10 million dollar reconstruction project to preserve the Youth Center and Sanctuary from basement water intrusion, earthquake damage, and roof leaks, and to make all levels accessible the disabled. An additional 6 million dollars needs be raised to complete the project.

The Evening of Prayer was especially poignant because of the death of Church Member, Pat Carmichael in a tragic plane accident on Catalina two days before. Her photo was placed at one of the prayer stations, and many stopped to comfort one another, pray for her bereaved family, and remember her loving work with the downtrodden and homeless as close as Laguna Beach’s Resource Center, and as far away as Africa.

For more pictures of the “Path to Commitment,” reconstruction photos, or to donate on-line to the restoration of this historic Laguna landmark, visit the church web site at www.lagunapreschurch.org. Laguna Presbyterian Church, the downtown church,” is located at 415 Forest Avenue , at the corner of Forest and Second Streets.