Prayer Pods




Discover the heart and vision behind New Hope's initiative by watching our introductory video!

Key Definitions

  • Prayer – Engaging in an honest and meaningful conversation with God about the things that matter to both you and Him.
  • Pods – Small, collective groups composed of two or more individuals.

When teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus demonstrated a communal approach, guiding them on how to pray collectively as a group. He used the expressions “Our Father,” “Give us,” “Forgive us,” and “Lead us” (see Matthew 6:9–13). Through these words, Jesus clearly illustrates that prayer is intended to be a communal and shared practice.

Although establishing a personal prayer life is foundational to growing and deepening a personal relationship with God, the contemporary emphasis on individual prayer can sometimes overshadow the importance of praying together in groups. Yet, communal prayer remains vital, just as Jesus taught His disciples to pray.

At New Hope Community Church, we are a family of faith committed to walking with Jesus together. Our core vision is, “Growing together toward maturity in Christ.” As we strive to become more like Him, we recognize the vital role of lifting each other up, offering encouragement, and praying for one another.

We also recognize that there are numerous local and global needs demanding our intercession. While we lack the ability to transform the world ourselves, we place our trust in the One who can, declaring, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” 

We invite you to join a prayer pod and commit to praying together regularly as a way to enrich our collective prayer life. A prayer pod can take many forms: it might be just you and one other individual, or it could include your family members, close friends, colleagues, neighbors, or even individuals you wish to connect with more deeply. Best of all, you are welcome to participate in more than one prayer pod!

Following the establishment of the prayer pods, we plan to distribute weekly prayer prompts to guide each group in collective intercession for both local and international needs. Additionally, we want to encourage you in bringing any personal or localized requests from your pod before the Lord.

You form the prayer pods! Start by asking God to reveal who should join your pod, and then reach out to invite them. While these prayer pods can launch at any time, our goal is to have everyone connected in a pod by the Global Week of Prayer, taking place from September 6-13.

We look forward to how God will be growing our faith through our prayer pods as we grow together toward maturity in Christ!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Eph. 3:20)

CLICK HERE to link your prayer pod directly with church leadership for updates, support, and communication!

This week's prayer prompts

Items of Celebration (Thanksgiving & Joy)

  • Potsdam’s New Beginnings: Praise God for the successful completion of the multimillion-dollar downtown streetscape and riverwalk projects in Potsdam! Give thanks for the hard work of local planners and laborers who gave the downtown a fresh facelift with new lighting, walkways, and benches, and pray that it brings vibrant community life and local economic flourishing. 
  • The Gift of Education: Celebrate Governor Hochul’s College Application Initiative, which has expanded throughout October and November. More than 130 New York colleges are waiving application fees. Give thanks that financial barriers are being removed for low-income and first-generation high school seniors striving to better their futures. 
  • Thank God that President Trump called off the live-stream execution of Nidal Hassan!  (Was to happen on December 3, 2026.) 


Global Prayer Points

  • Protection for Maritime Workers and Sailors: Lift up commercial shipping crews following a dangerous uptick in drone strikes on tankers in the Black Sea and near the Middle East. Pray specifically for the families of the seven missing sailors from the Wine Trader attack and the rescue workers operating in high-risk waters. 
  • Peace Amid Global Infrastructure Strains: Pray for the escalating conflicts affecting civilian energy grids, particularly the hundreds of thousands of people facing massive power outages in Ukraine, and the cyber attack on grocery store refrigeration in France. Ask God for a true, sustainable cessation of hostilities that ensures safety, warmth, and food for families as colder seasons approach. 


National (USA) Prayer Points

  • Wisdom Ahead of Midterm Elections: With November 3, 2026 midterm elections quickly approaching, political campaigns have reached a peak. Pray for peace, clarity, and protection over our voting systems. Ask that candidates lead with truth, and that voters are granted wisdom to discern policy choices amidst rising concerns over AI-generated misinformation. 
  • Support for Native American Water Projects: Pray for the smooth execution of the newly signed Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act, which provides the necessary legislative flexibility to complete critical water infrastructure on reservation lands in Montana. Pray that these projects bring clean resources and prosperity to the tribe. 


New York State Prayer Points

  • Truth and Fairness in Digital Spaces: Pray for the office of the Attorney General and election monitors as they actively work to protect New Yorkers from deceptive, AI-manipulated campaign materials. Pray for a spirit of integrity to dominate local media and campaign trails. 
  • Economic Relief for Families: Pray for county executives and local officials across NY drafting their upcoming budgets. Many local municipalities are projecting strict budget constraints and property tax hikes. Pray for creative solutions that preserve essential public services without placing heavy financial burdens on households. 


🌲 St. Lawrence County, NY Prayer Points

  • Health and Protection Against Disease: Intercede for public health workers following the first confirmed measles cases in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties. Pray for swift containment, safety for unvaccinated or vulnerable individuals, and clear guidance for local school districts and medical centers dealing with the regional outbreak. 
  • Justice and Comfort for Scam Victims: Bring before God local residents—especially vulnerable elderly neighbors—who have fallen victim to aggressive financial scams. Pray for comfort and restoration for an Ogdensburg woman who was targeted for thousands of dollars, and pray for stronger local safeguards to catch and deter predatory bad actors. 

Pray Big, Pray Bold: Breaking Strongholds Through Kingdom Justice ~ Prayer Prompts by Laurell Brault

Note: As we’re praying about the various causes/needs we should also focus on the Kingdom opposite (e.g. sufficiency versus lack). That was something that I remembered from our session with Dave and Jean Coles about breaking strongholds. 

Poverty and food insecurity (Isaiah 1:17; Deuteronomy 24:19; Proverbs 31:8-9; James 1:27; 1 John 3:17) 

-Pray for the identification and distribution of resources to meet the growing needs of people forced to choose between meeting basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter due to higher costs and stagnant wages. 

-Pray for workers at non-profit and social services organizations that may be feeling overwhelmed by the number of people seeking support as a result of the cuts in SNAP benefits and access to health care. 

-Pray for elected officials that they would demonstrate wisdom, insight, and understanding as they decide on the distribution of funds to local and state agencies. 

Health Care (Proverbs 31:8-9) 

-Pray for an increase in the number of health care professionals and staff members willing to serve in rural communities. 

-Approximately 20% of SLC residents are over 65 years old and there’s a growing demand for long-term care. Pray specifically for nursing homes as the number of seniors requiring specialized care continues to grow. Pray for competent and compassionate workers who will treat the residents with kindness and respect. 

-Pray for families that are facing difficult decisions about the best way to care for aging parents. 

-Pray for government policies at every level that would expand access to affordable health care for all residents. 

Cross-cultural Connections (Psalm 139:13-14; Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 3:28; Romans 2:11)
-Pray for more opportunities to build cross-cultural relationships and strengthen existing connections between permanent and temporary residents. 

-Pray that New Hope would be a diverse church that welcomes all nationalities and ethnicities and embrace opportunities to celebrate different cultures (perhaps making time for occasional five-minute overviews from international students about their country?). That we would allow God’s love to flow through us as we learn to ‘listen well’ and trust the experiences shared by people from underrepresented communities. 

Good Governance and Administration of Justice (Isaiah 10:1-2; Daniel 6:3-4; Psalm 89:14; Matthew 23:23; Micah 6:8) 

-Righteousness and justice are the foundations of God’s throne. Pray that we would have leaders who respect the U. S. Constitution and the judicial process without showing partiality based on wealth or status. 

-Pray for leaders with moral courage, clarity, wisdom, compassion, competence, and understanding at every level of government. 

-Pray for greater fairness and equality in the way abuses suffered by marginalized communities are covered in the media. 

-Pray that, regardless of the position we may hold in society or within our own families, we would use our God-given gifts, talents, and abilities to glorify God.