UP THE MOUNTAIN

“And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.” (Matthew 17:9)

This week I am going to the 15th Annual New England Pastors’ Prayer Summit (sponsored by “Vision New England”) at Pilgrim Pines Conference Center in W. Swanzey, New Hampshire (just south of Keene, NH).   This will be my 8th “Prayer Summit”.

It is very hard to describe what Prayer Summit is like.  I usually tell people it’s a prayer retreat- and it is, but it’s more than that.  I went to my first Prayer Summit at Pilgrim Pines back in 1994. at someone’s invitation.  I was scared to death.  I wondered how I was going to pray CONSTANTLY for three days straight.  I wondered if we would fast the whole time.  (I’ve never fasted much more than 30 hours straight, and I just didn’t think I could do it!)  I wondered if I was totally inadequate for this great spiritual experience.  That year, I was relieved to find out that we would eat a total of 9 meals at the Prayer Summit- each of them fit for a king!  Some stayed in rustic cottages around Swanzey Lake, and some stayed in more plush townhouse facilities at the conference center.  Over the years I’ve stayed in both type accommodations, and I actually like the rustic ones better, because when you stay in those facilities, those accommodation actually have  more privacy.  

Most of the meetings are in a beautiful hexagonal chapel that’s simple but modern.   We sit in a circle in moveable chairs.  Sometimes we pray as a group.  Sometimes we break into small groups to “share and pray”.  Sometimes we sing contemporary Christian “Praise & Worship” songs.  Each year we’re given free time and encouraged to spend it walking around the lake (about 3 miles all the way around), or sitting quietly in the parlor of the main conference center, or just laying down in our beds.   After three days, I always leave feeling very uplifted and refreshed.  

The Prayer Summits HAVE changed a bit.  Originally, they were just for pastors.  Now, 90% of those who attend are pastors, but they’ve been opened up to lay leaders.  Last year, women were allowed to attend for the first time.  I did not go last year, so I don’t know how that went.  I used to like the Prayer Summits as kind of a spiritual  “guys bonding thing” but I guess I can’t complain because we also get that at Promise Keepers.

I will be leaving for the Prayer Summit on Monday morning and will be home late Thursday afternoon.  I’m not sure when I’ll post on the blog again... when I return, I’m sure I’ll be “wicked busy” as we Bostonians say!