Prayers are prophecies, they are the predictors of your spiritual future. Who you will become is determined by HOW you pray. Ultimately the transcript of your prayers becomes the transcript of your life! (Mark Batterson – The Circle Maker)

As the new year approaches you may be taking some time to reflect on the year that’s past and anticipate what the future holds. There are many things that vie for our attention, and as you look to 2012 there may be plans and goals that you’re setting for yourself and your family.

Jesus taught us to first align our priorities, to seek first His plan and pursue first His wants. He states it this way in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well.” There’s something about putting first things first, making the things that are the most important and significant the priority. What is it God wants for you in 2012? Before you make your plans, what might God’s plans be for you?

Joel 1:13 & 14 says, “Declare a holy fast, call a special meeting, get the leaders together, round up everyone in the country. Get them into God’s Sanctuary for serious prayer to God.” And so that’s were we as a church plan to start the year. We’re taking the first three weeks of the year, starting January 1 and setting it aside as a time to seek after God. We know that if we seek Him earnestly we will find Him and that God will indeed make known His will and plans for you and our church.

“We’re after love that lasts, not more religion. We want you to know God, not go to more prayer meetings.” (Hosea 6:6). That’s our goal over the first three weeks. It’s not about more meetings. It’s not about being “more religious” as we start the year. It’s truly about drawing near to God, knowing Him more fully and engaging with His purposes.

So our simple ask is this, take some time at the outset of 2012 to spend time with God, sacrifice some pleasures, food and time to be with Him and allow God to speak to you.

Join us at one of our campuses as we seek God together. The schedule is as follows:

January 9, 6pm: Utica, Rome & International Campus will gather at the Utica Campus. Albany Campus will gather for prayer at 6:30pm.

January 10, 11, 12, 6pm: Prayer will take place at each campus (Utica, Albany (6:30pm) & Rome. International Campus to be announced).

January 13, 6pm: Utica, Rome & International Campus will gather at the Utica Campus. Albany Campus will gather for prayer at 6:30pm.

January 16, 6pm: Men’s prayer will take place at the Utica, Rome and Albany (6:30pm) Campuses (International Campus to be announced).

January 17, 6pm: Women’s prayer will take place at the Utica, Rome and Albany (6:30pm) Campuses (International Campus to be announced).

January 18, 7pm: Generation Church (students) as usual at the Utica & Albany Campuses.

January 19, 6pm: The Utica, Rome & International campuses will gather at the Utica Campus. We’ll be hosting night of praise and prophetic ministry with Pastor Danny Bonilla at the Albany Campus (6:30pm).

January 20, 6pm: A night of praise and prophetic ministry with Pastor Danny Bonilla at the Utica Campus (Utica, Rome and International Campuses together). No prayer at the Albany Campus.