AG’s George O. Wood Urges Prayer for Grief-Stricken Conn. Families

In response to the horrific shooting that claimed the lives of at least 26 people, including 18 children, that took place Friday morning at the Sandy Hook Elementary School (K-4) in Newtown, Conn., Assemblies of God General Superintendent George O. Wood is urging believers in the United States and around the world to join him in prayer.

Wood, who attended a Christmas pageant today in which his four-year-old grandson participated as a shepherd, expressed, “How broken I would be if a gunman had come into that room and begun shooting those little children.

“In a time like this, where no spoken word could possibly soothe the heartache so many are experiencing, the purpose and power of prayer becomes clearly evident,” Wood says. “It is vital that we join together and blanket the injured, the families, the friends–the entire community–in prayer.”

A call to prayer video from Dr. Wood is now on the AGTV website (http://agtv.ag.org). Wood encourages believers to also lift up the five Assemblies of God churches within a 10-mile radius of the school, which has more than 600 students, as they prepare to minister to their communities. He also suggests churches and individuals use the AG Prayer & Spiritual Care website (http://prayer.ag.org) for prayer points, including:

• Pray for God’s sustaining grace and comfort upon families who have lost children and adults in this shooting.
• Pray for the injured that they will recover.
• Pray for the community of Newtown that has been traumatized by this occurrence.
• Pray that the church will be able to respond with help and comfort in the hours and days ahead.
• Pray for the emotional and mental well-being of children who attend Sandy Hook Elementary as they deal with this tragedy. Pray that wise and sensitive counsel will quickly be available.
• Pray for the well-being also of teachers, administrators and staff.
• Pray that families, friends, and the entire community will look to God for His strength, peace and comfort.

“This is a time where most families are anticipating the joys of celebrating Christmas,” Wood says, somberly. “I urge believers to take this request for prayer personally–as if those who are hurting so deeply right now were members of your own family.”

Click here to view Dr. Wood’s call to prayer video, see the following link. For the listing of prayer points on the AG Prayer and Spiritual Care website, see http://prayer.ag.org and look under “Alerts & Updates.”