Wahroonga Adventist Church marked a special milestone last Wednesday night—10 years of weekly prayer meetings.
Twenty-six people—in person and online—joined the anniversary gathering, which had a thankfulness theme. Participants reflected on the past decade and shared their gratitude for answered prayers and God’s blessings.
Long-time church members Lance and Sandra Weslake have led the prayer group since it began in 2015.
Mr Weslake explained that prayer meetings at Wahroonga had ceased in 2014—a situation that concerned him and his wife. In response, they gathered a few members of the congregation together for a think-tank. One participant, inspired by a model she’d experienced in Victoria, suggested an intercessory prayer meeting. The concept was simple: write names on butcher’s paper—people in need of healing, comfort, spiritual support or blessing—and lift them up in prayer.
The group started with two people and grew steadily, with the biggest shift coming during the pandemic when the meetings moved online. Suddenly, people from around the world—including Ukraine, South Africa and Mauritius—began tuning in, seeking connection and prayer.
“It’s become a real global family,” Mr Weslake shared. “To be part of an intercessory prayer session, to see the answers to prayer—the miracles. We’ve seen miracle after miracle after miracle . . . those who’ve had their lives saved from operations, from cancer . . . it’s just been an absolute blessing.”
Mrs Weslake said the weekly prayer group continues to encourage and inspire them. “It just gives you a lift,” she said. “You’ve had a bad couple of days, sometimes you don’t feel like even going, but you go—and when you walk out, you walk out on cloud nine.”
Mr Weslake emphasised that the group is open to everybody. “We’ve got people here who are wealthy, we’ve got people here who are poor, we’ve got people here who need prayer and those who just want to give,” he said.
He added that the prayer meetings provide a much-needed source of peace in a troubled world.
“When you’re in the presence of God you’re at peace. You can come in stirred up, but you leave at peace, and I believe that is so critical for the world in which we live,” he said.
“So if you’re looking for peace, join a prayer group and make it intercessory because the blessings are not just what you give, they’re actually what you get in return. Being witness to the miracles . . . it’s just a beautiful time.”
