Attendees started each morning devotional time with praise and worship in the West Morris St. FMC sanctuary.

There is "a profound shortage of people who know how to pray" according to Pastor Bill Mulwee on a video presenting the ministry of the Detroit FMC. That may be generally true, but it wasn't true in Indianapolis on April 8-10 as prayer warriors from around the world came together for the annual Urban Ministries Conference, built around this year's theme: "Touching the Cities Through Prayer." Participants didn't just come to learn about how to touch the cities through prayer, they spent a good amount of time praying for cities around the world.

The three-day conference began at 9:00 a.m. Monday morning with a time of worship and praise led by Stacy Cobb, who did a wonderful job of bringing those in attendance into the presence of God during each general session.

Group prayer for the ministry of Placentia (CA) FMC

The daily schedule each morning included Urban Ministry Highlights facilitated by Rev. Donna Saylor who served as prayer coordinator for the conference. Followed by a variety of workshops on such topics as: "12-Step Recovery Ministry," "Communicating Cross-Culturally," "Collaboration-Bridging Organizational Boundaries," and "Impacting a City Through Children's Ministry." One other popular seminar was "Prayer Warfare in Urban Centers Around the World" led by Dr. Wesley Deuwel.

Howard Olver and friends with the 2002 Earnest Christian Award

Each afternoon during the conference, there were tours scheduled to ministry sites around Indianapolis. Some of the sites visited included the West Morris St. FMC, Mars Hill FMC, the World Ministries Center, Horizon House, and First FMC. These tours were not just sightseeing tours, but prayer tours, with fervent prayer for the respective ministries being offered at each stop.

The evening services began with lively praise and worship followed by reports from FM World Missions on Urban Ministry and the bishops highlighting urban ministry in their regions, interspersed with prayer. In one of those reports, Jerry Coleman — who oversees FM ministries in Europe — shared that three out of four who live in Europe, live in urban centers. He then asked, "What is the most unchurched continent in the world?" Answer: Europe. "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."-Matthew 9:37-38 (NIV).

On Monday evening, Pastor Raphael Green from a sister denomination in St. Louis, MO, preached a stirring message on the theme, "My house will be called a house of prayer" from Matthew 21:13.

On Tuesday evening, Urban Ministries President Kenny Martin preached a message entitled "The Call" from Jeremiah. Before Kenny spoke, Howard Olver was presented the "Earnest Christian Award" for his involvement in urban ministry.

On Wednesday evening, Pastor Brenda Young from Akron, OH, preached the closing message of the conference.

Some notable quotes heard during the conference included:

"It's only going to happen through prayer"
—David Phelps, Vice-President of Urban Ministries.

"That there will once again be a Free Methodist church in Washington D.C."
—Bishop Richard Snyder.

"When men come here they realize they are cared for."
—Anton Matthews, Open Doors Ministry, Chicago.

"Lord, make us a praying people."
—Donna Saylor.

Special thanks to the conference coordinators and the churches in Indianapolis who worked hard to make everything run smoothly, especially to Pastor Mark Van Valin and his staff at West Morris St. FMC who hosted the event.