10/16/10

Hollywood Prayer Network October Newsletter

Dear HPN Pray-ers,

It’s October already and LA is totally decorated in orange for Halloween – the 2nd biggest retail holiday in America, after Christmas. So, let’s pray for God to give people wisdom in responding to the holiday festivities. It’s actually the only day of the year where we can go over to any of our neighbors houses, ring their doorbells and introduce ourselves to them, without needing a reason to do so.

UPDATES:

• Please continue to pray for marriages in Hollywood. They are always under attack because the business often becomes our priority, sucks up our time, and leaves the family coming in second (or third, after God, who is usually second to the industry). It's very destructive. For non-believers it's even worse for they often have no other priority than "getting ahead".

• Continue to pray for Lindsay Lohan. She is back in the news for failing a required drug test. Regardless of what the media is saying Lindsay needs our continued prayers. She is obviously crying out. Here is an excerpt from her recent Tweet: "Regrettably, I did in fact fail my most recent drug test and if I am asked, I am prepared to appear before judge Fox next week as a result...Substance abuse is a disease, which unfortunately doesn't go away over night. I am working hard to overcome it and am taking positive steps...forward every day. I am testing every single day and doing what I must do to prevent any mishaps in the future...This was certainly a setback for me but I am taking responsibility for my actions and I'm prepared to face the consequences...I am so thankful for the support of my fans, loved ones and immediate family, who understand that I am trying hard...but also that I am a work in progress, just as anyone else. I am keeping my faith, and I am hopeful.” May Lindsay find complete healing from Jesus.

PRAISES:

• We praise God that almost 20,000 HPN media packets have been sent out across the US and to over 47 countries. We are so thankful that more and more people around the world are seeing Hollywood as the world’s most influential mission field and wanting to be a part of our network to pray for the people creating the world’s entertainment. If you haven’t received an HPN media packet then just email Caren@hpnemail.org and we’ll send you one right away. It includes our DVD “The Hollywood Tribe” a brochure listing the 18 Christian ministries in Hollywood and tips on how to be praying more specifically for Hollywood.

REQUESTS:

• Let’s pray for Michael Eisner, ex-CEO of the Walt Disney Company, the other featured speakers, and the decisions that will come out of The Entertainment and Technology Summit held in Santa Monica next week. As keynote speaker, Michael will lead the Summit as they discuss what the consumers’ tastes are and how technology can meet those needs through entertainment. May the Lord intervene and allow them to consider the tastes of Christian consumers and may He soften their hearts as they analyze the American audience and the technology used in our entertainment. For more info. on the Summit, click here.

• Pray for the family and friends of Stephen J. Cannell, the prolific television writer and producer who co-created "The Rockford Files" and "The A-Team" later becoming a bestselling novelist. He died early this month and is an icon in the TV world and yet there is nothing revealed about his spiritual life. May the Lord touch the hearts of those who loved him, and admired him and lead them to Jesus as they mourn the loss of this creative man. For more info on his life, click here.

• Let’s pray for the outspoken atheist author and columnist for Vanity Fair, Christopher Hitchens, who is struggling to survive with cancer. Christians are now praying for writer of the 2007 book “God is Not Great” all over the world. They want to see him find God before his death. Let’s join others in praying for this man whom God loves SO MUCH. For how to pray for Mr. Hitchens, click on this article.

• Please be praying for Glen Keane, a wonderful member of our community and creator of TANGLED, the Disney animated film based on the Rapunzel fairy tale. Glen says, “From the start of this film I wanted this to be a story about a girl with a supernatural gift that could not be held back...it had to be shared. Her gift is a transforming one, a healing gift.” May God give Glen confirmation, on November 24th, when the film opens across the country, that his work at Disney is making an eternal difference.

• Pray for PEACE to replace FEAR in the hearts of both Christian and Non-Christian entertainment professionals. Most decisions here are made out of fear. We need to find peace and joy in what God wants for us and we want those who don't know about God have to find Him in order to replace their fear with love.

• Pray for supernatural love and unity among the believers here. The enemy wants to keep us divided so that we are ineffective. We have to have wisdom to resist the devil and love even the "unlovable" in order to build community and be a powerful presence in Hollywood. The pre-Christians will know that we are Christians by our love for one another and it will draw them to Jesus. We must be full of grace, forgiveness and love!

• Pray for more Christian leaders to rise up in Hollywood, who are totally sold out to the Lord. We want Christian men, in particular, who will take the lead to challenge others in the faith, in their daily walk with the Lord, in their
service to others and to their trust in the Lord to guide them in their careers.

REQUESTS FROM HPN MEMBERS:

• Let’s pray for Jennifer, who just graduated from college last May and is trying to pay her rent as she pursues a career in Hollywood. After finally finding a part-time job, her hours have been cut and she not able to meet her bills. She says: “Last week I got a call from my parents saying that they can no longer help me pay for things, so if I cannot pay December's rent I will have to move back home.” Jennifer needs wisdom to know what God’s plan is for her and what her part is in meeting her financial and physical needs, while trying to stand strong in pursuing what she believes is exactly what He wants her to do. Jennifer represents thousands of creative people who find that pursuing a career here does not allow them to make an income. Would you ask the Lord to guide these precious people in the next step and to move Christians outside of Hollywood to pray for and to support blossoming artists who sometimes need financial support to keep going, just like missionaries on a foreign mission field receive support!

• Pray for Tim who is also struggling to survive right now. He asked us to pray for him. He emailed: “Please forgive me for being a bother. Work has run-out for me again. Please pass my name on if you hear of any work that I might do. Thanks for your help. God Bless.” Tim

• Please pray with Ohio HPN Local Chapter Director Megan Stauffer. She asked us to pray for her boyfriend Sam. “He is working on an indie feature in Pittsburgh. It's a 22 day shoot and it is his first feature. Pray for physical strength and for him to stay strong in his walk with God and that he could be a light to those around him. Thanks!” Megan (http://www.hollywoodprayernetwork.org/local-chapter/canfield)

• HPN West Virginia Local Chapter Director Robin Knotts asks us to take action as we pray for Lindsay Lohan. She emailed us: “This is great....check this out. Mr. Positive says: ‘It dawned on me the other day that people are so quick to watch the decline and struggle of someone famous and there’s so few that speak up and offer encouragement.’ I'm glad he wants and feels the need to do something. I am sending Lindsey a card and praying for her!!’” Check out this link to learn how to write an encouraging note to Lindsay as she is in rehab.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Every Wednesday at noon there is an industry prayer time in Wiley Chapel at Hollywood Presbyterian Church. Please pray with the group or even come and pray at "God Can Do It Again." For more info, email Burt Swardstrom at burts99@gmail.com.

• Every 2nd and 4th Thursday from 7:00 – 8:00pm there is an industry prayer time in Wiley Chapel at Hollywood Presbyterian Church. Again, either pray with us from wherever you are or join us those evenings. For more info, email Caren Bream at Caren@hpnemail.org.

• Thursday, November 18th is our next Worship evening. Come worship the Lord with us in the Wylie Chapel at the Hollywood Presbyterian Church (1760 N. Gower St., Hollywood, CA 90028) from 7:30 to 9:30 pm!

• There are more and more prayer groups, Bible studies, fellowship groups, screenings, Festivals and weekly events for Christians in Hollywood. If you want to find out all that is going on you can click on: http://hollywoodconnect.com/events.

Thanks so much for praying with us and for us. May you have a blessed month and a confidence that you are making an eternal impact by praying for the world’s most influential mission field!

Love,
Karen and Caren

TIP OF THE MONTH:
Rejection is not fatal. Read a good reminder that rejection is only temporary at http://www.philcooke.com/rejection

QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
"Almost every definition I find of being a Christian is also a definition of being an artist." Madeleine L'Engle

VERSE OF THE MONTH:

“Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts - to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship.” Exodus 25:30-33

http://www.hollywoodprayernetwork.org/new/welcome

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