About 20 residents participated in the first Palisades Prayer Project.
By NINA KIDD
The Palisades Neighborhood Prayer Project, 2024, is underway.
Twenty Palisades friends and neighbors met to pray on June 4. Across denominations they came together in solidarity with congregation members of Kehillat Israel and Palisades Chabad and in prayer for the innocent citizens in both Israel and Gaza.
After almost 10 months, the war in Gaza continued to inflict both Israeli and Palestinian casualties. People across the world continued to worry over the five Americans and one hundred-plus Israeli citizens still held hostage.
Pastors Cyndi and Joe Ramirez, (Revive LA Chapel), with support from Nina and Dave Kidd (from Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church) convened the prayer gathering. They led the group in an hour of worship music and prayers.
Joe Ramirez, now Commander for the Palisades American Legion Post, called Pastor Matt Hardin (P.P. Presbyterian Church) to the front where he asked for the Lord’s blessing on all our neighbors in pain, particularly those in our Jewish community.
The evening’s attendees were invited to write and submit confidential prayers. A Presbyterian Church team prayed on their behalf the next day.
Local musicians May Claire LaPlante, and Amanda and Russell Long, sang and played keyboards and guitar. Julie Burditt played guitar and sang in both Hebrew and English; and Cantor Chayim Frenkel (Kehillat Israel) sent his recording singing a Hebrew prayer.
Faithful neighbors prayed together across denominations, lifted in music.
Pastors Cyndi and Joe and Nina and Dave agreed that this first grass roots-led Palisades Neighborhood Prayer Project was a successful leap of faith. Their prayers in solidarity with the Palisades Jewish community continue.
This Palisades Neighborhood Prayer Project invites concerned neighbors and friends to their second prayer meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23, at the American Legion Hall, at 15247 La Cruz Drive. Rank and file parishioners as well as prayer beginners and skeptics are welcome. For more information email Ramirez at joe@revivela.net with subject line: “Prayer Project.”
“Never underestimate the power of prayer! Constant prayer, with full conviction, without loss of hope, really does create miracles.” – Indian author Ritu Ghatourey