Continue to Stand in the Gap: Sherman County
Again I
say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything they ask, it
will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are
gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. Matthew 18: 19-20
Grass Valley Cemetery, Sherman County, OR
Coming
into Sherman County we are once again in one of the least populated counties in
the state, a county bordered by three rivers, the John Day, Deschutes, and
Columbia, and known for wheat farming and windfarms. Biggs Junction, a stopping
place along the Columbia and I-84, is probably the most familiar place in
Sherman County, but going south along Highway 97 travelers encounter the towns
of Moro – the county seat – and Wasco, the biggest town in the county.
You can
read more about the early history and the early churches of Sherman County
here, here, and here.
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| Sherman County, OR |
The County
Sheriff is Brad Lohrey, overseeing 831 square miles of territory and a
population of 1,708 souls.
Dutch
Sheets, the pastor and author who has written over 20 books on intercessory
prayer and spiritual warfare, has used the term, “the synergy of the ages,” in
his writings and on his podcast. He spoke of it in reference to an encounter
with the Lord, who instructed him to agree in prayer with believers who were
long gone. Their prayers are still active, even though they have left the
scene. Consequently, Dutch and his group of prayer warriors have agreed in
prayer with the recorded prayers of George Washington, and the writers of the
Mayflower Compact, among other Founding Fathers.
The
concept of the “Prayer of Agreement” is from Matthew 18:19-20, where the Lord
said, Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning
anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where
two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.
There are
many forms of prayer, including the Prayer of Salvation, or the Prayer of
Thanksgiving and Worship. Intercession or Travail is a different form of prayer
than a Prayer of Thanksgiving, and we are instructed to pray all types of
prayers – whatever is appropriate for the situation. The Prayer of Agreement - two
or three praying in unity, harmony, and in line with God’s Word – is particularly
powerful and will see results.
In the
early days of Sherman County we know churches were established and there were
believers – and prayer warriors – among the early settlers, but recordings of
sermons or prayers were not made to the extent they are now, with tapes and
videos readily available. Still, we have some records, and we can pray in
agreement with early pioneers who dedicated their churches to the spreading of
the gospel.
Moro
Community Presbyterian Church is one of the early churches of Sherman County,
originally started as First Presbyterian Church of Grass Valley in Moro. It was
organized on July 10, 1887, on a city block donated by two early settlers. In
1900 it was relocated to a different block and a parsonage was added. In 1934, the
Presbyterians and Methodists – having a hard time keeping two churches viable –
merged to form Moro Community Presbyterian Church. The church has a long
history with many different pastors and changes over the 137 years it has been
in the community, and somewhere there are probably recorded prayers with which
we could pray in agreement, but we have yet to locate them.
However,
in 1916 the Rev. A.J. Adams, held a (Presbyterian) dedication service in Moro,
and recorded the order of service as well as the words to the closing hymn. The
order of service indicates the church was dedicated by another pastor, Rev.
J.V. Milligan, and the congregation responded to each point with “We Dedicate
This Church.”
The words
to the final, closing Dedication Hymn are:
The
house is built, the Lord be praised;
Behold
the work complete,
Here
in this house which we have raised
We
worship at His feet.
Dwell
in this place, O Lord of hosts!
And
make Thy presence known,
That
here Thy people by Thy grace
May
worship toward Thy throne.
Be
this the very gate of heaven
To
souls with sin oppressed,
And
comfort to the sad be given,
And
to the weary rest.
O
Lord! We give Thee praise this day
For
what Thy love hath done.
Help
us in all our earthly way
To
glorify Thy Son.
As we pray for Sherman County, let’s come into the Prayer of Agreement with those – Presbyterians and others – who sang and prayed these words of dedication. Their words are still active and alive in Sherman County – and part of the “synergy of the ages.”
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