Last July, Grace United Methodist Church in Philadelphia began a new prayer practice. Every weekday at 7am, they gather for a half-hour community prayer call that anyone can join by phone. The ministry, called “Grace without Walls,” extends beyond church membership, often drawing people from the community and even from other parts of the world. The hope, shares Rev. Emile Stanton, Grace UMC’s pastor, is for the ministry to “be a lifeline for individuals that don’t have a common place to communicate with God.”
“Grace without Walls” hasn’t missed a day since its inception and it is creating a powerful and generative space for people to ground themselves in prayer. On average 20-25 people join the call each day and different people are invited to take the lead. As they get experience leading communal prayer, Stanton notes, people are becoming more comfortable praying aloud and with others. They are learning that their prayers are just as powerful as those of clergy.
The prayer ministry flows from Stanton’s conviction that everything should be based in prayer. He wants to nurture a “crazy faith” at Grace UMC, faith that is grounded in gratitude, that trusts God’s will and wisdom, and that is not afraid to ask for provision and direction. “We recognize that [God] knows what he’s doing,” shares Stanton. “And yet he still asks us, ‘What do we need?’”
Already, the Holy Spirit is cracking open new possibilities – leading the congregation in creative approaches to old challenges and making a way forward.
For instance, Grace UMC long wished to make their facility more accessible for those with mobility challenges. Yet, the cost of doing so put the needed renovations out of reach. Then, in 2023, the church received a grant from the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference to put toward the purchase of two stair lifts. Still, though, the quotes were in the tens of thousands of dollars. It was a stretch the congregation could not make.
As they prayed over this challenge, Stanton put feelers out for new quotes. Incredibly, a company offered to install two stair lifts for about a third of the price of the original quotes. They were installed in March, making it possible for the church to welcome guests with differing physical abilities and for members long unable to attend in-person worship due to mobility constraints to return. “I truly believe if God ordered it, God will pay for it!” shared Stanton.
God is also responding to the faithful prayers of Grace UMC as they seek to fulfil their Shared Ministry (or “apportionment”) responsibilities – a portion of each local United Methodist church’s revenue that is paid toward the ministry and mission of the worldwide United Methodist Church.
Shared Ministry funds make more ministry and mission possible than any local church or annual conference could do alone. Yet for some local churches, paying their apportionments in full can be a real challenge, whether due to declines in giving, budgetary needs at the local level, or other factors.
As Grace UMC prayed over their own struggle to fulfil their Shared Ministry responsibilities, Stanton was inspired to try something new. Instead of relying solely on the congregation’s tithes and offerings to pay their apportionments, what if they went beyond their walls, just as they did with their prayer ministry? Would God send angels to help?
Stanton did some math. He determined that to pay 100% of the church’s annual Shared Ministry bill, it would take 72 “angels,” each willing to give $430. Then, he ordered a plaque with the title “Angels of Apportionments 2026” and blank spaces for 72 names. The weekday prayer warriors got to work praying and Stanton got to work connecting with community members. He shared about the good work the church was up to in the neighborhood—like hosting Town Hall meetings and giving clothing and food to those in need—and invited them to support it.
Then God started sending the angels – beginning with Rev. Stanton and his wife Dr. Rachel L. Stanton, the members of Grace UMC, an awesome East District Superintendent, several local nonprofit organizations, a few political representatives, some family, friends, and associates – all dedicated to the sustainable development of Grace UMC. So far, there are 32 angels of apportionments. “We’re believing in God for the remaining 40 angels” shares Stanton. “God knows when to send them.”
Rev. Dr. Andrew L. Foster III, East District Superintendent hopes that this Spirit-led initiative could be an inspiring story for other local churches in our Annual Conference. “I believe this is a creative way to engage the congregation and the community in the ministry of the church, helping advance the mission by caring for our shared ministries early in the season, so that focus can be on mission rather than on raising money,” shared Foster.
The “Angels of Apportionments” campaign is not only helping Grace UMC to contribute to the global United Methodist connection, it is also establishing meaningful relationships with the church’s neighborhood and community. The church plans to run the campaign annually, offering opportunity for follow up and continued investment from the community.
As “Grace without Walls” continues to meet every weekday, Stanton waits with faithfulness and expectation for the unfolding of God’s will in the life of Grace UMC. “We don’t just come together to give God our problems,” said Stanton, “We come together to tell him how grateful we are for who he is…without demanding that he changes his will.”
What began as a simple weekday prayer call has become a living witness to God’s provision, possibility, and grace without walls. At Grace UMC, the congregation is discovering that prayer does more than change circumstances; it changes people, deepens faith, and opens communities to the movement of the Holy Spirit.
If you would like to pray with “Grace without Walls,” call 657-390-4828 any weekday at 7am.