In lives that are busy and often confusing, one of the most relevant eternal echoes from the Bible comes from Psalm 42, in the Psalmist’s simple, plaintive question: “When can I go and meet with God?” (Psalm 42:2). The narrator describes, in the midst of deep distress, the constant pull toward guidance, care, communion, and worship that feels like an ache only prayer can soothe. In today’s world, however, consistent prayer habits or even a suitably peaceful environment can be a struggle to build.
The Reverend Dr. Sarah B. Dorrance, a local retired Methodist pastor, understands this better than anyone, and since 2020, has joyfully been stewarding a call to oversee a “24-7 Prayer Room” in downtown Frederick. The Prayer Room is under the auspices of 24-7 Prayer, a ministry movement founded by pastor and author Pete Grieg that seeks to create denominationally neutral, peaceful spaces for communities to come together and “pray without ceasing.” Anyone committed to the mission with a safe, welcoming space can open and run a prayer room. 24-7 Prayer Rooms have craft supplies, bulletin boards, CD players, faith-based books, and a number of other creative tools to inspire community members in seeking God.
Frederick’s 24-7 Prayer Room (also known as the Frederick Prayer House), at 202 E. 4th Street, is in a cozy townhouse graciously rented from El Shaddai Congregation. Pastor Sarah says that the Prayer House – with both upstairs and downstairs spaces – contains up to 35 stations where visitors can pray focusing on everything from their personal needs and requests to the needs of communities and nations.
“We have a giant world map on the wall of the prayer space upstairs,” she says. “People place sticky notes and pins to remember people all over the world that we’re praying for.”
Despite its modest size, the Prayer House is obviously alive and active with the faith of the community from the moment one walks in the door. A chalkboard wall names items for healing and things people want to release. The three main downstairs prayer stations are decorated with children’s art, snippets from Scripture, and exercises as prayer aids. In the kitchen, one wall is hung with visitors’ gratitude items and “prayers of thanksgiving” while another is a space for names of friends and family who need prayerful support.
“There’s always something going on here, God is always doing something, and I just hold it with an open hand,” Pastor Sarah says. Oftentimes visitors email her hoping to use the prayer house as a Bible study space, a place for an impromptu worship session (often in the backyard garden), or to hold a small class.
Other community activities have included observing the Global Week of Prayer, which occurred this year from September 6th-13th, and “Paint Your Prayer” Nights, which combine a fun arts & crafts activity with prayer and contemplation. Pastor Sarah says that the Prayer Room doesn’t have a rigid programming schedule, and that she often relies on the community to schedule any formal events.
The one consistent community gathering which occurs at the Prayer House weekly is the downtown Prayer Walk, which leaves from the 4th Street location at 8:30 am each Friday morning.
“We’ve been prayer walking since September 2020, and we go in all weather unless there’s ice,” Pastor Sarah says. “Our prayer walks help to build the prayer canopy that’s over the city. There’s something very powerful in simply walking the streets and praying even for neighbors whom you don’t know.”
The walks often end up at either a small park outside of Frederick Health Hospital, where the group will pray for patients and hospital personnel, or outside of the School Board building, where the group offers prayers for students, parents, teachers, and administrators.
“It’s a small way to do something huge,” says Caroline, a Prayer Walk regular. “It’s also encouraged me to do my own prayer walks independently.”
Of course, Pastor Sarah’s main invitation to the community is to come experience the life-giving environment of the Prayer Room itself.
“We all often start out with the best of intentions to consistently pray, but I totally get it – it’s hard to carve out that place of peace,” she says. The Prayer Room offers a dedicated sacred environment that can insulate visitors, help them focus their minds, and put them in the right head space quickly.
“As the Lord said, ‘Come and see,’” she says. “You can literally have a date with the Creator of the Universe.” She encourages especially businesspeople to drop in on a lunch break before a stressful meeting, or for moms to stop by while kids are at an activity or at practice. “We’re here and we’re an ideal space for those pockets of time,” she says.
Best of all, the 24-7 Prayer Room is just that – a place for prayer that is available at all hours. The space is unlocked and open from 8:30 am-8 pm in summer, from 8:30 am-5 pm in winter, and can be accessed via keycode outside of those times (email to request). The space is monitored by cameras for security.
“I think one of the most amazing things about us,” Pastor Sarah says, “is that we were poised to open right in March 2020 at the brink of COVID, and God has carried us all the way. When we had to stay closed, I got to work on my marketing and business plan. When we were ready to open, He provided donated furnishings through the Salvation Army. Even now, we stay open thanks to provision He sends through donations. This is His house. I just look after it.”
To learn more about the Frederick Prayer House, visit https://24-7prayerroom-frederick.org.
“There’s always something going on here, God is always doing something, and I just hold it with an open hand.”