Silent Unity – breaking barriers through prayer

Prayer is a powerful tool when it comes to getting breakthroughs.

Silent Unity, a movement started in Jamaica in 1995 with Rev Enid Bailey has made this its sole mandate.

Then operating under the Unity Prayer Ministry owing to practising the policy of Silent Unity Missouri, USA, to which they were affiliated, it underwent a name change and new director one year later.

Dr Valerie Freckleton, in talking about Silent Unity, said she took the reigns in 1996 and carried on the mission.

Silent Unity, she said, is a dedicated and committed prayer circle of loving hearts made up of persons of All Faith and Unity members.

"We have embarked on many outreach projects such as having prayer worship every fortnight at the Ashe centre with persons from the Nannyville community. We distributed Bibles walking from door-to-door, even bars in the community. We pray in various homes; we visit and pray with the sick in hospitals," said Freckleton of the ministry and that it is making a big difference in the lives of believers.

With the purpose of the ministry being breakthroughs, Freckleton said, from personal experience, she has already discovered that "all things are possible with God".

"God is the great 'Healing Physician'. And my constant prayer among others was Psalm 103. "Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His Holy Name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases," she said.

Direct results arising from Silent Unity's prayerful interventions ranges from broken relationships being mended, employment issues, persons experiencing challenges such as Job did, prayer for Grade Six Achievement Test students, and even prayer regarding the loss of pets.

Dr Freckleton, in stressing the power of prayer, said Christians should also lift their faith as the two go hand-in-hand.

"Prayer is a key to heaven's storehouse, but faith unlocks the door. A prayer without faith is like a key without fingers to turn the door. Also, when we pray - we must believe!" she said.

Dr Freckleton, who is a pharmacist and psychologist, said she became interested in the prayer ministry after attending a healing lecture and conference in 1982 by the late Dr Henry Rucker from Chicago, who was visiting.

"I liked what I heard; the call to ministry resonated with me.

With the encouragement of the late Reverend Steve Samms, and members of the "Awareness Unlimited" group, I came on board," she said.

Describing Silent Unity as a '24-hour prayer service', Freckleton said that next year the ministry will be embarking on a new initiative.

"While you wait on the traffic to thin out in the Half-Way Tree area and New Kingston, persons employed in these areas can come and rest for a while," she said.

On January 30, 2017, Silent Unity Prayer Ministry and Valerie Freckleton Healing Inspirational Ministry will be starting a gathering called "An Evening Pause" which will entail Affirmative Teaching and Prayer. It will be held on the last Monday in every month at the YMCA, 21 Hope Road, Kingston 10 in the Taekwondo Room.

For those with prayer requests, she said the numbers to call are 978-0492 (Office); the Prayer Line 927-8271 where a live voice will pray with you from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays to Thursdays.

"At all other times, a recorded prayer is always available on the prayer line."

familyandreligion@gleanerjm.com