Check the Prayer Room Hours for the current week’s schedule.

What is a 24-7 Prayer Room?

A 24-7 prayer room can be hard to describe; it’s something best experienced! The first time I stepped foot in one, I thought to myself, “Where has this been all my life?” And I was never the same again. Here are some descriptions I’ve found that are useful:

It’s a place of the Presence of God

The Holy Spirit fills not only people, but places, too. Ancient Celtic Christians used the phrase “thin places” to describe where the veil between heaven and earth becomes so thin that prayer flows easily, and the still, small voice of God is clearer to the listener.

People often report that their sense of the presence of God in the prayer room deepens as the space is saturated in prayer. Over and over, people report that in the presence of God, one hour in the Prayer Room feels like ten minutes. Sometimes people who don’t know Jesus are drawn into the prayer room and find themselves encountering Him there.

God is always with us – but when we set a space aside specifically as a place to meet with Him, He loves to answer our invitation in amazing ways.

It’s a place of creativity and freedom

24-7 Prayer Rooms often incorporate art and creativity into their design, with materials that engage all five senses and offer opportunities to paint, draw, sing, dance, scribble, lie down, read, listen to music, and engage with the Holy Spirit. This creativity challenges long-held preconceptions about prayer and helps people to be open to encountering God in fresh ways.

It’s a place of pilgrimage

We believe that there is significance in devoting a specific time in a specific place to pray; stepping out of your normal routine to make a physical journey – a pilgrimage – to a dedicated place of prayer. It is a sacrifice of time, convenience, and attention, underlining what is truly important to you. If nothing else, this sacrifice is a sign to yourself, to your community, and to the world: a sign of faith that prayer is significant, that God is listening, that He meets with us today.

It’s an enduring encouragement

A prayer room is a picture of constant activity in the heart of every believer. It helps us maintain the flame of worship on the altar of our lives. We leave the prayer room encouraged and enabled to keep on praying consciously and subconsciously through the trials of the day ahead.

Non-stop prayer isn’t simply about a place of prayer; it is an attitude of prayer that reminds us of the reality that we are called to constant conversation and relationship with the God who created us.

We are beyond grateful for how God has answered our prayers. The building we have is in the perfect location — right between downtown and Winthrop University on Oakland Avenue. The part of the building that we get is spacious and full of natural light! It is on the second floor; we keep calling it our Upper Room! Make sure to sign up for the Global Week of Prayer (read all details here first) when our prayer room officially launches!

Sign Up To Pray

24-7 Prayer York County Coordinator; State leader for North & South Carolina

Lana loves nature, reading, writing, and spiritual treasure-seeking. Travel excites her, but being rooted in local community is gold. She deeply desires to follow the cruciform way of Jesus, eager to know His glorious depths, even as she clumsily “stumbles toward the light.” She believes prayer in its various forms can connect us to the Presence that changes everything. Lana got her degree in Journalism (BA) with a Minor in Biblical Studies, and is currently pursuing certification in Mental Health Coaching through the AACC. Lana values the ongoing pursuit of education from a variety of voices—especially her kids and husband Matt. Together, they co-founded Speak Up, a ministry that seeks to give voice and community to those facing homelessness.

Matt Shaw

York County Prayer Lead Team; Executive Director of Speak Up

loves his wife, kids, the outdoors, and the public library. He deeply cares about those who are hurting and marginalized. He values presence, eye contact, humor, and deep connection, and loves drawing people out with good questions. He is the Executive Director of Speak Up. He enjoys reading, writing alone and in community, and backpacking. If you spend time with him, you’ll see he is a loving father-figure, brilliant professor, caring pastor, and quirky uncle-type all at once! (His wife wrote this bio because all he gave her was the very first line—so it’s especially true.)

Lauren Paden

York County Prayer Lead Team; Co-founder of the Rock Hill Table

is an artist, leader, gatherer of people, and lover of beauty who deeply desires to pursue what it looks like to be the hands and feet of Jesus. She is the author and illustrator of the children’s book, Awake (details about that here!), and cofounded a homeschool co-op called Oak Collective for York County. Lauren loves to be active and yet still takes time to connect with people one-on-one. She got her degree in Biblical Studies (BA), is a mother of three, and runs the Cove Cottage Airbnb retreat in Rock Hill together with her husband.

Andrew Paden

York County Prayer Lead Team; Co-founder of the Rock Hill Table; Worship Artist

is a singer/songwriter and worship leader whose songs are raw and dripping with heart. He is a seeker of Truth who highly values authenticity and courage. Andrew double majored in Education and Biblical Studies, and runs a framing business in the Carolinas. He is part of The Order of the Mustard Seed, a stream within the wider 24-7 Prayer movement. Andrew and Lauren are creating a Foundation to support the Lord’s Dwelling Place Christian Academy in Liberia, where they have partnered for several years. He enjoys fishing, marathons, backpacking, and working with his hands.

Debbie Garrick

York County Prayer Lead Team; Campus 24-7 Prayer Coordinator, USA

is a connector and encourager who finds joy in her daily pilgrimage with Christ, and is also part of The Order of the Mustard Seed (OMS). Debbie is an optimistic sojourner who has spent more than three decades traversing various landscapes in higher education, including serving as an adjunct faculty member of Leadership Studies and playing a major role in organizational fundraising. She holds degrees in Journalism (BA); Counseling (M.Ed); and Higher Education Administration (Ed.D.). Debbie is a writer, speaker, and minister who is passionate about seeing God’s Kingdom come on campuses around the country.

Andy and Lisa Tonkin

York County Prayer Lead Team; Hosts of the York County Table; Worship Leaders

and Lisa Tonkin are dynamic and effective leaders. They bring a distinctive ability to turn ideas into reality. They launched the Pop-Up Prayer initiative at the Old Town Market and started Prayer at the Fountain, which they led weekly for over a year. As current leaders of the York County Table, the Tonkins continue to press into deeper waters of what is possible with community.

Andy and Lisa desire to be all they can be for Jesus, to be available to be used by Him through worship, prayer, and outreach. They have been deeply touched by Him and can't help but share the good news! They love homeschooling, homesteading, worship around the campfire, and their tiny flock of chickens. They both grew up in Florida and now live in York, South Carolina, with their two children, where they run Shiloh Farms.

We are a local expression of the global organization 24-7 Prayer, an international, interdenominational prayer movement with a vision to revive the church and rewire the culture through non-stop night and day prayer. We believe that when you spend time in prayer, you can’t help but have it overflow into mission and biblical justice.

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE GLOBAL WEEK OF PRAYER, CLICK HERE.

Our mission is to catalyze prayer in York County through online and on-the-ground efforts, which cross denominational lines and seek to unify the body of Christ for the benefit of the community. Find out more about our team here!

24-7 Prayer: The Vision is Jesus

From 24-7 Prayer USA:

"The Vision Is Jesus. Dangerously, Obsessively, Undeniably, Jesus."

"We are the American expression of the larger 24-7 Prayer movement. We exist to help you encounter God and engage with the needs of the world through prayer, through wildly interactive prayer spaces and initiatives, through missional communities, and in Christ-centered social action to champion the cause of the marginalized and the poor."

An International Movement for 20+ Years

24-7 Prayer York County is part of the ministry of , which is a 501(c)3 Public Charity. Learn more about Speak Up.