May 2009 Newsletter

Dear HPN members,

• Praise God for an incredible National Day of Prayer gathering in LA!
• Please keep praying for Farrah Fawcett, 62, as she is losing her cancer battle
• Keep praying for Mel Gibson; he needs our continued prayers
• Patrick Swayze is not doing well in his battle with cancer
• HPN continues to pray for Hugh Hefner
• Mark Landon, son of the late Michael Landon, has just passed away
• May 13 - 24, 2009 begins The 62nd Festival De Cannes
• Summer movies have hit the theatres
• Pray for Penn Jillette -- one of the duo, Penn & Teller, a Las Vegas illusion act
• Endeavor and the William Morris Agency just announced a merger
• Let's pray for the Korean entertainment industry
• Let's pray for Hollywood's Christian leaders
• Join our Thurs. weekly prayer nights in Hollywood and daily prayer phone calls

PRAISES:

• The National Day of Prayer gathering at Bel Air Presbyterian Church last Thursday was INCREDIBLE. God's Spirit came down in that sanctuary, with over 27 different LA churches and entertainment ministries joining together to pray. We felt His love and His unity in a powerful way. There were over 300 pastors, industry professionals, lay people, businessmen, and families, all praising God and praying for spiritual revival in our country, our city, our churches, our industry and our own lives. Thank you so much for your prayers for this event. They were all answered a thousand fold! May we see more and more of these glorious corporate gatherings of prayer all over our nation because people are hungry for God!

UPDATES:

• Please keep praying for Farrah Fawcett, 62. Her long time, companion and father of her only son, actor Ryan O'Neal, has told People magazine that Farrah, who has battled cancer for nearly three years, is now bed-ridden, bereft of her famous blonde hair and near the end of medical treatment. But O'Neal said Fawcett "hasn't had last rites yet. We're not there." In fact, he said she still hopes for a "miracle" cure - "a last gasp". Let us pray for that miracle that Farrah is hoping for - the miracle of Jesus' saving love!

• Mel Gibson needs our continued prayers as his divorce is getting more complicated, with a pregnant girlfriend. Let's not talk about or against Mel, but pray for the Lord to give him wisdom, strength of character, and a clear understanding to do what is right in God's eyes. Mel has more to handle in his life of fame, than man is meant to handle. He and Robyn and their children all need our prayerful support.

• Patrick Swayze is not doing well in his battle with cancer. He and his wife are praying and appreciate the prayers of others. Let's keep praying for God's perfect plan for them, asking that they will fully embrace Him every step of the way. And may they find comfort from the Bible HPN sent to Patrick.

• HPN has been praying for God's love to embrace Hugh Hefner for over 5 years. We just read a quote from him, which makes us want to keep praying. Will you join us as you read his desire: Hef says, "I'd like to find out what Jesus Christ was all about. Separate the reality from mythology. Find out the roots of what has become a major religion of my time. I was raised in a good Methodist home and I had questions about organized religion, and I would love to have the answers." Let's all pray for Hef and that he'll read and discern the truths in the Bible that he was given a few years ago.

REQUESTS:

• Mark Landon, son of the late Michael Landon, has just passed away. Let's pray for the Landon family at this time of grief and pray that God will use it to bring the lost in that family, to a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

• May 13 - 24, 2009 begins The 62nd Festival De Cannes or the Cannes Film Festival. It's the world's largest and most prominent film festival where filmmakers, celebrities, distributors, and studio heads meet to promote, buy and sell films around the world. Every year there are a few Christians there, some to promote or screen their films, and others just to minister to the Cannes crowd. Please pray that this year's Festival would have an eternal impact on the people attending. May God be creative in touching the hearts and personal lives of the attendees and may our prayers make a difference.

• Summer movies have hit the theatres - with titles such as; Wolverine, Star Trek and Up, the summer box office battle has begun. Pray for the actors, writers, executives, directors, producers and all involved - asking that they will seek God and not fame as they watch how the public embraces their films. And pray that the audience, including us, is wise in choosing what movies to spend our time, money and support on, and what films are best to leave alone. Remember the first week-end of any film is the time to go if you want to send a message to a studio that you support their investment. And it's best not to go at all, if it's one you don't support.

• Pray for Penn Jillette -- one of the duo Penn & Teller, a Las Vegas illusion act. He is a proclaimed atheist, yet he put up on Youtube his interface with a Christian man who, in 2008, handed him a New Testament after the show, complimented him on his performance and said just a few words to him about God. Penn was extremely affected by the encounter and took 5 minutes explaining it on Youtube. Watch this clip and then pray that God will use this encounter to draw Penn to Jesus by His Holy Spirit! Youtube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHS8adO3hM

• Pray for two major talent agencies who have just become one in an historic merger. In a landmark deal, Endeavor and the William Morris Agency just announced a merger of both companies. The new agency will be called William Morris Endeavor (WME) Entertainment. Let's pray for the leadership team for the new agency: Jim Wiatt, Chairman, and Ariel Emanuel, Patrick Whitesell and Dave Wirtschafter, Co-CEOs. This landmark agreement brings together two of the industry's most respected entertainment agencies spanning motion pictures, television, music, theatre, publishing, commercials, sports, marketing and below-the-line production.

• Let's pray for the Korean entertainment industry so known for it's "slave entertainment contracts" with young, vulnerable actors. Korean soap opera star, Jang Ja-yeon, 26, wrote a seven-page letter accusing the country's entertainment industry, just before she killed herself at her home earlier this month. There are Christians present in this industry who need our prayers. Let's ask the Lord to build a community of prayer warriors in South Korea, to pray specifically for the redemption of the media leaders there. The full article on Jan Ja-yeon is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/01/south-korea-entertaiment-jang-jayeon

• There is a South Korean Christian TV network. So, let's also lift up the believers working in South Korean arts, media and entertainment, asking that they seize the opportunity to be salt and light especially in the context of this terrible tragedy. Maybe the Lord will bring us someone to start an HPN Local Chapter in that country.

REQUESTS FROM HPN MEMBERS:

• Let's pray for Hollywood's Christian leaders, who have the responsibility to conduct themselves above reproach and to set examples for those who follow them, to be humble and transparent, and to give the enemy no foothold in their lives. Christians in Hollywood are particularly vulnerable. They are not official leaders, and they do not necessarily have church fellowships praying for them and supporting them. They are surrounded by people and groups who, at best, don't understand Christianity and, at worst, are virulently anti-Christian. They may not consider themselves spiritual leaders, and yet they represent Christ to millions simply because they are in the public eye. Gordon W.

UPCOMING PRAYER EVENTS:

• Join us for Thursday night prayer in Hollywood - every week from 7:00 - 8:00 pm in the Wiley Chapel at Hollywood Presbyterian Church. Everyone in the industry is welcome, for corporate and personal prayer. Don't miss the chance to connect with other Christian industry professionals each week in prayer and worship. It's a great night! For more info, email Caren@hpnemail.org.

• Check out the new Daily Industry Prayer Call available to industry professionals anywhere across the country. It's facilitated by Gay Thomas-Wilson. To find out more about joining the call, email Gay at: gtwilson7@msn.com.

Thanks so much for praying with us and enjoy a wonderful month of MAY!

Karen, Caren and Gloria

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QUOTE OF THE MONTH:

"Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one." Stella Adler

VERSE OF THE MONTH:

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair." 2 Corinthians 4:8