Prayer Updates - January 2026

***Help us keep our prayer list current and up to date! After thirty days upon receiving a request, we will remove it if not updated. Thank you for your help and your diligent prayers.***

Martha Miller (Kris Young's Mother) passed away last Sunday morning at 8:30am. Arrangements are pending. Please pray for the family during their time of grief. (1/12/26)

Kathy Buell (Jordan Buell’s mother); Doctors are saying Kathy probably only has a couple of weeks on this earth. Pray for her and the family. (1/9/26)    

Miles’ Patterson heart is acting up. He is in the hospital. We’re praying for good results. Praying for the family as well. (1/9/26)

Gabe Lanz's coworker’s home is under demonic attack, and their son Liam will have to go to Orchard place for treatment and protection for the family.  We are praying for their spiritual freedom and Christ's presence in their lives and home. (1/5/26)

Richard Baird (Tina Rains’ dad) passed away on 12/22/25. There will be an open house here at Rising Sun on Saturday, January 31, from 12:00pm to 2:00pm in the gym. In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to the Iowa Patriot Guard. (1/6/25)  

Cindy Melvin’s sister, Michelle McMillen, passed 12/20/25. Please pray for the family as they celebrate her victory and grieve the loss of her physical presence from their lives. (12/22/25) 

Cindy Crew (relative of Terry Nereim) after struggling for the past year with an undiagnosed debilitation, found out she has Babesiosis, which is a rare tick-born parasite illness that is extremely difficult to get rid of. We are praying doctors can target the problem and cure her of this malady.  (12/31/25) 

Terry Nereim has struggled with dry eye issues for years without finding a helpful medical solution. She is now working with U of I in Iowa City to try and find a solution. They will be drawing her blood to make eye drops from her own blood plasma serum and maybe one other option to see if that will help. Unfortunately, their medical insurance doesn’t cover any of the expenses. We are praying for a solution and the ability to afford it. (12/31/25) 

Ron Pauley has been dealing with advanced prostate cancer for five years. Their desire is to reflect their faith, love, and trust in God to others through this journey together. We are praying for God's leading, wisdom and will to be done. We ae praying for his strength and stamina as each treatment is harder on his body. He is grateful for the tremendous support of his family in this battle and his wonderful care providers. (12/15/25)  

Jason Smith; All of Jason’s cancer treatment options have negative side effects. We are praying for wisdom and discernment in how to proceed with treatment and that his body will be completely healed without long-term negative side effects.  Also praying for peace of mind for Jason and the family through this process. (12/30/25) 

Linda Gilbert (Linda Gibson) Is going through a very intense treatment regimen for cancer and has had complications and struggles with it.  She has an infection which caused a lot of pain and a week in the hospital.  She is home again and beginning treatments again. Because she is immune compromised, she needs to isolate which is very difficult for her. We are praying for her healing, health and strength, mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually through her treatment process. (12/29/25)

Bryan and Cindy Herrin, Linda Gibson's brother and sister-in-law, both have health issues.  Cindy is dealing with a very aggressive form of Alzheimer’s; she is aware of what is happening to her and dealing with it as best she can. She is struggling more all the time and needs a lot of care and is blessed to live with Judy Herrin (mom), who is a loving, nurturing caregiver, helping care for both of them, which is a lot on her. Cindy is taking this pretty hard. We are praying for wisdom for the whole family as they work through difficult decisions in how to move forward with health care and family needs for the future.  (12/30/25) 

 Anna Pham (Lynda Gibson’s daughter) has breast cancer, and it is in her lymph nodes as well. She will be having chemo every week through the end of March. She will also start up radiation in January. She will have surgery after her treatments are completed. Please pray that she will trust the Lord and remain hopeful through the treatments, surgery, and healing process. We are praying for full remission and healing.  (12/29/25) 

Karen Boeding (Linda Gibson is ministering to her) has cancer. She had a Pet Scan on Christmas Eve, which showed a new spot on her liver. Doctors are going to watch and recheck. She still doesn’t have much strength and energy. We are continuing to pray for her healing and recovery. (12/29/25)  

Steve Crocker’s next check-up is January 19th, and his healing progress is right on track. He is still on a ten-pound weight restriction for now and will need to use a PEMF device to promote bone growth stimulation for a year. We are praying that at his next checkup the doctors will see signs of bone fusion and continued healing progress.  Also praying for full release from restrictions. (12/30/25)  

Jim Brummit (friend of Gary Cox) Jim has hit a few small bumps in the road but overall doing well. He is still eating pretty well and feeling good most days. He has been on a 12-week course of steroids, and when he finishes in a couple weeks, he will have another CT scan of his chest to evaluate his current condition.   We are praying for God’s healing, health and strength, without further complication. (12/31/25)   

Jedediah Blauw is staying with his current employer for now and will be driving a truck over the road. We are praying for employment that will give him more consistent and regular time with his family. (12/30/25)  

Norma Jean Townley (Greg's mom) is living in Georga for a few months with Greg’s brother and family. She is still having some health issues but is receiving good care and is enjoying time with family. We are praying for good health and strength in the new year. (12/30/26)  

Rhonda Pool (Beth Jordan’s friend) has a brain tumor. She had surgery, completed her radiation and is currently on chemotherapy. Please pray for the tumor to be gone.  (12/31/25)  

Tim Gibson (Gary Cox’s sister's pastor) has suffered some major setbacks since his cancer brain surgery. Doctors have found another malignant tumor close to his brain stem and the cancer has also moved to his lungs.  We are praying for his quality of life in the time he has left. He wants to continue to preach and serve with his congregation as long as he can. (1/5/26)

Jim and Delaina Young are both doing well. Jim is progressing well, gaining strength and mobility again after having both hips replaced and looking forward to being able to return to church services on a regular basis again. We are continuing to pray for continued good health and complete healing and strength restoration in the new year. (12/30/25)  

Heather Webster is doing great after her hip replacement. She has had very little pain and is walking with a cane for security but is doing and feeling better than she has for a very long time. We are continuing to pray for full recovery without any complications or setbacks. (12/30/25)  

Alexis (Liz Rhodes’ granddaughter) gave birth 5-6 weeks early, is out of the hospital and doing better and Ruby is doing well but will have to be in the NICU in Iowa City for another three weeks. Mother and daughter cannot be together right now, which is difficult.  We are praying for them to be together soon. Also, for Alexis’s health sand strength and for baby Ruby to grow healthy and strong without any health complications. (1/5/26)

Tom Bennett has a low heart rate; however, his doctors have decided he does not need a pacemaker.  He is currently at home, on home health monitoring daily and is doing well We ae praying for him and Louise as the doctors figure out how to proceed. 12/31/25  

Michelle Boh’s daughter Margaret gave a kidney to Michelle’s brother-in-law. She is doing well and almost back to everyday life again. Scott has surpassed the most critical stage of two months now. His doctors are closely tracking his numbers, which are not totally stable yet. Overall, he is feeling great and able to begin work again in January. We are praying for their continued healing without any complications or setbacks. (12/30/25)  

Gabe Lee's mother is still having pain from a fractured femur fall. Because of her age, it will just have to heal slowly without surgery. She is also dealing with some digestive issues. We are praying for her pain relief, healing, and good health in the new year. (12/31/25) 

Joey Lee, Gabe & Rita’s youngest son, is back at work and recovering well. He still needs to be careful not to overdue physical. His headache pain has greatly diminished in frequency and intensity. We are praying for his continued recovery without any long-term side effects and a healthy new year. (12/31/25)    

Amaya Fuller (Vickie Brown’s granddaughter) recently experienced a second miscarriage in her life; she is struggling in dealing with the loss. We are praying for her mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health and needs. (12/31/25)  

Tammy Cohron’s (Terry Whitney’s cousin) mobility has improved with therapy, and she plans to retire this month. She is trying to figure out what living as a retired widow will look like. We are praying for her strength and recovery physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. (12/30/25)  

Doug Williams (Terry Whitney’s cousin) has another active spot of cancer on his lung. He has had two other problems with lung cancer in the past. He is currently determining whether to do chemo and/or radiation or anything. We are praying for wisdom in how to proceed and good results. (12/30/25)   

Adelyn Wheeler (Terry Whitney’s cousin’s daughter), age 13, recently found out she has a rare genetic blood disease where she is missing a clotting element in her blood. Only 100 other people are known to have had this problem in the past. She is trying a new treatment, but it will take time to see if it will help. We are praying for her mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health and strength through this difficult lifelong journey. (12/29/25)  

Denny Davis (Terry Whitney’s cousin) is showing some improvement with his treatment for lung cancer. His chemo treatments are causing fatigue and nausea. We are praying for his quality of life and healing. (12/30/25)  

Staci Gray (Terry Whitney’s cousin) is still having abdominal issues and pain. She is homebound. Doctors are helping her to manage her pain with medication. Her healing will take months, and possibly a year. She has an emotional battle as well trying to stay positive with her condition.  We are praying for her pain control, healing, and encouragement through this difficult and challenging time in her life. (12/30/25)

Dan Smith is doing well - just finished his rehab, but is still on 10 lb. weightlifting restriction, but hoping to increase that in a month.  He is watching food labels and diet. His next big appointment is in February to see how well his heart is pumping, in order to decide the next steps in his recovery process.  We are praying for a full recovery, a strong heart so life can get back to “normal.”  The family appreciates all your prayers and support as well. (12/31/25)  

Cedric Hurley (Jim's youngest child) is only a few months old and had surgery to remove a tumor from his spine. The surgery went well but was more complicated than expected. He seems to be healing well. We are praying that he continues to grow and mature, and that he will be healthy without any negative side effects from the surgery. Praying as well for the family's peace of mind as they trust God for his future. (12/30/25)  

Jaelynn Connett (Terry Nereim) is ten years old and has viral meningitis and brain stem encephalitis. She also had seizures and a stroke. She is continuing to recover well and had a very positive influence on everyone involved in her journey. Jaelynn is now able to return to school, which is a huge answer to pray. She is continuing with therapy, and we are praying for her continued health, healing, and recovery. (12/30/25)  

Ben Williams (Dave Bouchard) was struck by a vehicle and had brain trauma. Ben is up and even walking with aid! He has short-term memory issues but is doing better and is less frustrated than he was. The doctors say it is a miracle! He has “plateaued” in his progress, but we are praying for his full recovery and mobility moving forward. (12/31/25)  

Dan Snelson has been getting good reports from his doctor. His cancer is not spreading throughout the rest of his body. He is in good spirits, and we are still praying for healing and wisdom and discernment every day. (12/30/25)   

Kurt Shivers (Joey’s Dad) is slowly recovering after multiple strokes.  We are praying for his recovery, strength and ability to be self-sufficient in 2026, and also praying for Joey and family’s wisdom, health, and strength as they continue to care for him and make decisions concerning his long-term care. (12/31/25)   

Jeff Busch (Vicki Skiles’ brother) is in stage 4 congestive heart failure, continuing to slowly get worse. Angie, his wife, is in the ER, needing stitches, after falling at Walmart. She had to have a CT of her head, neck and face and EKG to check for blood clots in her brain. The doctors are only giving Jeff a few months to live. We are praying for his quality of life and the whole family. (12/31/25)   

Cindy Dooley’s recovery from a burst fracture of her L-5 Vertebra continues to be a very slow recovery. She is getting better and able to be on her feet some and get around better. We continue to pray for her mobility, full recovery, and to be pain free again. (12/30/25)     

Kelli Lee (friend of Terry & Demarko Nereim) has kidney cancer and had a kidney removed. Her cancer was not contained; therefore, she is continuing chemo treatments. We pray for a full remission and recovery without complications. (12/31/25)    

John Jackson (co-worker of Tracy Hutchinson) is over halfway through his cancer treatments; his scans show stability, which is a win. He is in stage four, and his doctor wants him to be involved in a new trial treatment program. We are praying for his full recovery. (12/31/25)    

Brad Davison (Brenda Depauw’s brother) has some good news: his tumor on the peritoneal wall has shrunk by almost half, and the doctor is amazed and pleased. He is still receiving infusions and is still recovering from his shoulder surgery as well. He is on chemo indefinitely, but not as frequently as he was, so he is feeling a little better.  We are praying for his health and strength and energy as he continues to deal with his health issues. (12/31/25)   

Jenny Lourens has severe scoliosis of the spine which has been causing her a lot of pain and stealing some of her joy in life. She has some new pain meds which we are hoping will help her manage the pain. She continues to lose memory. We are praying for pain relief and that God restores her joy for life. Also praying for Les and Ruth as they go through this difficult time with her. (12/30/25)      

Mike & Christina Minnick (Carli Schaffner's daughter and son-in-law) His Pet Scan came back with mixed results, so he will continue immunotherapy treatments and radiation treatments. His next checkup is mid-January. We are continuing to pray for healing and for the whole family to grow closer to God and each other as they go through this journey together. (12/30/25)    

Carol Huntoon (Donna Bennum’s sister) is doing better but still having trouble with her hips. We are praying for her health and strength, and wisdom to make better life choices for her health. (12/30/25)    

Denise’s (Donna Bennum’s stepsister) daughter Chelsea, who is in her 40’s, has brain cancer. She is also in a custody battle over her 11-year-old daughter. We are praying for Chelsea’s health and for the family to be reunited.  (12/30/25)

Robert (Donna Bennum’s nephew) is getting out of prison and moving to Fort DSM. We are praying for wisdom in making better life choices and to come to Christ.  His mother died a year ago, and he has 14-year-old twins, a son and daughter who need our prayers as well. (12/30/25)

Shelley Biondi (John Bennum’s Mother-in-law) had a double mastectomy, which was her second surgery; she is recovering well. We are praying for her to be cancer free as she continues to recover, going through treatment. (12/30/25)    

Kayla Bennum (Donna and Bill Bennum’s daughter): We are continuing to pray that she will overcome her destructive life choices and place Christ at the center of her life. (12/30/25)  

Bill and Donna Bennum have a lot of responsibilities in caring for their grandson Micah. There is a custody hearing in March to see if they will gain full custody. They are having Micah evaluated medically to understand his mental, emotional and physical needs. They also have an IEP meeting with the school to see what help is available for him there.   We are praying for their wisdom, strength, and health to deal well with life one day at a time. (12/30/25)   

Janet Wickett is still dealing with age-related health and stomach issues and recently had a throat scope and stretch which went well this time. She has torn her rotator cuff, so she will need surgery on it eventually.  We are praying for her health, strength, and mobility in 2026. (12/31/25)   

Jeff (Kris Wolf’s brother-in-law) continues to do well overall and is continuing his monthly chemo shot.  One liver tumor has shrunk, but no change on another, but nothing is showing up in his lungs or stomach, which is an answer to prayer. We are praying that God will intervene and heal his body; if not, that the time he has left can be quality time with family and friends. (12/30/25)     

Scott Seiberling: It has been a long and stressful year of surgeries and financial battles with the insurance company over the car accident. He is still on weight restrictions with his arm and shoulder for now. We are praying his body will be healed and back to “normal” and to have a financial settlement as soon as possible! (12/30/25)    

Tedd Norman: we are praying for his health, strength and a new kidney in 2026.  (12/31/25)    

Todd Norman is still dealing with pain in his legs and feet and continues therapy. We are praying for good health and strength in 2026.  (12/31/25)   

Alan Rockhold we are praying for his health and strength in 2026.  (12/31/25)       

Jessica Scholz is still in need of a full-time job to be financially stable. We are praying for her to have wisdom in making and maintaining good life choices and health. (12/30/25)    

Mario & Maria Lara; Mario is still having some health issues and looking for resolution. We are praying for Mario and the family to be healthy and strong in the new year. He is also seeking wisdom and direction in leading the Hispanic convention July 14-16 being held in Marshalltown. Praying that God will use them in a mighty way in His Kingdom work in 2026! (1/2/26) 

Harrison and Krista Terrill (Chad and Staci’s children) Baby Hudson is doing as well as could be expected; he is over a year old already and able to roll over and sit up on his own. He is a happy baby, and his joy is a blessing. We are praying for God to heal his body, and that as he continues to grow, he will be able to communicate with his family. Another big blessing, Harrison and Krista are expecting again. God is blessing the family as they learn and grow together. (12/31/25)    

Jeannine Derrough (neighbor/friend of Vickie Doerr) Her cancer has returned. She just had to have 6 lbs. of fluid drained from her body, and the new cancer treatment is not working. She is looking for a new treatment plan.  Her faith is strong, and we pray for her healing and for her to stay strong mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. (12/31/25)     

Cara Flavio (Lori Cox’s sister) is still not able to walk without assistance and has limited-to-no use of her left side after her stroke. We are praying for improved mobility and strength and for her husband/caregiver Max’s health and strength as well. Thank you for all your prayers and cards! (Box 61, Concord, IL 62631.  We are praying that God will work a miracle in her life. They have been able to spend some needed, positive time with family during the holidays. (12/30/25)  

Josiah Waddle (Gary and Lori’s grandson) is overall doing better but is still suffering some of the consequences of his past poor choices. He is facing some legal charges, and we are praying for leniency. We continue to pray for his physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual strength and health and the self-control and wisdom to make good choices and continue to walk with God moving forward. He needs to find and keep a full-time job. (12/30/25) 

Tara Thompson secured the 9-month short-term project job with Nationwide Life team. She is still looking for full-time employment. Her current boss has indicated he wants her on his team full time when there’s an opening - sometime in the new year. We are praying for job resolution. (12/31/25) 

MILITARY

Jacob Baird (son of Mike & Tina Rains) address: 128 Sweeney Dr, Biloxi, MS 39531.  Pray for his faith journey.  (12/30/25)    

Lucas Rains (son of Mike & Tina Rains) address is 324 Borough Street, Cheyenne, WY 82007.  Praising God that they found a church home.  (12/30 /25)    

Andrew Skiles and his wife Chantal (Mark & Vicki Skiles) Pray for Andrew and Chantal, as Drew serves in the Army in Germany. Pray for wisdom and favor as he manages soldiers under him and for them to find a Christian community to connect with. (12/30/25) 

SHUT-INS

Evelyn Downing: Prairie Vista Village. 2785 1st Ave S, #165b Altoona, IA 50009

Martha Miller: 5230 E Oakwood Dr, Pleasant Hill, IA 50327 

Dianne Scholtz: Parkridge Nursing and Rehab Center, 5800 NE 12th Ave, Pleasant Hill, IA 50327 (515-664-5606) 

Pat Wolfe: 4006 71st St Urbandale, IA 50322

Send your requests and updates to the church offices or to Gary Cox by emailing garyc@risingsunchurch.org.