The woman leading prayer entreats God for divine guidance, healing and peace as two people listening send up a chorus of amens.

The book of Matthew in the Bible tells believers that God will be in the midst wherever two or three are gathered in His name. And He’s here, too, even if the prayer warriors are all in separate rooms.

In fact, they’re all in separate buildings. Maybe even different parts of the city or the country, or far-flung places across the globe.

The three pray-ers are on the telephone together, on a conference call hosted by Bethesda Porch Family Worship Center, 162 S. Main St. The prayer line, which can host 96 callers at a time, comes alive daily at 7 a.m. for people who want to pray for others, receive prayer or just be encouraged by listening to others praying.

“It’s a good tool that can reach from here to Japan,” said Bruce Whitaker, the pastor at Bethesda.

The prayer line has been going for about a year or two after being started by Whitaker. Patricia Harrell, who helps publicize the line, said it has been effective.

“God is working through this prayer,” she said. “God is answering prayers just like He did back when Jesus was on the earth, and He’s working miracles like He was back then.”

Harrell said people can listen to the prayer line while they’re getting ready for work or just relaxing at the beginning of their day.

“If you don’t want to say anything, you can mute your phone and just listen,” she said. “You can mute your phone and be in the prayer and just stop and give God that time. It is just awesome.”

Even though the phone line automatically tells callers to announce themselves when they join the call, participants don’t even have to do that if they don’t want to do so, Harrell said.

“It’s all about the prayer,” she said. “If we can help one person through prayer, two people through prayer, we will do whatever we can do.”

To join the prayer line, call 605-475-4875 and enter code 186291#.