The mailbox outside of Gaston Christian Church isn't for typical letters. It's just for prayer requests.
Some people just ``don't feel comfortable coming to church,'' said Scott Patterson, the pastor of the church, located near Belmont, N.C. ``It's simply, strictly for people to say, `I want someone to pray for me.'''
Church members started collecting the prayer requests about four years ago. The black-and-white, mailbox-type receptacle sits a few yards off the road with a cross-shaped steeple on top. A marquee reads, ``Need prayer? Drop a note in our box.''
The church sometimes receives two letters a day, sometimes none in a week. Most requests are unsigned and generic, ranging from unemployment to sickness to family issues. The church uses its Sunday bulletin to ask members to pray for these needs.