New Prayer Coordinator Margaret Day reflects on last weekend’s 24 hours of prayer.

Margaret

She says:

Praise and thanks to God for inspiring the 24 hours of prayer that we recently shared.

Over that time more   than 40 people, including two from the Gospel Choir who had seen the displays being set up on Friday, came to pray and share prayer whilst moving around the twenty prayer areas set up in the new Cafe Foyer, the main hall and the secondary hall. Some even returned for a second time to utilise all the resources while others stayed far longer than they anticipated.

One of the highlights was seeing people sitting and kneeling at the foot of the cross on the platform in silent prayer at the end of the prayer walk laid out in the main hall. As they walked, they were invited to consider various questions and read the associated bible passages to help them in their journey to the Cross.

Among the displays in the secondary hall there was something to enable everyone engage in prayer. These included focusing on praying for the area where we live, the wider world community, situations and people that concern us which were placed on the prayer wall, the Youth group s section which asked what held us back from fully accepting God and these problems were then placed onto the vine branches before cutting them down at the end to signify God taking them away from us. There was also a prayer painting wall and an area for model making to help us again focus on God in a different way.

Yet another way was the use of pebbles and water demonstrating the power of God to wash away those things that separate us from the love of God.

In the new Cafe Foyer there was opportunity to pray at each of the inspirational displays set up by the six Purpose Groups and also by Tracy for the Young People s work. All activities of the corps were included in these areas as well as some new ventures for 2010.

During the day, fellowship was shared by those who gathered as well as much sharing together along with many meaningful discussions. A Prodigal s Gate was set up on which the names of those who no longer worship with us were placed and prayed for – that they would find a way back. Please continue to pray for them over the coming months that God will touch them anew. These names, as well as all the prayer requests placed on the prayer wall will be prayed for at the weekly Friday prayer meetings.

The aim of the 24 hours of prayer was to encourage people to pray for our corps, to go deeper in their faith, to explore different ways of praying and for them to come closer to God and find his purpose for them in their lives. Many felt it was good to be in God s house – our spiritual home – for so long and to concentrate just on prayer.

Sincere thanks go to all those who prepared displays, helped set up and clear away at the end.

One of the songs played during the prayer time was this one by Geraldine Latty which expresses just what the 24 hours of prayer was about:

Lord I come longing to know you
Lord I come drawn by your love
Lord I come longing to see your face
For you to call me to come into the holiest place.

What did I do to deserve your favour?
What did I do to deserve your grace?
Called by my name into your presence
Undeserved Holy God.

Lord I come because of Jesus
Lord I come because He came
Lord I bow as you reveal your face
You have called me to come into the holiest place.