Churches across the diocese have been joining the global wave of prayer that takes place between Ascension and Pentecost. Many initiatives have taken place in local churches such as prayer walks, prayer stations and creative outreach ideas.
Millions of Christians around the world have taken part in Thy Kingdom Come, responding to the invitation to pray for more people to come to know Jesus and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Here’s a look at how some of our churches took part in this year’s event:
Dibden Churches
The Waterside House of Prayer decked out the chapel at St Andrews with colourful, creative and thought provoking prayer stations.
Waterside House of Prayer is a gathering of Christians from across Southampton waterside, that includes Totton, Marchwood, Dibden, Hythe, Dibden Purlieu, Holbury, Blackfield and Fawley and others and meets regularly at the chapel for worship and prayer.
The prayer stations provided aids for prayer, including a map of the world to think about areas in the news or families and friends living abroad. A map of the area to pray for the community, and a shredder to write down and let go of issues that are causing worry and stress and give them to God.
Dibden Churches had 24 hour prayers from 13-18 May with people encouraged to sign up as a family, a homegroup, youth group or as a group of friends.
Waterside House of Prayer is using Thy Kingdom Come to pray for God’s Kingdom to come in this place. But we’re carrying on with this afterwards as well, using the momentum to continue praying most mornings and afternoons and some evenings after Pentecost.
Annette Jones, Prayer Outreach Leader
Parish of the Resurrection, Alton
Prayers were said outside of all its seven churches for Thy Kingdom Come and there were two prayer walks around the streets of Alton, where church members prayed at various locations around the town including the park, the town centre, churches and schools.
It was a chance for us to talk to God about our community before we talk to our community about God. It felt good and right to focus our attention this way every day.
Revd Canon Andrew Micklefield, Vicar at Parish of the Resurrection, Alton
The Benefice of Bentley, Binstead and Froyle
A room full of prayer stations was set up at Bentley Church hall, each with a different idea, craft or activity. The theme this year was ‘Rebuilding the Ruins’ inspired by Isaiah 58:12. The room was open from 6am until midnight each day. Two local Church of England primary schools in the benefice also visited the hall, with each class having time to reflect and pray.
We asked our 8 home bible study groups to each produce prayer stations. 13 were created on Sunday afternoon after our morning services. We have found that the prayer stations, creatively built by our groups, enabled people to engage with God in prayer in new ways. Many people come back for several hour long visits during the week.
Revd Christopher Ogilvie Thompson
Avon Valley Churches
Avon Valley churches ran a variety of prayer meetings across the benefice of six churches over the eleven days.
Praying for God’s Kingdom to come is, it seems to me, the logical response to the teaching of Jesus, and to the need of our communities. It is also, of course, obedient to the teaching of Jesus who gave us the Lord’s prayer as a model for how we should pray. I think that the prayer meetings have encouraged our churches, and have been well attended. They have encouraged us to focus on the needs of our community, to pray for people to come to faith, and upon the call of Jesus to build his kingdom.
Revd Luke Wickings
