Prayer

Christchurch is a church that knows and recognises the incredible power of prayer and increasingly seeks to be a church that prays – at all times, for all things, with confidence, knowing that God can and will answer prayer. We try to be led by the Spirit each time we pray. Below is a summary of the different ways we pray together.

Thursday Morning Prayer Group:

This group meets weekly primarily to pray for those within or known to Christchurch who would benefit from prayer. This may often include prayer for healing or support through difficult times, but also thankfulness following some good news or recovery. Those prayed for always receive a little card from the group for encouragement – since this was started (in 1995) over 800 cards have been sent out. Contact Rita Warnock for more details.

Prayer Ministry:

A trained Ministry Team is available after each Sunday morning service, and after other special services to pray with individuals in confidence as requested. Contact Sara Crowley for details.

Prayer for Healing:

Services with a focus on ‘Wholeness and Healing’ have become a regular feature of evening services since 2005, supported by the Prayer Ministry Team. We are encouraged by those who tell us about their experiences of healing through prayer. This prayer extends the care and compassion that Christchurch has for all those in need. Contact Sara Crowley or Alison Bryan for details.

Vision Prayer Group:

This group meets fortnightly on Wednesday evenings to listen to God on behalf of Christchurch, then intercede or act in some other way if appropriate. We have been practicing this way of praying since 1998, and hear God speaking in many different ways – words, songs, hymns, Scripture, pictures, guided thoughts, prompted movement. As well as powerful times of intercession, out of these listening times have come initiatives such as the Soul Space, part of ‘Pray without Ceasing’ events, the Prayer Stations set up occasionally outside the building, Prayer for Healing, the Advent Prayer, a quarterly worship experience called ‘Soul Space’, which has an emphasis on reflection and meditation, with space to be still in the presence of God. Contact Shirley Rossall or Alison Bryan for details.

Intercessory Prayer – Praying on behalf of others:

This type of prayer happens in many different ways, as summarised below: During the week visitors to the building can stick a post-it on which they have written a prayer on a ‘Prayer Wall’. These are left up for 3 weeks and Members are encouraged to read one as they pass by and pray for that as appropriate. Contact Helen Rossall for details.

There is a book available in the entrance foyer into which anyone can write a prayer and these are brought before God in the services on the following Sunday as part of the intercessions of the congregation. Alongside this is a box into which confidential prayer requests can be posted – these are added to the Prayer Link. At most Sunday services the intercessions are led by a Member of the church and reflect local, national and international concerns.

Prayer Link:

For prayers which will be kept totally confidential please contact Lis Williams at any time. Every Thursday prayers offered to God by a team of members throughout the day forming a wave of prayer. For your request to be included contact Lis before 6.30pm on a Wednesday. Contact Lis Williams for details.

Prayer Stations:

At Christmas, Easter and Harvest times passers-by are offered the opportunity to request prayer for anything. Requests range from personal, often ill-health, to international concerns, and it is guaranteed that these requests will be prayed for within the hour and often at many times during the day. Contact Lis Williams for details.
Contact: Lis Williams

Recent Prayer Initiatives:

Pray Without Ceasing

In June 2005 the Methodist church of the UK embarked on 14 months of continuous prayer. Christchurch, as part of the North Herts Circuit, was part of 20 continuous hours on 21 June 2005. The Sanctuary Area was turned into a colourful, creative and challenging Prayer Journey, including a ‘Soul Space’. People of all ages prayed for 30 mins to several hours, both in the building and also elsewhere, as many joined in from different locations around the world during their holidays. A similar event, arranged as a ‘prayer journey’ was held over the week beginning on 23 June 2006. The format, based on Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication, Bible Readings and colour schemes were all inspired during listening times in the vision Prayer Group.
Contact: Alison Bryan and Nora Evans

Advent Prayer

‘Jesus, let your light shine where I walk’ was the prayer Members of Christchurch enthusiastically took round most if not all of the streets of Hitchin during Advent 2005. We may never know its true significance, but it was done in obedience to a request by God heard by the Vision Prayer Group. Some reported its personal challenge to them. This prayer even reached Australia and was left there by a Member visiting during Advent.

Prayer for Lideta

Christchurch is supporting the community of Lideta, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, through World Vision’s Community Development Programme, financially, practically and by prayer. Our focussed prayer for Lideta is based on the song ‘God of the poor, friend of the weak’ by Grahame Kendrick, and specific requests for prayer are given within our weekly notice sheet.
Contact: Val Dowsett