The Global Poverty Prayer Week - a week to remember
Many churches and prayer groups joined the Global Poverty Prayer Week. We had events organised all over the region. Find below a few of the many enthusiastic responses of some of our volunteers:
Brian Woolnough, Abingdon:
'What a privilege to be part of a vast network of Christians, right around the world, praying together against the evils associated with poverty and that God’s "Kingdom would come on earth as it is in Heaven". At Christ Church in Abingdon we had a three prong attack; praying each day through the week as suggested by our church’s prayer diary for an aspect of poverty, having a prayer morning on the Saturday where folk move through six prayer stations which each focused on different aspects of poverty, and then incorporating the special Tearfund GPPW video very movingly into our church morning services. This week really stimulated and moved many more.'
Rob Golding, West Basingstoke:
'Our Community Church had an hour of prayer for world poverty & development. I showed the prayer film from Tearfund’s Global Poverty Prayer Week DVD and handed out copies of the five prayer and poverty sheets from the website. The hour was easily filled with prayers informed by these resources.'
Catherine Pearson, Gloucester:
'We organised an activity to engage the youth in issues of Global Poverty and in particular the issue of slum dwelling around the world. Instead of running the event in a church building or in one of our homes, a group of us decided to build a slum in the centre of Gloucester and raise awareness among the general public. We provided opportunities to pray, give and campaign on issues of global poverty.'
Debbie Tompson, Oxfordshire
'Our whole congregation was given sheets detailing daily prayer requirements for individuals to use at home during the prayer week. At various services we used written and symbolic prayers, items to symbolize specific prayers. Members of the congregation were encouraged to take away as many of the items as they wished as reminders to pray whenever they saw the items in their home or wallet. We had a community evening focusing on "Slavery Today" with a professional drama telling the story of the abolition of slavery. The following Sunday a Tearfund speaker gave an excellent "all age worship" service on his recent Tearfund trip to Malawi. It was a brilliant way to finish several weeks of focusing on the world’s poor.'
Prayer Groups
Prayer is one of the most effective ways of supporting Tearfund's work.
Tearfund prayer and support groups give you the opportunity to pray with others and hear inspiring first-hand stories of transformation from those who have visited Tearfund partners.
Some groups are based in churches or house groups, others are attended by people from a number of churches in the area.
We currently have groups meeting in: Banbury, Basingstoke, Bracknell, Calne, Cheltenham, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Marlow, Milton Keynes, Oxford City, St Albans, Sutton Courtenay, Swindon, Thame and Witney.
Upcoming meeting dates are as follows (please contact the regional office on 01235 550467 for more information):
Marlow: 13 October, 10 November, 8 December 2008
St Albans: 21 November 2008
Sutton Courtenay: 18 November 2008 (and the 3rd Tuesday of every other month after this date, beginning 20 January 2009)
Swindon: 14 October, 11 November, 9 December 2008
Thame: 21 October, 2 December 2008
We would love to have more prayer meetings. If you would be willing to lead a group we can help you get started. If you are already part of a group that we don't know about, please tell us so that we can support you.
For more information about prayer groups visit our Prayer Zone.
Volunteer vacancies
We have a growing number of church representatives who would love to have a local point of contact. Could you be that person?
If you enjoy encouraging and inspiring others and could work with a small group of local volunteers, please contact us in the regional office.
Areas in need of support are: St Albans; Gloucester, Forest of Dean; Tewkesbury; Cirencester; Aylesbury; Luton; Bedford; Banbury; Oxford; Reading; Basingstoke and Bracknell.