Transformation Thurrock : 217 Boiler Room Community

24-7 Prayer is an international movement of prayer, mission, and justice that started in the UK in 1999 has spread to over 60 countries around the world. Tim Harrold launched TCF’s first week of continuous, round-the-clock prayer in 2001 and the phenomenon has grown steadily since then.

24-7 prayer rooms are exciting, creative places to be. You are more likely to find people writing, painting, shouting, or singing their heart out to God than a ‘traditional’ prayer meeting when you walk in. The most common question at the end of a prayer week is; “why are we stopping this and going back to church as usual?”

The 24-7 ‘Boiler Room Community’ is a response to this question. We have been given the use of a fantastic detached house at 217 Southend Road, Stanford-le-Hope, for an entire year, which we are using as a base for prayer and service in our local community. Week by week, we try to live out 6 values: Prayer, Creativity, Mission, Learning, Justice & Mercy, and Hospitality. At the moment we are exploring these as follows:

Prayer: we have prayer in the dedicated prayer room a least 3 times per day on weekdays (sometimes more). Some of these times are individuals, others small groups. We normally have a 24-hour prayer watch each week from Friday into Saturday, and weeks of continuous '24-7' style prayer every few months.

Creativity: we have a room set aside as an arts studio, and many people have come to explore the use of painting, writing, sculpture, installation, music, etc as part of their prayer life.

Mission: We strongly support the Corringham Bar’n’Bus team, both in prayer and practically (over half of the team members are regularly involved in the Boiler Room Community). We have ‘adopted’ friends involved in overseas mission in Ibiza, Brazil, and Kosovo, supporting them in prayer, financially, and by visits. In the summer we hosted a large team of young people on a mission team from America arranged by St Margaret's.

Learning: Individuals and small groups have found that 217 is a great place for retreats to study and apply God’s word. We also had a brilliant all-day event with students from Gable Hall.

Justice and Mercy: individuals are involved in a craft work business to help tsunami widows in India (at times, 217 has looked more like a craft warehouse!). We are committed to supporting the Thurrock Besom project in prayer and practically.

Hospitality: We have 3 beautifully equipped double bedrooms, and welcome guests for personal retreats or to get involved in the activities of the boiler room. We have visitors from across the UK and all over the world! There are also one or more ‘open’ meals at the house each week.

The Stanford Boiler Room Community here is supported by a number of local churches, and has already made a positive contribution to unity between churches. Because of this we try not to have a ‘separate’ identity; most of the activities we get involved with are done alongside other churches and organisations.

To find out more, you can visit our website www.24-7thurrock.com, drop in and visit at 217 Southend Road, or email stanford@24-7thurrock.com.

Rob Groves, 22/07/2008