Year of Prayer 2012 - a Call to Action for Thurrock
Most people are in agreement that 2012 is a significant year for the UK - what with the major, historic events of the Diamond Jubilee and Olympic & Paralympic Games taking place. These are once-in-a-lifetime moments, usually witnessed by one generation at a time. They are also rare opportunities for God's people to come together in prayer and mission to create a redemptive legacy in our communities.
HM The Queen, in her 2011 Christmas broadcast, gave a clear declaration of Christ's Kingship and Lordship, her themes being family and forgiveness.
Towards the end of her message, the Queen quoted these lines from the famous Christmas carol O Little Town of Bethlehem:
O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
She then turned it into a prayer - a prayer for the whole nation? As one person recently said, "The older the Queen gets, the more bold she is becoming". Maybe it is simply a case that in our autumn years, we begin to reveal our true colours. No one can doubt after watching this where the Queen's core beliefs lie, and her belief in that belief, that Jesus the Saviour of all mankind be preached.
You can see the whole message here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHxbMbYgJ_o
It's said that were it not for the Wesleyan Revival of the 18th Century, Britain may have succumbed to the nihilistic, atheistic and bloody massacre that was the French Revolution. As the old order teeters, as new secular empires rise, as super powers are divested of their assumed capes of position, we live in a critical period. But we have come into the Kingdom for such a time as this.
There has never been so much prayer for and over this nation, which will be blessed in its entirety as the More Than Gold Cascade of Prayer gets going ahead and during and after the Olympic Torch Relay, which comes to Thurrock on Friday 6 July.
May this list inspire you, and may you find streams that you and your church can join in with.
English counties calling for a year of prayer
Arise Cheshire East: Together in prayer for Cheshire East "The borough, and the nation, stands at the crossroads in so many ways – social, political, financial and spiritual. At this moment therefore it is imperative that we come to the Lord for his help and healing, his forgiveness and release. Our hope for the future rests in his hands. It is time to seek the Lord." www.arisecheshireeast.org.uk
Why not Pray for a Change? “The invitation has come from heaven – 24/7 2012. We are saying ‘YES’. Will you join in?" North Staffordshire Churches are inviting individuals and churches to join in continuous prayer for transformation and glory through the whole of 2012. www.whynotprayforachange.co.uk
Churches and organisations
Kingdom Come 2012. Alpha and 24-7 Prayer are uniting to resource a year of continuous prayer for the British Isles. Visit www.alpha.org/kingdomcome; www.24-7prayer.co.uk/kingdomcome for details of meetings, resources and to sign up.
 More than Gold – the organisation resourcing the UK church for hospitality, service and mission for the Games is resourcing four seasons of prayer during the year under the title ‘A Time to Shine’ taken from Isaiah 60:1-5.
- Shine as the Flame Travels (covering the 70 days cascade of prayer during the Olympic Torch Relay 19 May-27 July; and covering the Paralympic Torch Relay 24-29 August)
- Shine During the Games – inviting individuals, churches and groups to ‘pray locally and link nationally’
- Shine For Ever – linking in with different events through autumn 2012 and beyond.
See www.morethangold.org.uk
Street Pastors: National Year of Prayer for our streets is focussing on asking for God’s blessing using the Lord’s Prayer ‘thy kingdom come; thy will be done’. Sign up www.streetpastors.org.uk
Youth with a Mission has launched a year of prayer to pray for the UK in this Olympic season. Brick by brick is an online calendar to enable people to join together to cover every minute, every hour and every day of 2012 in prayer. www.forever2012.com/brickbybrick
Through the Year
January 2012
31.12.11-8.1.12 - A time to shine: Shine for the New Year – More than Gold’s week of prayer www.morethangold.org.uk/your-church/prayer HOPE Start the Year in prayer www.hopeprayer.org.uk
18-25 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
February - April
1-29 - Prayerworks is a new initiative from the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity with a 40 day journey of prayer for work using the prayer pathway of blessing www.licc.org.uk/prayerworks
40 days of Lent - Opportunities to pray walk Stratford Olympic Park 1st Saturday each month http://runtherace.biz. Easter mission and prayer www.hopetogether.org.uk
As at 1 January 2012 Prayer Forum; World Prayer Centre www.prayerforum.org; www.worldprayer.org.uk E: prayer@worldprayer.org.uk
Year of Prayer 2012
May
14-18 - World Prayer Assembly www.wpa2012.org A global summit of Christian leaders taking place in Jakarta
17 - National Day of Prayer for Police Force: www.cpaUK.net A day to pray for all those involved in our security
17 - Start of 10 days of prayer towards Global Day of Prayer www.globaldayofprayer.co.uk
19 - Shine as the Flame Travels (1) start of the 70 day cascade of prayer at Lands End www.morethangold.org.uk/your-church/prayer
27 - London’s Burning: Leyton Orient Stadium Event www.londonsburning2012.org.uk
27 - Pentecost Sunday: Global Day of Prayer: www.globaldayofprayer.co.uk; www.gdoplondon.com
 June
1-30 Continuation of Shine as the Flame Travels (1) 70 days of prayer
2 - Global Outreach Day – with the vision to build up a network of Christians Worldwide equipped to preach the Gospel in over 200 nations in a single Day www.globaloutreachday.com
Queens Diamond Jubilee celebrations: including: 3 - Big Lunch www.hopetogether.org.uk 4 - Beacon lighting www.diamondjubileebeacons.co.uk
8 - Olympic 50 day peace initiative begins
www.morethangold.org.uk/service/social-justice/100-days-of-peace.html
July
1-27 - Continuation of Shine as the Flame Travels (1) 70 days of prayer 14 -12 Aug - London’s Burning: 30 days non-stop worship & prayer in Leyton London E10 www.londonsburning2012.org.uk
21-30 days prayer during Ramadan www.30-days.net
27 - Shine as the Flame Travels (1) 70 days of prayer ends at Olympic Stadium
27-31 - Shine During the Games (1) opportunities to pray locally and link nationally
www.morethangold.org.uk/prayer
August
As at 1 January 2012 Prayer Forum; World Prayer Centre www.prayerforum.org; www.worldprayer.org.uk E: prayer@worldprayer.org.uk
Year of Prayer 2012
1- 12 - Shine During the Games (1) opportunities to pray locally and link nationally
www.morethangold.org.uk/prayer
20 - 30 days prayer during Ramadan ends
Shine as the Flame Travels (2) plans to be announced for prayer linked to 24 - Paralympic Torch relay starts London continues to Belfast (25), Edinburgh (26), Cardiff (27); Stoke Mandeville (28th) then 24 hour relay to stadium
29-31 - Shine During the Games (2) opportunities to pray locally and link nationally
www.morethangold.org.uk/prayer
 September
1-9 - Shine During the Games (2) opportunities to pray locally and link nationally
www.morethangold.org.uk/prayer
9 - Paralympic Games end
Shine for Ever – continuing the momentum of prayer and mission linking in with HOPE prayer around harvest
29 - National Prayer Event at Wembley stadium www.gdoplondon.com
October
Shine For Ever – continuing the momentum of prayer and mission linking in with HOPE prayer around harvest
28 - Closing events for 100 Days of Peace
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