from Tim Harrold
The autumn of 2015 saw the 10th anniversary of The Turn Of The Tide (TTOTT) – a mammoth “24-28” from the Thames Estuary to the river’s source in Gloucestershire.
This initiative originated in Thurrock. The full story and the TTOTT’s vision is found here in this article from http://www.24-7prayer.com.
Praying to the Source of the Thames
18 September 2005
The Turn Of The Tide, 2-30 October 2005
A Wave of Prayer from the Estuary to the Source of the River Thames
24-7prayer’s Tim Harrold, from Thurrock, writes; “The Turn of the Tide is a vision to see churches and prayer groups on the north and south banks of the River Thames pray in tandem for 24 hours each, relaying the baton of prayer from the Estuary, through London and on to the Source, sending a tidal wave of God’s life-giving freshwater through the heart of Britain.
The vision for TTOTT came to me in November 2004 during a 24-7 prayer week at St Margaret’s Parish Church in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex. I was on top of the tower, looking across to the south, to the Thames – the Gateway to London. I began to pray, ‘Lord, turn the tide in this generation’, and Gandalf’s famous words came to me, ‘I come to you now at the turn of the tide’. I was also thinking about a prophetic word I’d heard concerning lights or beacons along the Thames.
Also, Thurrock – the borough where I live – comes from an Anglo-Saxon word which means ‘a place where filthy water collects’; well, we’ve been praying for years that a wave of freshwater to flush away the filth. Out of this came the idea for TTOTT.
TTOTT starts on the north side at 6pm on Sunday 2 October at the ancient church of St Peter’s-by-the-Wall in Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex. St Cedd built this in 654 after he’d travelled down from Lindisfarne to bring the gospel to the East Saxons. We will be holding an all-night vigil there with Celtic liturgy the following morning.
Prayer centres from across the denominations have been established on both banks of the river right into London. When the prayer wave reaches the Central London Boiler Room on 21-22 October, we’ll be holding TTOTT gathering.
Three other Boiler Rooms are involved in TTOTT – Wandsworth Salvation Army, Staines and Reading.
TTOTT ends on 30 October with prayers at the Source of the Thames in Kemble, Gloucestershire.
What will be praying for?
A turn of the tide back to Jesus in this generation! If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14-16
Local concerns along one of the world’s most historically significant rivers, and for each other across the river. Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine. Ezekiel 47:12
The Thames Gateway and Thames Valley regions. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. Zechariah 9:10
London, the UK’s capital city, political and financial hub, multicultural centre with international influence, venue for the 2012 Olympics. Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never failing stream. Amos 5:24
Salvation, healing, grace and mercy for the lost. “Baal Perazim (The Master-Who-Explodes)… ‘As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies’.” 2 Samuel 5:20
At the time of writing, this is how the 28 days of TTOTT (673 hours continuous prayer – the clocks change on the last day!) is looking – each location praying from 6pm until 6pm (Thurrock’s involvement in red):
2-3 St Peter’s-by-the-Wall, Bradwell-on-Sea
3-4 Great Wakering Parish Church
4-5 Christ Church, Thorpe Bay
5-6 Belle Vue Baptists, Southend
6-7 St Saviours, Leigh-on-Sea
7-8 Oasis, Benfleet
8-9 Canvey Island Methodists
9-10 St Michael’s, Fobbing
10-11 St Margaret’s, Stanford
11-12 St Catherine’s, East Tilbury
12-13 Flying Angel Mission to Seafarers, Tilbury Docks
13-14 St Mary’s, Little Thurrock
14-15 Grays Baptist Church
15-16 St Clement’s, West Thurrock
16-17 St Stephen’s, Purfleet
17-18 Abbey Wood, Thamesmead
18-19 Havering Christian Fellowship & Emmanuel, Havering-atte-Bower
19-20 City of London 24-7 Prayer Boiler Room
20-21 Wandsworth Salvation Army 24-7 Prayer Boiler Room
21-22 St Stephen’s, Twickenham
22-23
23-24 West London 24-7 Prayer Boiler Room, Staines
24-25 The Journey, Egham
25-26
26-27 Lechlade Baptist Church
27-28 The Source of the Thames nr. Kemble with Circencester Baptist Church
Back in the present, this list is pretty much ho
w it went, as far as is remembered. Three days were missed in all as two of the venues ended up praying on the same day by accident. Most of them managed to do 24 hours of prayer. A decade later, who knows what this madcap venture released in the land?
Out of TTOTT – and the Coastlands & Gateways conference in Liverpool on 27 September 2007 – emerged the Thames Gateway Prayernet (TGP), the M25 Nutcracker prayer around London (in cahoots with Global Day of Prayer London), and prayer for the Olympic Park leading up to and after the Games of 2012.
Another TTOTT took place in 2006, this time initiated by Street Pastors’ Prayer Co-ordinator Wendy Thomas of Southend. Over one week, the shores of boroughs along the north-bank of the Thames were prayer-walked, culminating in a service at a church in the shadow of the Tower of London.
Since early 2009, many places up and down both sides of the Thames have been prayed at by the TGP, and there have been two ‘prayer voyages’ from Gravesend to Westminster and back aboard the Princess Pocahontas. The stories of many of these playful but prayerful shenanigans can be found on the TT website on the TGP page here: https://www.transformationthurrock.com/Groups/80282/Transformation_Thurrock/Prayer/Thames_Gateway_Prayer/Thames_Gateway_Prayer.aspx
Back in 2005, folk were invited to spend a night in a 1350-year-old church without heating, lighting and loos – in the event, it was just Tim and a vicar from Westcliff and a bunch of bats. At the end of trail along one of the world’s most famous and significant rivers, on an autumnal day, a gr
oup of people found themselves in a meadow in the middle of the English countryside praying around a slightly muddy patch which purported to be the source of the Thames.
The TTOTT rallying cry, referencing The Lord of the Rings and the Cell Church movement, was:
“Let’s turn this tide and put Christ back at the centre!”
This rallying cry remains as true today as it did 10 years ago, because all victories must be stewarded, and all land that is liberated and repossessed must be guarded.
>>> See the TTOTT diary Tim wrote at the time (it ends after Egham) and the especially written TTOTT liturgy used at each venue by clicking on the links to the left of this page.
>>> See this article and a related article in their original form here:
