by Roy Edworthy and Tim Harrold

TT launch 3At the Thurrock Pentecost 2017 event held on Saturday 3 June, Roy Edworthy shared his vision for Thurrock Watchmen.

The aim of Thurrock Watchmen is to connect prayer warriors across the borough through regular prayer gatherings and a prayer network.

Both the boroughs of Dartford and Havering have a prayer network and prayer meetings involving many denominations and we have heard of progress being made.

Roy told how he was recently reminded by the Holy Spirit of when he was an elder at Grays Pentecostal Church and was challenged by the Lord with the question: “Where are the watchmen?”

Roy made the emphatic statement that,

“We need to draw a line and declare this far and no further! We need to come off the defensive and go on the offensive!”

He then quoted two scriptures, emphasising their prophetic imperative for the borough:

Isaiah 62:6-7 NKJV
I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem (or, Thurrock);
They shall never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent,
And give Him no rest till He establishes
And till He makes Jerusalem (or, Thurrock) a praise in the earth.

2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV
… if my people (in Thurrock), who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land (or, Thurrock).

Roy said, “I appreciate that individual fellowships may have prayer groups, but the vision is specifically for prayer warriors and prophets to stand together and prayer-watch over Thurrock, reclaiming those things and people that have been stolen from us, and regaining territory and lost ground.”

He explained how the Thurrock Watchmen network will operate. “As matters for prayer or prophetic words are bought out, they will be sent out to the Watchmen by text, emai and other social media.”

Roy continued: “Every month or so we plan to have a gathering where the prayer warriors and prophets can meet together to worship and seek God about Thurrock.”

Referring to the second scripture, Roy said that other Thurrock Watchmen initiatives will also include prayer walking in our communities and prayer on the land for the healing of the land.

Tim Harrold then added that the recent rediscovery of the Prayer For Thurrock written on the ‘wailing wall’ at a 24-7 Prayer Week back in 2007 was a further prod of God provoking the establishment of Thurrock Watchmen.

Tim honoured the united prayer initiatives of the past that have come in waves and seasons: Prayer For Thurrock (in the 90s); Gatekeepers of the Gateway (in the mid to late 2000s); and Transformation Thurrock Prayer (in the early 20-teens). All these waves have ebbed and flowed, come and gone. Thurrock Watchmen provides the opportunity for a new season of united prayer for the borough.

The first Thurrock Watchmen gathering will take place on Friday 30 June at Gateway People’s Centre in Stanford-le-Hope. Watch out for more information.

He then led the delegates in the decade-old Prayer For Thurrock (see two links to left of this post) which provides a kind of prayed manifesto for Christians across the borough, a reminder of our personal and corporate mission.