London 2012 Prayer Relay

The Diocesan Pray-ers have passed on this message (a poster with the same information can be found here):

The Olympic Games will be held in London from 27th July to 12th August followed by the Paralympics on 29th August to 9th September. These events bring a wonderful opportunity for the Church to engage in mission in all sorts of various ways with our local communities. Every mission opportunity needs to be supported and undergirded by prayer.
The Fellowship of Diocesan Pray-ers have been invited to take a lead in this vital and powerful ministry; to pray for the various parish initiatives and for hospitality, generosity of spirit and protection for the nation.

The Rochester Diocese Prayer Relay will be launched on
Sunday 19th February 2012
in Rochester Cathedral
during Evensong
at 3.15pm to which you are invited

The idea is that there will be a Prayer Baton (an Olympic Flame lamp) which will move from Deanery to Deanery in the weeks before the games begin. Within each Deanery it is hoped that the Diocesan Pray-ers Rep and the Parishes will be able to organise for prayer to happen for the Games each day of their allocated week before handing ‘over the baton of Prayer’ to the next Deanery. We do hope your parish will be able to take part.
There are 17 Deaneries in our Diocese and the Prayer Relay will start with Rochester Deanery in the week beginning 19th February; passing on to Gillingham for the week beginning 26th February; and so on: Strood 4th March; Gravesend 11th March; Cobham 18th March; Dartford 25th March; pause for Holy Week and Easter holidays; Shoreham 15th April; Malling 22nd April; Paddock Wood 29th April; Tunbridge Wells 6th May; Tonbridge 13th May, Sevenoaks 20th May; pause for The Queen's Diamond Jubilee; Orpington 10th June; Erith 17th June; Sidcup 24th June; Bromley 1st July; finishing in Beckenham Deanery during the
week beginning 8th July.

We are very excited about this Prayer Relay as we feel that it will encourage more awareness of the importance of prayer and that we have a vital role to play in the prayer covering for the Olympics.

For more information please contact Judith Howard 01732 458285 email: judithhoward@weald.plus.com; Lorna Kahan: 01322 271657 email: lorna.kahan@hotmail.co.uk; or Jenny Smith, 0208 467 6499 email: jenny_mary@btinternet.com