Praying together for Reading - What is God doing?
“Something
significant was ignited when Pastor Yonggi Cho spoke about prayer at the
last DAWN Congress in 1995. Consequently
some Reading church leaders decided to meet to pray at 7.15 am once a
month at the Central Corps Salvation Army.
Months later as
we read Psalm 100, we felt the Spirit’s nudge to invite all church
leaders for a day away to meet, pray and be refreshed in God's presence.
We finally met at Highmoor Hall on 22 May 1996.
A few appeared suspicious, some wondered what the hidden agenda
was, but 65 leaders came. We
asked, “if I were starting again in Reading, what would I do
differently?” We
acknowledged failures and mistakes. Barriers began to crumble and many
expressed appreciation for such a day.
We have met on
three other occasions since then. It
was a pleasure to welcome the Bishop of Reading, Dominic Walker, to the
most recent occasion, within a week of his consecration.
Our stated aims
are:
To build
positive relationships between parts of the one body of Christ in Reading:
- So
that God may continue to heal our past dividedness.
- In
order that the people of Reading will witness the unity of the Church.
To pray
together for Reading:
- For
souls to be saved and nurtured.
- For
revival to come and remain.
Leaders at
Tilehurst Free Church had also invited all intercessors to meet in June
1996. We were amazed when 90
people from 22 churches turned up to pray for Reading.
At the next meeting for prayer 185 came from 49 churches. The
Spirit of God has been doing something significant at “grassroots”
level to motivate people to pray. We
have been meeting every two months since then with TFC full each time.
Not everyone
likes everything every time - no surprise!
We try to vary the style of worship and the ways we pray.
Our desire is to involve all parts of the many-splendoured body of
Christ in Reading, without appearing too charismatic, or too traditional,
etc. etc. Maybe we are all going to feel offended one way or another by
the worship style in heaven!”
Member of Lifespring Church.
1066 - 1540 The Middle Ages including Reading Abbey
1540-1700 including The Civil War
Historical Streets and Places in Reading
Praying together for Reading - What is God doing?
Words, Pictures, Prophecies and Promises
Principle Sources and Further Reading