Press Release from Prisons Week

CHURCH AND CHARITY LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE HEADING FOR PRISON - “LORD HAVE MERCY”

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release
on behalf of Prisons Week
Registered charity no.1020920

Over 90 Church leaders are expected to congregate in HMP Pentonville to pray during Prisons Week this year.

The Rt Revd James Langstaff (Anglican Bishop to Prisons) has invited Christian leaders from across the Church to gather together with charity leaders on 10th October to pray in this, the 40th anniversary of Prisons Week.

Over four decades the Church has observed a week of prayer for those affected by imprisonment, but never before has such a diverse range of church leaders congregated inside a prison’s walls with the sole purpose of praying together.

Revd Bob Wilson, chair of the Prisons Week Committee and Free Church Advisor to NOMS said

“This event is witness to the church uniting across denominations behind the power and potential of prayer – bringing together prisoners, victims, those who work in prisons, the criminal justice system and communities; people usually separated by prison walls. Prayer knows no such barriers.”

Prisons Week is run by a broad alliance of Christian denominations and leading faith-based charities working in the criminal justice system. It motivates prayer through its resources and encourages practical engagement through the voluntary sector.

Beginning on Prisons Sunday, the week of prayer runs from 9 -15 October. Across the country, people will gather in small groups and large cathedrals to support all those affected by prison, through events and services under the collective prayer theme of ‘Lord Have Mercy’. It is the great unifying prayer of all those who have ever called to God for help and this Prisons Week, the call to prayer will extend to prisoners, their families, victims, communities and all those working in the justice system.

The event at HMP Pentonville will also include the introduction of Prison HOPE, an initiative to encourage the church to engage actively with their local prisons.

Further information and resources can be found at www.prisonsweek.org
 
ENDS

For more information, please contact the following representatives from the Prisons Week Committee:

Rev Bob Wilson
bob.wilson@freechurches.org.uk
020 3651 8338

Tim Rosier
tim.rosier@reflex.org
07803 888 255

Rachel Shackleton
rshackleton@spurgeons.org
07976 323502

Notes to editors

•    Organisations involved include: Assemblies of God, Caring for Ex-Offenders, The Catholic Bishops Conference of England & Wales, The Church of England, Churches in Communities, Clean Sheet, Community Chaplaincy Association, Free Churches Group, Langley House Trust, The Methodist Church, Prisoner Advice and Care Trust, Prison Fellowship, Reflex, The Salvation Army, Spurgeons, Spread Creative Agency, United Christian Broadcasters and The United Reformed Church.  

•    BBC Radio 4 Daily Service will include prayer each day during Prisons Week.  

•    A short film on the theme is available here.

Thy Kingdom Come 2017

Praying Together at Pentecost for mission and evangelism

CTE Presidents’ statement and accompanying video transcript Sept 2016

The 6 Presidents of Churches Together in England - Photo credit Churches Together in England

Statement
‘Thy Kingdom Come – Praying Together at Pentecost 2017’

Jesus invites all his followers to pray in His name to the Father confidently and expectantly. In the power of the Holy Spirit we pray together as one family. All Christians share this gift of the Lord’s Prayer. When we pray ‘Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done’ we long for Christ’s transforming love to bring hope and joy to all.

Earlier this year many of the churches in England took up the invitation of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to set aside the days leading up to Pentecost Sunday to pray for the renewing and empowering presence of the Holy Spirit to make Christ real in our midst, for the flourishing of all. As Presidents of Churches Together in England we are delighted to join together to extend this invitation to all the churches in England to participate in this movement of prayer in 2017.

We want to encourage our brothers and sisters in churches of all traditions to partner in praying ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ in the days leading up to Pentecost, from 25 May - 4 June, 2017. There is no prescription about how we should pray; we hope each church will participate in a way that is authentic to them and where possible to engage in this with their partner churches in their area.

The aim is simple and threefold

- To join with the whole family of God the Father
- To pray for the empowering of God the Holy Spirit
- That we may be effective witnesses to God the Son Jesus Christ

As Presidents, we will be writing to our churches and congregations to encourage them to share this aim and to take part in this movement. We pray to the Father that his family, called to be one in Jesus Christ, may see the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to transform many lives and communities in our land.

Video transcript:

Live on: www.thykingdom.co.uk
Global link: www.thykingdomcome.global
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/183026876

Archbishop Justin Welby, The Archbishop of Canterbury:

We are here at Lambeth Palace. This is one of the regular meetings of what are called the Presidents of the Churches Together in England. We all get together to share what’s going on, talk about plans and ideas, and today is particularly important because on the agenda is the programme for ‘Thy Kingdom Come’, and seeking to get all the different churches involved together, praying next summer for the witness and evangelism of the churches.

If we don’t pray, nothing happens. In prayer, we engage with God, he changes us. As we pray together, it will draw us closer together, closer to God, and move forward the cause that the church is here to serve. My hope is that everyone will go out excited and enthused by what we are talking about and will, in whatever way is appropriate, in each church, have them involved in the way they want to be involved.

Rev Dr Hugh Osgood, Free Churches Group Moderator:

I am really excited about ‘Thy Kingdom Come 2017’, as everyone’s able to pray in their own style and in their own way, and yet the fact that we are doing it all together, at the same time, just really make an impact.

Bishop Eric Brown, the Pentecostal President:

What started out as a C of E event is emerging as a global event.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster:

Please do join in before Pentecost, this drive to pray together for the gift of God’s spirit for our mission. We know how rich Pentecost is in the life of the church from its very beginning. That richness can be ours too - if we ask God for it.

HE Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain, The President for the Orthodox Churches:

It is very important for the local churches to share this unique message.

The Revd Canon Billy Kennedy The President nominated by the New Churches, the Religious Society of Friends (ie the Quakers) and the Lutheran and German-speaking Churches:

Here is a great opportunity for us all to engage in a broader national, and international project to mobilise the whole church.

Rev Dr Hugh Osgood, Free Churches Group Moderator:

Right across the Free Churches I really want to encourage everyone to get involved in this event. It is such an opportunity to express our unity but also to be praying for the mission of the church. The fact that we can be reaching out and our prayers will prepare the ground for our evangelism.

Bishop Eric Brown, the Pentecostal President:

Get involved. Jesus commanded us, Jesus said always to pray and not faint. This time we are not just praying about our individual needs, but about the needs of the nation and our world.

Archbishop Justin Welby, The Archbishop of Canterbury:

It’s gone very well today. The Heads of each of the denominations and churches were deeply committed to the idea of evangelism and witness, and are going to throw their weight of their own church behind it, in every case. So we are really enthused and people have gone out buzzing.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster:

To have a week of prayer for Christian mission is just a wonderful thing.

Bishop Eric Brown, the Pentecostal President:

I’m so glad that we in the Pentecostal movement can be part of this.

Rev Dr Hugh Osgood, Free Churches Group Moderator:

I’m so excited, let's really make it happen.

 

‘Thy Kingdom Come’: 25th May-4th June 2017
 
For more information please visit: www.thykingdom.co.uk

Recorded 09.09.16 at Lambeth Palace, by Frogspawn Creative TV