Feedback:
This was our second Global Day of Prayer gathering in Luton. This year we combined the Global Day of Prayer with a regular Pentecost Praise event in the largest local Christian venue, a former cinema, now home to the Calvary Church of God in Christ. About 650 people attended from 6.30 - 8.30pm for worship, sharing news of local Christian initiatives, teaching, prayer, repentance and reconciliation. There was wonderful spirit filled praise led by an inter-church band and choir, numbering around 70, who led us in songs old and new.
We then heard brief accounts from a number of different church and Christian groups giving a flavour of what God is doing amongst us: an incarnational outreach to young people by holding a midnight service in one of the biggest pubs on Christmas Eve, outreach to those working in the sex trade, counselling and support work to families under stress, encouragement to black youth to achieve their potential, and a report of our "On the move mission" held the previous weekend, when approximately 30 churches worked together to bless our town and share the gospel with folk.
The outgoing Chairman of the "Transforming Luton Steering Group", Rev Simon Dust, gave a challenging message to the church on the need for unity. He acknowledged some of the rejection that the black community suffered at the hands of the established churches in England and offered an apology to the representative black community there for the lack of welcome shown to them when they first came to our town in the 1940s. This was graciously received, and then all the leaders/senior pastors present came to the front for a time of repentance, reconciliation and commitment to unity.
The "Prayer for the World" was led by pastors from many different churches, and a huge variety of denominations were represented that evening in the congregation and in the on-stage choir.
We preceded the GDOP with 10 Days of prayer, and had names signed in 95% of the hourly slots around the clock. Some prayed at home, but many individuals and groups used a dedicated prayer room, which has been open for the year, but decorated specially for the 10days, including a young tree, just coming into leaf - a potent symbol of hope, onto which many hung words and prayers. During the 10 Days, we prayed for a different aspect of the life of our town each day and the walls of the room filled up with prayers and pictures and words from God.
Feedback by Helen Malcolm
