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Welcome to Christ Church, Blacklands & St. Andrew, Laton Road, Hastings
Prayer 24/7 meeting in our Church
Please note that this is the original text submitted for publication. The version in the printed edition was altered and states incorrectly that the group who visited were from “The Assembly of God”, whereas they are an ecumenical group from many different Churches who meet together for prayer every week.
The Power of Prayer mobilised for our Church
At 6:00 pm., on Tuesday 16th July a very special and lovely time started in Church. We were blessed with the company of a dozen brothers and sisters in Christ from the Hastings area, who came to pray with us and for us. We worshipped in prayer and song for over three hours, with some wonderful inspirational readings and insights from our visitors, with a special focus on the renewal and rebuilding of the Body of Christ in our parish. We are all most grateful to the Lord for uniting us and leading us closer to Him and his plans for us. Jean Wilson, Margaret Turner and I, David, all attended the meeting, but Jean and Margaret had other family engagements and had to leave early.
We prayed for guidance, healing, children's work and leadership by young people in our worship and ministry. As we moved around the Church building and hall, various topics were given to us for prayer and contemplation and we were inspired, in its meaning of being infused with thought and feeling by the Holy Spirit, to speak and sing to God's Glory and seek his purpose for us.
Katie, who was the original contact and organised the meeting, sent us an email: “Many thanks, it was a privilege for us to come and pray, we were so blessed by meeting the three of you and seeing the church.” I feel we have to thank the group for coming to us and giving us their time and blessing.
Some insights which Katie and the group thought were most memorable were, with my additions in italics:
· We started in the St. Andrew's Chapel area, in the South Aisle, and opened with sharing any special moments of blessing we had with the Lord in the past few days, and sang “Oh Lord my God, When I in Awesome Wonder” in response to my experience of God's presence with me and my dogs in the woods at sunrise that morning.
· "He is 'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone'" (Acts 4v11). Though other churches have not partnered with you, and though there is the threat of closure, God has great plans for this precious church - He takes the things that are/appear rejected and transforms them into cornerstones. We moved to the Altar area, where the insight given was that we should be building on our strengths, of prayer, outreach and mission to bring the Gospel and Christ to all in our parish and town.
· Children's work seemed to be a repeated theme of importance for the moving forward of this church. Even as we prayed two teenagers wondered into the church and a number of us felt this was a sign of what God was saying. (Prior to the two boys coming in, I had asked the Lord to guide us by whom he brings into the church as we pray!). Just before arriving at the church we noticed three young people sitting on the bench outside the church, and a boy walking past the church. We also prayed for 'healing ministry' to be released more and specifically prayed for David and the children's ministry regarding this. We moved from the Altar area, leaving the Chancel lit as a beacon for guidance, to the children's corner at the back of the Church, where we prayed for all children, our local schools and the JAFFA club, our links to the FUSION charity for Christian Students and also our healing ministry.
· "Seek His face and you'll be amazed" was another word given. We are encouraged to develop our prayer life and seek to do what God asks of us in answer. We sang “Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God” and freely asked God for his guidance.
· One lady had a picture of 'black grapes': this could indicate fruit that is coming to Blacklands. We prayed for the fruit of the Spirit, and our outreach taking Holy Communion to those who are unable to be with us at services.
· It was amazing to hear how the church hall is used by the community, including such diverse groups of people. This is such a blessing and shows His Kingdom reaching out. Jeremiah 29v11 was spoken when praying in the Hall, "For I know the plans I have for you....plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future". We went into the Hall, gave thanks and asked for God's blessing on all who use the Hall and for us to reach out to them with love and prayer.
· Moving back into the main Church, we gathered in the Baptistery and sang “Our God is an awesome God” and said the Lord's Prayer and Grace in a final blessing of each other.
Katie and the whole group have promised that they will keep praying, and if we feel we would like them to come again another Tuesday at some point in the future do let the group know. It would be lovely if we could gather in greater numbers to pray with the group and on alternate Friday afternoons to pray together.