Extract from the September 2008 edition:

Summer is fading away and as usual we have had our fair share of wet weather this year but I hope the rain has not dampened your spirits. A real exciting initiative for me this summer has been ‘prayer in the square’. This was launched on Saturday 16 th August and what an amazing response we have had. But first permit me to tell you the story of how behind ‘prayer in the square’ was birthed.

For the past three years I have been part of a group of pastors that meet fortnightly at the Salvation Army Citadel for a prayer breakfast. This group consists of church leaders across the city and across the denominations. Out of this group came the desire to take the church into the community and to make contact with local residents. Under the Hope 08 umbrella a few of us suggested that we could set up a prayer station in Cathedral Square during the Good Friday walk of witness. A banner was provided and we set ourselves up outside the opticians in Cathedral Square. We were surprised by the response and half a dozen of us were kept busy for over an hour. Owing to the success of this we felt that we should do it again. I was keen but didn’t want to pick up the organisation and administration so it slipped onto the back burner.

During May I went to the New Wine Leaders Conference in Harrogate and we were shown video footage of churches across the nation taking healing prayer out onto the streets. I felt a quickening in my spirit but I also felt guilty that I had let this slip. I felt a real sense that we should be doing this in Peterborough, so on my return a small group of us started to set the wheels in motion. I arranged a meeting at the Vicarage to put together a plan of action and leading on from this I sent a general e mail out to all churches inviting them to come along to St Mary’s Church on a Sunday afternoon where they would receive training and more information about ‘prayer in the square’. The response was encouraging and out of that meeting we signed people up for a Saturday stint, which we decided would be between 11-12.30. A banner was purchased which says ‘Prayer for Healing’. Our next hurdle was convincing the City Council that we weren’t a cult and asking for their permission to stand in Cathedral Square each Saturday morning for an hour and a half.

I went along to meet the Council full of trepidation convinced I would say totally the wrong thing. After prayer and the reassurance of Jesus’ words “ do not worry about what to say or how to say it, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” I headed off to the meeting. I explained what we wanted to do and the director of public relations said we have an issue with this, I thought here we go. She then said it was going to cost us money to hire the space in Cathedral Square. I can remember saying is that all followed by, how much is it going to cost? She replied £230 per session, perhaps we do have an issue but then she went on to show me a map of the centre of Peterborough and pointed out all the places we could stand without any cost. We settled on Laxton Square, which is at the bottom of New Road just outside the market. This is an ideal position as local residents live in the area and walk across the square daily. Also it gives us the opportunity to make contact with the market traders and their customers. How wonderful that God goes before us preparing the way.

Saturday 16 th September saw 7 of us huddled in the chapel at St Mary’s praying before we hit the streets and we all felt nervous, vulnerable and out of our comfort zones. After prayer we carried the banner down to the square and we could not have received a better response as both the traders on the square were extremely welcoming. We ordered our coffee from one of them and they were open and friendly. The hour passed in a whirl, some folks came up to us, some we approached, most people were happy to be prayed for. Some people’s stories are heartbreaking; a couple of guy’s were in the square because that is where they lived, even though one of them has a job. The best part was bringing the name of Jesus into a person’s situation and seeing that person respond. This obviously was not a falling onto their knees in repentance and acceptance of all that God has done for them (even though we pray to see that) no, this was simply bringing the name of Jesus into the equation. When Jesus’ name is used in the right way people cannot help but be touched, because you are praying the creator of the universe into someone’s life, how can they fail to be moved. I imagine in the weeks and months to come we will have some amazing stories to tell. This is truly the church in the community and it’s very exciting to be part of all that God can and will do as we step out of our comfort zones and take the Church into the community.

Please do hold us in your prayers as without prayer we will struggle.

God acts on the prayers of his faithful children. Never think that your prayer is worthless it’s your prayers that move the mountains and allow God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. Praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ who can do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ever ask or imagine.

With much love

Sharon