A Year of Prayer

There was such a great feeling of encouragement and prayer as the Prayer Pilgrimage made its way around the Diocese last weekend. We had been called to concerted prayer for the regeneration of our Diocese by a Synod motion initiated and championed by student and Avonhead young person Jack Hollis. Bishop Peter, Jack and I started in Timaru on Friday night and stopped off at St Stephen's Ashburton, the Cardboard Cathedral and St John's Rangiora on Saturday and then over to All Saints Hokitika for Sunday worship.

165 people attended one of the Waypoint services of prayer and a number of people attended more than one! There were a mixture of adults, children and young people at most of the Waypoints. The highlight for many was the time of focused prayer on the topics of Making Disciples, Supporting Families and Strengthening Communities. People prayed out loud, many prayed in silence and many of the prayers ended with the refrain "Come Holy Spirit, Renew our Diocese!"

Bishop Peter also offered personal prayer for renewal and a good number of people responded. In Hokitika half the congregation came forward wanting prayer for renewal! It was wonderful! Rev'd Dr Andrew Butcher from Fendalton Parish said, "My thanks for an excellent, indeed profoundly moving, prayer service at the Cathedral yesterday. Wonderful to see a good spread of parishes represented, with enthusiasm, dedication and devotion. These are small, but important steps – the image I have is of the falling of little stones becoming an avalanche."

Special thanks to members of the planning group: Nick Mountfort, Jack Hollis, Dawn Baldwin, Sammy Mould and Diana Turner.

Photo gallery: St Mary's Timaru, St Stephen's Ashburton, Transitional Cathedral, St John's Rangiora, and All Saints Hokitika.