Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, has issued a global challenge to the faithful to take the #Pledge2Pray for #ThyKingdomCome, an online prayer initiative.
“Jesus prayed at the Last Supper that we, those who follow him, might ‘be one that the world might believe,’” says Archbishop Welby. “We are invited to make a lasting difference in our nations and in our world, by responding to his call to find a deep unity of purpose in prayer.”
To that end, he has invited global church leaders from other denominations to join him, describing the call to prayer as “…not a Church of England thing; it’s not an Anglican thing; it’s a Christian thing.”
Representatives from the international Methodist, Catholic and Coptic Christian churches will be taking part in the 11 days of prayer, beginning on May 25 (the day of Ascension) and ending on June 4 (the day of Pentecost). These 11 leaders represent a diverse cross-section of the global Christian church.
“The response to the invitation to this campaign has been overwhelming,” says Emma Buchan, project leader for the Archbishop’s Evangelism Taskforce, the steering group for Thy Kingdom Come. “We’ve heard from churches across the world – different denominations and traditions – all taking the #Pledge2Pray from South Africa to Canada; from Cuba to Hong Kong, where, for example, they are planning large celebrations in the cathedrals and establishing a network of ‘prayer warriors.’”
To take part, simply visit www.thykingdomcome.global and register. The resources and blog section of the website provides many ideas for prayer, including downloadable orders of service, liturgies and Novenas. Participants will receive a daily reflection email each morning during the eleven days. With a different daily prayer theme, the email will include a video reflection from an international Christian leader. It will also feature a bite-sized and youth-friendly film.
People will be encouraged to “Pray It – Picture It – Post It” to the Thy Kingdom Come website prayer walls. These will draw together the daily prayer theme prayers of each day, each of which will feature a different church leader. Primate Fred Hiltz, for example, will reflect on the theme #PrayFor on May 30.
“The time between Ascension Day and the Day of Pentecost has been marked by calls to prayer for strength and wisdom in bearing a faithful witness to the gospel, for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit to grace and guide the church in every age,” Archbishop Hiltz wrote in a recent article in the Anglican Journal. “I have every confidence that in taking up this call you will be creative in the way you pray.”
