As the Week of Prayer closes, the future opens – David Gilbey

Just four short months ago, Chelmsford 24-7 was still just a vision with a website, but little more. Now, together with the support of Christians representing no less than 53 churches and other Christian groups and organisations, both locally and even internationally, together and in unity we have nearly completed a whole week of 24-7 prayer over Chelmsford and District – 168 hours. Praise God!

As part of this Week, on Wednesday 25 March, around 40 Christians, representing a wide span of churches and traditions, gathered at the City Sign in the High Street and for an hour and prayed over Chelmsford. We ended by standing around the Sign in a large circle, hands linked, as a symbol of unity and prayed earnestly for God to send revival.

BBC Essex were present and recorded some of our prayers and reaction from passers-by. This will be broadcast this Sunday morning, 29 March, on the Breakfast Show about 7.22am I am told! I will also be in the studio to give a live reaction to the Week of Prayer. Listen here.

I intend to publish some stories and further facts about the Week of Prayer in due course. If you took part, you will later receive another email asking for feedback.

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The Future opens

This is certainly only the start of what God wants to continue in Chelmsford. We will continue to seek to be a catalyst to bring unity between our churches, in prayer and through prayer initiatives, to see the Kingdom of God come. Some amazing opportunities have already opened up and this is how the immediate future looks:

Boreham Boot Fair

A group of our churches do, Church at Car Boot Sale and Chelmsford 24-7 have been invited to look at bringing a Prayer Tent alongside what they already do. I am going to meet them there on Sunday 26 April to discuss this further.

YMCA

Following an unexpected email from the new CEO at the YMCA in Victoria Road, last week I popped along for a coffee and a chat. Within 15 minutes, Chelmsford 24-7 had been offered the use, free of charge, of a 50 square metre meeting room to use periodically as a prayer space. This is an amazing opportunity, central to town.

Pop-up Prayer Room

God had already been steering us in this direction, but with the above two offers in mind, we will be looking to create a pop-up/pack down portable prayer space that can be taken around the City, to churches and other venues and used for 24-7 style prayer activities.

There is no definative blue-print for such a thing, but it needs to be adaptable for both inside and outside use. A sturdy gazebo, pack down “prayer wall”, fold up cross, inflatable globe of the world and a crate containing various resources all come to mind. We may well need a small creative team to come together to develop this – might you be interested?

A display board

To start things off, I have just purchased a portable display board, that will shortly be available to be taken to churches and events to promote Chelmsford 24-7. Let me know if you can think of a fete, fair or other church evening or day where we can use this.

Finance

We have no money! I am really pleased to have been able to support all that we have so far done and will continue to do so as best as I am able, but in order to enlarge and develop our activities, we will need some cash flow. A Chelmsford 24-7 Prayer bank account is currently being opened and details of how to support us financially will be made known soon.

A Meeting and Prayer Time in May – date to be announced

Finally, just to mention that in May, we intend to hold a meeting to draw together people who want to know more and who would like to consider having greater involvement with Chelmsford 24-7. As already mentioned, we will likely need some creative people, those who will help man our proposed Prayer Space and not least those who can stir up a further passion through prayer to see Jesus bring revival to our City and district. Once a date and venue is fixed I will let you know. Meanwhile, if you would like to put yourself forward as a potential volunteer, please contact us.

As always, thank you all so much for the support you have already shown for Chelmsford 24-7 and keep praying  – really pray for guidance, wisdom and to be amazed at what God is going to do.