Liberal Democrat Christian Forum - A Week is a Long Time in Politics …

A Week is a Long Time in Politics …

Written by Dave Landrum
Sunday, 05 August 2007
The 2007 Week of Prayer for Parliament & Whitehall Dave Landrum from The Bible Society, and Christians in Parliament’s Executive Administrator, fills us in on the recent week of prayer for Parliament and Whitehall. This year the annual Week of Prayer for Parliament and Whitehall took place from 20th to 27th May. Organised and run by Christians in Parliament (CiP) in partnership with the Christians in Government (CiG), it is also supported by 24-7 Prayer (www.24-7prayer.com) who provide a valuable point of contact with churches and prayer networks. Each year, the aims of the week are twofold: 1. to intensify positive prayer both within and upon Parliament and government in the UK; 2. to help Christians in the UK to see politics, Parliament and government in more missional terms. Across Whitehall, CiG held prayer meetings in numerous departments, whilst in Parliament, the activities included: prayer rooms each afternoon, open to anyone to drop-in to pray or receive prayer; a very powerful prayer and worship service in the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft, led by Holy Trinity Brompton and Jesus House; and Holy Communion. We also had an afternoon of prayer focusing upon Christian political engagement in the Jubilee Room with a screening of the film ‘The Walk’ about Wilberforce and John Newton. Each day people gathered for prayer walks in Victoria Gardens near the House of Lords, public participation was encouraged at three joint CiP/CiG prayer and worship meetings in the Chapel at Methodist Central Hall. Exhausting, but exhilarating - the week concluded by joining up with the Global Day of Prayer celebrations at Upton Park Stadium in West Ham – shortly followed by a week on holiday for me and my wife Gill in Corfu. God is so good! It felt easier to pray this year – and throughout the week, God encouraged us to focus praying for a sense of identity for Christians in politics – that they would ‘keep the main thing as the main thing’ being 100% in Christ, and that the body of Christ would be united in this identity. “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though the parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.” (1 Cor 12: 12) Most notably, the consistent theme during the week was to simply keep praying for politics, Parliament and government – to be serious about it, but not to worry. “Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them to see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up at any minute! Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when God displaces worry at the centre of your life.” (Phil 4: 4-7, The Message version) Thanks to all at LDCF who prayed (even more than usual) during this week. Keep going – your prayers are having an impact!

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