Invite to join Thy Kingdom Come prayer relay

Churches, groups and individuals across the Archdiocese are being invited to take part in a 24-hour prayer relay as part of Thy Kingdom Come.

The global ecumenical initiative, which runs between Ascension and Pentecost, invites Christians to pray for their families, friends and neighbours to come to know the love of Jesus.

Thy Kingdom Come was launched in 2016 and has become a major event in the Christian calendar, with participation by many groups and Churches in the UK - and in 170 countries around the world.

The initiative builds on the Biblical passage, Acts 1:12-14, which details how, following Jesus' Ascension, the group of 120 believers prayed constantly over nine days for the coming of the Holy Spirit to enable them to witness to Jesus (Acts 1:8), with the result that, when the Holy Spirit was outpoured on the Day of Pentecost, 3,000 people were baptised (Acts 2:1-41).

Thy Kingdom Come 2021 runs from Ascension Day (Thursday 13 May) to Pentecost Sunday (23 May) inclusive.

Locally Stephanie Neville (Carrs Lane Lived Community), Hilary Johnson (Central England Quakers), Laurence Sharman (World Prayer Centre) and Robert Mountford (Birmingham Churches Together) are organising a 24-hour prayer relay, to take place from 9am on Friday 14 May to 9am on Saturday 15 May.

Under the title ‘Pray24Brum:Thy Kingdom Come,’ individuals, families, prayer groups, congregations and organisations are invited to sign up to pray for one hour during the 24-hour period.

In line with the focus of Thy Kingdom Come, the main prayer focus for Pray24Brum:Thy Kingdom Come is the coming of the Holy Spirit to equip the Church to witness to Christ - and that family members, friends, neighbours and colleagues will come to faith in him.

During the 24-hour prayer relay, participants can choose to pray privately within their home; to use Zoom, Facebook Live or other media platforms to pray together with others; or to gather in small groups in person, so long as the meeting adheres to all current Government guidance on in-person gatherings.

There is no limit on the number of different people or groups praying at the same time during the 24-hour period. The aim is to have as many individuals and groups praying as possible.

Extensive resources to equip those taking part in the 24-hours of prayer can be found at Thy Kingdom Come

Join the Pray24Brum:Thy Kingdom Come prayer relay

During Thy Kingdom Come daily reflections by local Church leaders will also be released.

Those who have so far confirmed are Archbishop Bernard Longley (Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham), Revd Ian Howarth (Chair of the Birmingham Methodist District), Pastor Pauline Young (Mount Zion Community Church), Revd Steve Faber (Moderator of the West Midlands Synod of the United Reformed Church), Bishop Mike Royal (Apostolic Pastoral Congress), Bishop David Evans (Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Birmingham), Bishop Deverton Douglas (New Testament Church of God), Revd Neil le Tissier (Regional Minister in the Heart of England Baptist Association) and Lieutenant-Colonel Joao-Paulo Ramos (Commander of the West Midlands Division of the Salvation Army).

The videos will be released each morning during the novena via Birmingham Churches Together social media.

Pentecost resources page

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