24-7 Ireland Update: Praying for leaders, serving the poor...Brian Heasley - 26 Feb 2008
“Ordinands from the church of Ireland Theological college recently joined in prayer with Christians from around the world, with the setting up of a prayer room to enable them to take part in the 24-7 prayer movement during Christian unity week”, reports the Church of Ireland Gazette. “In Ireland, the movement really kicked of in the north around 2003 – 2004,” commented Peter Fegusson, an Ordinand from the diocese of Armagh. “Now, it has come down into the republic of Ireland and it’s inspiring a generation for God for prayer and for mission.”, said Fegusson.This is one of many stories we are hearing about in Ireland. Recently, Louise Ferguson and a team from a local prayer room were offering prayer, kit-kats and coffee on the streets of Dromore and had the unexpected opportunity to pray with local political candidates out canvassing at the time, including Northern Ireland’s first Minister, Ian Paisley. What a beautiful privilege to pray for those in authority!
In Dublin, a banquet was served to the city’s homeless. They were collected in Rolls Royces, served a beautiful and lovingly prepared feast and given parting gifts of essential items for life on the street. The team prayed for each person there by name, chatted with them and created an atmosphere of love and care.
Across all areas and denominations, prayer rooms are running – in methodist churches, new churches, cathedrals, youth organisations – some hold weeks of prayer, in other places there are town wide months of prayer.
We are excited and challenged as we see God at work in our land!
You can read the stories above in more detail, along with many others on the 24-7 Prayer Ireland website.
Brian Heasley is the International Prayer Director for 24-7 Prayer, and is part of 24-7’s international management team. Brian also works at at Lambeth Palace as International Ecumenical Lead for Thy Kingdom Come.
Before this, Brian and his wife Tracy pioneered the work of 24-7 Prayer in Ibiza, Spain, where they developed rhythms of prayer and mission. Brian’s book, Gatecrashing, tells the story of 24-7 Prayer in Ibiza. He is a gifted and passionate communicator with a real heart for prayer, mission and justice. Brian is originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and now lives in England. Brian and Tracy have two adult sons
Meet Brian