Plans are once again being made in Cheshire in readiness for Thy Kingdom Come, between Ascension Day 30th May and Pentecost 9th June, with the ecumenical element of this prayer initiative becoming ever more significant.
There will again be prayer walks in each of the Deaneries of the Macclesfield Archdeaconry, with an invitation to the other churches in those areas to participate fully. Various Churches Together groups in the county, such as that at Northwich, are planning their own appropriate prayer events. The Methodist District has tasked one of their staff to promote and link up with all that will be happening.
In Chester, this year as last, there will be a high level of prayer activity, beginning each morning with a prayer walk round the city walls. 'Unity at the Cross' is a prayer event whereby the leaders of churches across Chester gather at the Cross, the very centre of the city, and pray around, north, south, east and west, for the city, its inhabitants, visitors, businesses and churches. This will be held within the 'thy Kingdom Come' period.
Over the Pentecost weekend there will be a major Mission in Chester, hopefully at the Chester City Football Stadium.
Prayer walks are being encouraged across the communities of the county, with smaller villages urged to pray for whatever are the elements of their locality, be that a school, shop, village hall or medical centre. Simple resources will be distributed to help these to happen.
Churches Together in Cheshire, taking on a pattern of events run last year in neighbouring Staffordshire, will be holding four events, hosted by churches of different traditions at the compass points of the county, using those vantage points to both pray into the county, and pray out of the county to the adjoining areas and communities. Each event will have attendance from at least one of the county's Church Leaders.
A group, convened by Lyn Weston, the Diocesan Missioner, and drawing on representatives from a wide range of church backgrounds and traditions, has been meeting each month to maintain an overview of all that is happening, giving thanks for all the Spirit-led initiatives that have developed.
Andrew Taylor is the County Ecumenical Development Officer for Churches Together in Cheshire.