Report from 24-7 Tour Day
In the couple of weeks since the 24-7 Prayer Tour event happened here in Southampton, the sense of excitement for what God is doing in this city continues to build! Read below for a report of the event from one of Southampton's 24-7ers...
"We want to say thank you so much to all of you who came along to that Saturday night; it was fantastic to have such a range of churches and generations represented, we really believe that unity between Christians of all ages and denominations is key to God’s purposes for Southampton.
For those of you who couldn’t make it to the tour event – we welcomed some guys from the 24-7 UK team who are currently doing a tour of places around the UK where prayer communities are bubbling up – they came with the aim of fuelling what is already happening, giving us some valuable wisdom and insight, as well as encouraging us to run all the harder in the vision God has laid on our hearts.
I can’t tell you how exciting I found it reflecting on the last four months since I felt God call us to bring together all those people who wanted to connect with 24-7 prayer in Southampton; for a while at the beginning it had just been five or six of us meeting, often different people each time – there was little sense of community and I had started to wonder if I had heard this all wrong.
What a contrast then, just four months on, to be sitting and eating with 20 others of our core community telling the guys from the UK team how powerful it was last week to stand together at midnight in front of the Bargate, standing in the gap, asserting together that our city belongs to God and giving ourselves to seeing His kingdom come and will be done in Southampton as it is in heaven.
As we told the stories of where we were at, admitting that although we are excited, we still don’t know what this ‘thing’ is growing into, the team reminded us that we rarely get to see the whole jigsaw puzzle and that as our little bits fit together, we need to be faithful to what God has given us.
Speaking at the evening event, Andy Freeman reminded us once again that the vision is JESUS, not a community, not a boiler room, not a well-thought-out 10 year plan; and that it is by faithfully and persistently being with Jesus in prayer that His transforming power changes us to change the world.
It felt special to be gathered in Central Hall, where in a meeting just over eight years ago the prayer room ‘virus’ was released to spread and hasn’t stopped since. (This story is told in Pete Greig's book, 'Red Moon Rising')
Looking out across the 140 people gathered on Saturday, I felt a renewed excitement for God’s specific purposes for Southampton; there are no Christians here ‘by accident’ in this city, God has put us here to be part of his bigger picture, and the potential for what He will do if we lay down our agendas, look to him and work together as intercessors, worshippers, evangelists and friends - the one church in Southampton – is INCREDIBLY exciting.
In the light of all that happened on Saturday and all the friends we made who are keen to get involved, we decided to get a week of 24-7 prayer going as soon as possible. This will take place during half term (15th - 22nd February) with the aim of getting as many generations as possible involved! To sign up online, click here.
Over the next year, we are hoping to establish a rhythm of prayer (perhaps a 24-7 week each month?) that will make space for us to spend time with Jesus, be changed in his presence and carry him to the rest of the city.
We will continue to gather on Thursday evenings to eat and pray together, plus we will keep praying on the city walls on alternate Wednesdays (meeting at Catchcold Tower at 11pm). Encourage people who want to receive more details to join our Facebook Group (‘24-7 Prayer Community Southampton’) or to send their email addresses to katiecoles1@yahoo.co.uk
Let’s do this together, however we do it, because the call we have felt God impressing on us already this year is to get ready, to wake up, to be holy, because He is at work, and we need to be with Him, and we will need the support and encouragement of one another in the exciting journey ahead. COME ON!"
To sign up for the coming week of Southampton 24-7 Prayer, to be held at Orchard Lane Church in the city centre, click here.