Prayer

The Baptist Union of Wales has designated 2020 as a Year of Prayer and has appealed to all of us in the Baptist “family” to seek God and his guidance as churches and chapels face ever-growing challenges in this secular society in which we live.

Responding to this call, the Gwent Baptist Association has already embarked upon a number of initiatives and is encouraging our member fellowships to take part in an important 24-hour prayer event on the weekend of 24/25 January. Churches are being asked to set aside at least some time over the period to pray corporately and individually for God’s help and wisdom as we continue to promote the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The prayer sessions will begin at 8am on Friday, 24 January and end at 8am the following day. A final prayer and feedback session will be held at Tabernacle Baptist Church, Newbridge on Saturday, 25 January at 8.30am when the speaker will be the Revd. Simeon Baker, BUW director of mission. This will be followed by a light breakfast at 10am. All are welcome.

The Revd. Jonathan Forman (Blaenau Gwent, Abertillery) who is co-ordinating Prayer 2020 for the Association, said: “Prayer resources will be made available and we encourage all churches, large and small, to take part in this vital drive to ask God for his guidance and help. Some may be able to commit to a full 24-hour session while other will only be able to manage an hour or so. That doesn’t really matter – what is important is that we pray and carry on praying with a new vigour and purpose.”

More information about a programme of prayer events will be sent out via emails and through our website www.gwentbaptists.co.uk

In a circular letter to the churches, Simeon said: “Come 2020, there will be much talk about new vision, strategies and goals for the coming years but we want to ask our churches to join together in the one thing that we can all do, pray. We’re all aware of the steady decline in Church membership over recent years and this coupled with a perception that the Church, in general, is less relevant than ever. With falling numbers in church attendance, the situation is compounded with fewer people sensing a call to ministry and service. On top of this, many of our faithful ministers who trained in the 1950’s and 60’s are now either approaching retirement or are likely to do so in the next 10 years. Put all this together and in human terms – a crisis looms. Will you pray with us?”