Praying Together For Cornwall

“The answer to our county’s problems lies not in extra funding for various schemes, not in more policemen on the beat in places like Newquay, not in better drugs and sex education in our schools, but in a radical new lifestyle that comes from knowing God,” claimed a Cornish youthworker in Bodmin on Saturday. Hundreds of Christians around the county have shown their agreement this week by attending a special week of prayer events that are looking to bring a greater spirituality to the church and the people of Cornwall.

This special week of prayer got underway last weekend with large gatherings of Christians at various places around the county. The event, entitled “Praying Together For Cornwall”, has brought together Christians from a wide variety of church backgrounds to pray for the county.

The week started last Friday when 120 Christians gathered at Bude. They prayed for the local churches and their leaders, for the young people of the area, and specific issues such as the number of fatalities among the young in road traffic accidents. Guest speaker, Mr Jim Graham of London, an internationally known Bible teacher, spoke on “What is Prayer?”

On Saturday over 100 teenagers met at Bodmin College in a special Youth Day. This day of prayer was organised and led by the teenagers. They prayed for their schools and colleges, for their friends and families and for their youth groups. The day also included a walk to the top of the Beacon in Bodmin where they prayed beneath the Obelisk looking out to the north, east, south and west of the county. Other highlights of the day included the teenagers linking hands to pray around a giant sized map of the county in the College sports hall, and a time of worship with Andy Bryant of Bodmin and his band.

Sunday evening saw Christians from all over south-east Cornwall fill the Public Hall in Liskeard. They prayed for the churches in the area and for the young people and the problems they face.

The week has also included a two day prayer conference at the Tregenna Castle Hotel in St Ives where 300 delegates met for prayer and Bible teaching from Mr Graham. Thursday evening sees a Prayer Event in Helston at the St Michael’s Junior School.

Praying Together For Cornwall was the vision of three Redruth men, who, aware of the county’s rich Christian heritage, longed to see that valued once again. Cornwall has known revival through the preaching of miner Billy Bray and through Samuel Walker. With each revival the first step was a stirring up of people to pray. The Christians of Cornwall are again turning to prayer believing it will have a beneficial effect on the county. History records how in past revivals crime dropped, alcohol abuse was reduced and the poor and needy were cared for in their communities. Many believe Cornwall is ripe for such a revival again.

The climax of the week comes on Friday 3rd October at a Prayer Rally entitled “O for a thousand tongues to pray.” This event, starting at 7:00pm, will feature a talk from Mr Jim Graham and music from singer/songwriter Chris Bowater as well as hundreds of Christians from all over the county joining together to pray. Event Chairman Phil Rodda said, “We hope that ‘one and all’ will join us to pray together for Cornwall. This is something that all Christians can be part of as we express our love and concern to God in prayer.”

Photo Guide

All the photos on this page are from the Praying Together for Cornwall Youth Day held in Bodmin on Saturday 27th September 2003.
From top to bottom:
A circle of prayer on Bodmin Beacon;
Praying for friends in the College hall;
Young people from Bude in the Sports Hall;
Joining together to pray around the map of Cornwall;
Young people from St Austell write the town's prayer needs on the giant map of Cornwall;
Praying to the north and south, east and west on Bodmin Beacon.

Photos and report by Phil Hadley.

Click on the More Photos button at the top of this page to see more pictures of the week of events