Friday Focus

Friday Focus invites all Christians across the UK to pray on Fridays throughout 2007,
preparing the way for Hope 2008. More...

Hope Unleashed Prayer Support 

We are trying to build a team of people across Greater Manchester to pray for specific HOPE
‘08 events as they happen through the year. The idea is to have ongoing prayer at each venue.
Prayers will start an hour before the event and will go on all the way through to when it
finishes. Those interested can sign up to pray for 15, 30, 60 minutes or more.

We are believing God for 10,000 new young people to respond to the gospel this year through
events such as Hope Unleashed and schools’ weeks. Our hope is to then see them discipled
and part of a vibrant church in their area. In order for this to happen our level of prayer and
intercession for the lost has to increase. We need to have all these events soaked in prayer.

If you have a heart for prayer and would like to get involved in this exciting way of extending
God’s kingdom in Greater Manchester please contact:

James Aladiran
Hope Unleashed Prayer Co-ordinator

Email: james.aladiran@message.org.uk

Phone: 07985 671 650

To download a flyer click here

Friday Focus

Friday Focus provides prayer themes for each Friday during 2007 and is published quarterly starting on 5th January 2007 and continuing throughout 2008.

Download April - June 2007 Edition of Friday Focus

Download July - September 2007 Edition of Friday Focus

Download October - December 2007 Edition of Friday Focus

Download January - March 2008 Edition of Friday Focus

Download April - June 2008 Edition of Friday Focus

Download July - September 2008 Edition of Friday Focus

Download October - December 2008 Edition of Friday Focus

It's organised by the World Prayer Centre - www.worldprayer.org.uk where you can download large print, black and white, and word document versions or order printed versions.

Friday Focus invites all Christians across the UK to pray on Fridays throughout 2007,
preparing the way for Hope 2008.

An invitation to take part in Hope 2008 has been extended to every Christian church and
denomination. The aim is to see the entire church mobilised during 2008 to take the
good news of Jesus Christ into villages, towns and cities, through word and action,
under-pinned by prayer.

Prayer is not only about relationship with Jesus, it is also about partnership. Jesus invites
us to pray and work so that ‘His kingdom will come’. His purpose is to transform our
lives and our attitudes, so that as transformed people, Jesus is able to offer life to those
who do not yet know him.

Each Friday, you have the opportunity to pray alone, or with others, focusing on the
themes. The material can be used in small groups, Sunday services or during the week.
Our aim is to pray BLESSing on our families, friends, colleagues and then to others in our
communities and across our nation. A blessing refers to the favour of God; that God will
help and protect. God wishes to bless us and because He blesses us, He wants us to be a
blessing to others. (Numbers 6:24-27)

The BLESS acronym is a helpful way to remember to pray about basic life issues. Jesus, in
his life on earth, met people at their point of need and then addressed spiritual issues.

B stands for body, health, strength;

L for labour, work, financial concerns;

E for emotional needs;

S for social and relational areas of life and

S for spiritual concerns.

As we pray, let’s:

• Come humbly into God’s presence – in praise and worship. (Psalm 117:1-2)
• Deal with any sin and ask for God’s forgiveness. (1 John 1:9)
• Read and use the scriptures as a basis for how to pray. (Psalm 119:105)
• Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance as to how to pray. (Romans 8:26-27)
• Pray in faith in the name of Jesus. (John 14:13-14)
• Consider fasting on Fridays – either all meals, or one meal. (Matthew 6:16)
• Be available to share the love of Jesus. (Luke 4:18-19)

‘‘I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be
made for everyone — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful
and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our
Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth
(1 Timothy 2:1-4).

24-7 Prayer : A Testimony

This email was sent to the Hope Office and shows the power and enthusiasm that 24-7 prayer can spark in a church and further afield as well.

"I am an 80 year old called Harry who only started going to church regularly following an Alpha Course in 2002 after arriving in the area one year earlier. In 2007 I saw Peter Greig at Elmwood Church, bought the 24/7 Manual , Red Moon Rising and got more encouragement from the gang at The Message Trust. I asked the Vicar of St Mark's where I was a member, if he had heard of 24/7 Prayer ? The answer was YES so I said " Don't bother about getting a volunteer to run ours, I'll do it." I was completely convinced that God had deliberately chosen a learner Christian of an impossible age. No rooms seemed available and the vicar said I could have the Church and work round the services, weddings etc. I wrote personally to every single one of the 132 members using all the wonderful comments and stories in the two books I had purchased and also took information to the other seven churches in Bredbury, Romiley and Woodley saying that our Church was to be a Prayer Room and to use me as their co-ordinator. Ten days before the event I called a very important meeting of volunteers so we could organise all the prayer-stations etc - only four turned up, including my wife and I. Urgent prayers were said and on the following Saturday evening, enough people came along to decide that we were having, not the six prayer stations as supposed, but fifteen, and on the pre-night launch, everything was in place. As the days went by it seem almost impossible to fill 168 hours, especially walking past gravestones in the very early hours, but it was a wonderful success and as you are already aware, nobody wanted to go home . It will never be forgotten by those who prayed there. There is already talk of an other (perhaps a little shorter) soon. Was the Spirit there? He has never left ! The other seven churches in the area are now feeling encouraged to have their own prayer rooms and can guarantee the support of the St Mark's enthusiasts."

Sept 16th to Sept 23rd at St Mark's Church, Bredbury

Harry Toulman

Thank you to St. Mark's and all those that took part in this special week of 24-7 prayer. We hope this will encourage and inspire more prayer for Hope 2008.