Australia’s Churches Are Joining in Prayer for the Covid-19 Crisis and You Are Invited
Major denominations and prayer networks from across Australia have been drawn together to pray for the crisis facing our nation. You are invited to be part of this historic event.
‘Australia Prays’ is a nationwide Zoom call taking place on Sunday 22nd August in response to the need and distress Australians face in relation to Covid-19. The call, which participants can join for as little or as long as they like, will run from 9am-9pm (AEST).
The theme of the event is ‘Lord Have Mercy’. Recognising the tremendous impacts this crisis poses to the nation’s health, economy, wellbeing and spiritual lives, the text chosen for the event is Psalm 123:2 —
“Our eyes look to the Lord our God till He shows us His mercy.”
The event will be facilitated by the National Day of Prayer and Fasting (NDOPF) and is an explicitly transdenominational event. It is the result of collaboration between Christian leaders and prayer networks representing Evangelicals, Catholics and Pentecostals. The Chairman of NDOPF’s Executive Team is former Salvation Army Commissioner James Condon.
Those who inspired and are organising the event acknowledge the division that Covid-19 and Australia’s response to it has caused, even within the church. Nevertheless, they are calling for Christians to set these conversations aside in order to seek God’s mercy at this crucial time.
“This situation is very frustrating for everybody,” Ps Wayne Alcorn, National President of Australian Christian Churches, has said of the crisis. “However, we need to rise up and remain Christlike, gracious, and beacons of hope in the midst of this heaviness that pervades our society.”
Alcorn wrote these words on 15th July, in a widely-read letter that floated the idea of “a National Day of Prayer if we don’t see things start to turn around quickly”. Ultimately, this letter became a significant prompt for the organisers of Australia Prays. National prayer events that took place in 2020, one which Prime Minister Scott Morrison attended, was also an inspiration for the event.
Australia Prays is an all-day event taking place on the fourth Sunday in August, but during the week prior, participants are also invited to join a nightly prayer call. These calls will take place from 16th-21st August at 8pm-9pm (AEST). Daily devotions will also be made available to participants in the fortnight leading up to the Sunday event.
Event organisers are cognisant of Australia’s need at this time. “Everything happening draws us now to deeper prayer,” says Bishop Philip Huggins, the Chairman of the National Council of Churches in Australia. Jodie Pickard of Love Adelaide longs for Christians around Australia to “all come together in prayer for our nation and for no more harm to come to our people.”
You can find out more information about Australia Prays, and also register for the Zoom link and the daily devotions, by visiting the event page at the National Day of Prayer and Fasting website.
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God longs for His people to be United and worship Him as one body. At such a time as this, there is more of an urgency than ever before. It warms my heart for us all to gather and worship our mighty God.
Great, and so necessary, that we combine together to seek the face of our wonderful God at this time. Unity, humility, and repentance, together, would be wonderful this Sunday!