Dear Friends,

At this time of challenge and change in our national and church life we are all having to rethink how we do things.

The Ecumenical Planning Group for Thy Kingdom Come had lots of exiting plans for this year and as our building are all closed these have been put on hold till next year when we hope we will be able meet together in praise and prayer again.

However, although we cannot meet together we can still pray and the ecumenical planning group hope that this year we can encourage all Christians across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire to do just that. Please find attached two videos to help start people thinking about Thy Kingdom Come and prayer between Ascension and Pentecost again, one is a call to prayer at this time and the other is an encouragement for people to pledge to pray and light up the world with prayer. These videos can all be circulated in your churches and across your communications networks.

There are also resources available from the Thy Kingdom Come website www.thykingdome.global for adults, young people and children. There is a daily prayer app your can download as well as a childrens Adventure Prayer Map, which is an online prayer game for primary age children and there is a short invitation video attached that you may like to share to encourage others to download the map, the app and join in.

What are we doing in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire

Throughout the ten days there will be a number of ways to engage with Thy Kingdom Come across the region, plans are coming together quickly and it has been so encouraging to see people work together from across the churches and across the region, what we hope to provide is:

• A short launch event video with contributions from the Bishop of Bedford and Rev. Rosemary Fletcher of St Albans Methodist Circuit.

• Daily prayers from families and church leaders from across the churches on social media.

• Evening prayers on video

• A short celebration event video on Pentecost Sunday with contributions from Archbishop Angaelos and Soul Survivor.

Information about how you can access all of this will be circulated nearer the time but please do watch our Twitter feed and Facebook page.

Our goal is help inspire and encourage prayer across the churches at this time when our nation needs so much prayer. If there is anything happening in your locality regarding Thy Kingdom Come please do let me know as I would love to be able to share stories of prayer in these days on our website and through our communications networks.

Please do join us to pray Thy Kingdom Come in 2020.

Many thanks for your ongoing support and I look forward to seeing many of you on our Zoom meeting on 11th May at 7.30pm to hear about how your area and your churches are responding to the current situation regarding COVID 19.

With warm wishes

Doral

Doral Hayes

Ecumenical Facilitator

Churches Together in Hertfordshire