Pentecost Sunday is early this year – and falls on Mother’s Day - the 11th of May. It is also the Global Day of Prayer that has been celebrated through out the world yearly since its beginning as a small South African gathering in 2000. This decade was named the ‘Global decade of Prayer’ and spring 2008 includes ten days of intense prayer before May 11 (including 24/7 prayer vigils) and ninety Days of Blessing after Pentecost, which shares objectives with Love Kanata.

Prayer has gone into acts of blessing before with Love Ottawa in the past years (the project that spawned many practical acts of blessing in the June 2005 –2007). This year the acts of kindness have taken a different form of inspiration – through “Prayerwalk Ottawa.”

This is a timely work of the Holy Spirit that we are to bless our neighbours as God guides us. This is a loving act that I have also done here in Kanata, Toronto and Northern Ireland. Prayer-walking is to pray ‘on-site’ with insight from the Holy Spirit as He guides you to really bless your neighbours by praying for their needs. This loving act has helped bring peace (in Northern Ireland), and revival (in South America) as well as blessing those who pray. It is part of Jesus’ command to love God and love our neighbour. A prayer report email account has been set up for your questions and stories at prayerwalkottawa@rogers.com, since this is part of something bigger that God seems to be doing here in the Capital Region. I believe God wants to touch our city!

As you may imagine, there may be opportunities that could occur while prayer-walking in your neighbourhoods. If needs are found that can be satisfied by volunteer talents, these can be communicated to volunteers who can help people who lack the resources to help themselves. For several years “Love Kanata” has operated to enable such neighbourly acts of kindness and has continued to flourish headquartered in Bridlewood Church of the Nazarene. That day of blessing is June 7th and includes people from Bridlewood Church, St. Paul’s and Hosanna Vineyard. Activities include washing cars and children’s activities at Bridlewood Church of the Nazarene. The popular ‘Helping Hands’ of blessing with practical skills may also be an opportunity for you to become involved, which is organized by a Hosanna leader. Philippa Wilson is our St. Paul’s representative this year, and you may inform the church office if you would like to be involved at 613-836-1001 or admin@stpaulshk.org.

In the midst of your prayers for neighbours, please come and join us for the Ottawa celebration of the Global Day of Prayer at Dominion-Chalmers United Church on May 11 at 6:00 p.m. The event includes prayer and praise that represents many ethnicities, many denominations, worship styles and languages, and liturgical dance choreographed by Jane VandenBerg. The local GDOP contact is Tony Copple at 613-591-3903 or tony@gdopottawa.com. Their website is located at www.gdopottawa.com.

Or perhaps you may want to prayer-walk in your neighbourhood. I believe that this is a season where God is also re-awakening in me the desire to prayer-walk, and if you are also inspired, perhaps we could walk and pray together in duos arranged around our busy schedules. You can reach me at my office line at 613-592-4291 or arm@cyberus.ca.

Yours in Christ,
Laurie-Ann Copple Missions and Outreach Broad Group Ministries Leader
St. Paul's Anglican Church, Kanata