BRINGING BELFAST TOGETHER - 4 Corners Festival Prayer Event

Saturday 26 January, 11.30 am – Various Locations (read on...)

It is a more timely event that when we planned it in November. Back then it wasn't in the context of street protests and Operation Standstills. The Peace Prayer at City Hall back in December hadn't been dreamed up. That we can now attend this 4 Corners Festival Prayer event is so right for the moment. Is God not perhaps always ahead of us! Please use this opportunity to pray for the peace and prosperity of Belfast as the Old Testament so often encouraged the people of God. It would be another great statement to ourselves, our faith communities and our city.

This event will take the form of four prayer and worship events in each of the four corners of Belfast – North, South, East and West.  They are:

North – Fortwilliam and Macrory Presbyterian Church, Antrim Road (Map)
East – St Dorothea’s Church of Ireland, Gilnahirk (Map)
West – St Oliver Plunket Roman Catholic, Lenadoon (Map)
South – Belfast South Methodist Church, Lisburn Road (Map)

Each minister in each area organises the worship/prayer event for their Church, drawing in as many Churches from that section of the city as are interested in participating. The worship should start at 11.30am, lasting within an hour. People should then make their way to “The Dock” Church and Cafe in the Titanic Quarter, where a light lunch will be served and the Ministers and people of “The Dock” Church will then organise a larger worship event uniting all four corners of Belfast and all the Christian community of Belfast.

First we surround and embrace the city in prayer in each of the four corners, and then we travel to the heart of the city to put prayer at the heart.  The Titanic Quarter was chosen for two reasons:

Firstly, this area was once an industrial heartland of Belfast, where shipbuilding, aircraft making and other heavy industry provided employment for thousands and provided top quality goods for the world market.  The Titanic is the most famous example of such industry, and it is in its dry dock that the worship will be held.

Secondly, this area is now being redeveloped and the new focus is on building community and education.  “The Dock” Church is embarking on a new and exciting vision of mission and evangelism, where the Churches are working together to build Church in the midst of this community and the emphasis is more on people than Church buildings. In recognition of our new and shared future, it is appropriate that we experience this new vision of mission and outreach in this part of the city which was once the industrial heartland.

Comments

[Richard - Estate Agents Belfast]

It was a great festival