Press Release - For Immediate Release

18 May 2009

London's Christians to turn out in force to pray for Parliamentary Integrity and the future of the Capital

CHRISTIANS across all 33 London Boroughs are uniting on 31 May to pray for the future of the Capital and the integrity of Parliament as part of the Global Day of Prayer.

Global Day of Prayer (London) GDOP has had a growing influence in the corridors of power in recent years, after tens of thousands of Christians have filled football grounds to pray for street crime reduction and the regeneration of some of London’s most rundown neighbourhoods.

Last year, Prime Minister Gordon Brown invited 80 senior church leaders to a two-hour GDOP Reception at No 10 Downing Street and the newly elected Mayor of London, Boris Johnston took to the stage at Millwall Football Stadium to ask prayers to support his vision to transform London and work for better community cohesion.

On 31 May, Pentecost Sunday in the Church’s calendar, organisers are hosting united prayer events in every borough.  Many venues will be linked together by video on which the Mayor of London will address those gathered. GDOP London founder, Pastor Dr Jonathan Oloyede said: “In recent years we have held a central event, in a football stadium and Christians across all denominations have joined forces  together to pray.  This year we want to focus our prayers on the needs of each borough of London and its many social issues, whilst also recognising the desperate state this country is in, both in terms of the those suffering from the Credit Crunch, and also the apparent lack of respect for our parliamentary system, rocked to the core by allegations of financial misconduct and lack of integrity.  We shall pray for all involved.”

The Global Day of Prayer London (GDOP) is a movement of collaboration across the Christian Church in the capital towards Unity, Prayer and Transformation, and is part of a global network which began in South Africa at the turn of the Millennium.  In 2007 over 250 million Christians united in 203 countries to pray.   In London, GDOP has been a focus of prayer and Christian action since 2006. The 2007 West Ham Stadium celebration along with  last year’s event at Millwall Football Stadium saw a combined crowd of over 30,000 Christians attending. Organisers hold a vision to host the 2011 event at Wembley Stadium.

For further information, visit www.gdoplondon.com

ENDS.

For further information:

Dr Jonathan Oloyede; 0207 474 3060; 07956 237 266
Kim Dopson, administrator: 08456 528 600

Editor's Note:

In the last year, GDOP London has invited:-

• Every Church to join the 24/7 prayer chain
• Every Church, in every Borough to take a day to pray,
• Every Christian  to say The Lord's Prayer @ 12 noon EVERYDAY until Pentecost Sunday
• M25 Nutcracker : NON stop Prayer meetings in regions around the M25 from Ascension to Pentecost