May 2008 Prayershield Bulletin

Leicester

As we pray for our own area, we must realise that we are not an island - we are part of a much bigger picture of what God is doing. So over the next few months we will be praying for some of our neighbouring cities and counties. As we ask God to bless others, this changes the spiritual climate in our nation.

Leicester is a diverse city, and is expected to soon become one of the first in the country where the ‘English’ population is a minority. This is an issue of course that all cities are facing to a greater or lesser extent, but can be seen to bring a range of opportunities as well as problems.

The churches are working closely with the police in the city, with teams of Street Pastors reaching out to people in the nightclub scene. The authorities notice the difference when Christians are on the streets, as crime is often noticeably reduced during these periods. There are countless opportunities to reach hurting people who have turned to this way of life as a comfort.

There are a range of initiatives happening in Leicestershire for Hope 2008, right across the county. This includes children and young people’s events; ‘Love in Action’ serving the community through litter picking, gardening etc.; an outreach to bikers; Lent and Easter events including a world record attempt in Loughborough to create a giant picture depicting the Easter story; and ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ to various people.

Please pray:

• For ourtreach in the city and county, especially through Hope 2008.
• Give thanks for all the community links the church in the area has, especially with the police, and pray for the Street Pastors initiatives.
• Pray for the local councils, and all in authority.
• Pray for the following areas of Leicester's Community Plan: education, crime & safety, health & social care, regeneration, environmental stewardship, and cultural diversity