January event in Ottawa shows what is possible
A coalition of Christian ministries and organizations in Ottawa is gearing up for a citywide week of prayer in January that also aims to draw participants from across the nation, wherever they live. Organizers are inviting individuals and communities to join in various prayer activities, fostering unity for the city, with a focus on Christians in the workplace.
"We feel like a prayer momentum is building in Canada, and we trust that God is behind it. We want to build on that," says Johann van der Merwe of One Way Ministries Workplace Network.
James Bruyn is director of the Faith at Work Network, another ministry supporting the endeavour. He says, "We’re seeing churches in different cities connect. We’re seeing a mobilization of prayer like this one across the country. Christians say they believe prayer works, but we’re often hesitant to connect prayer into the workplace. Our mission is to mobilize one of the least-activated people groups – believers who don’t fully integrate the power of prayer in their professions."
The umbrella for the ten ministries joining the event is Workers on Our Knees (WorkersOnOurKnees.ca), a partner organization championing prayer connected to the workplace. The organizers hope to inspire similar initiatives nationwide – culminating in a day of prayer on January 24. Their website includes a map where participants can mark their prayer locations and access resources to facilitate prayer gatherings.
Collaborative efforts like this one that extend prayer from the Church to the workplace are becoming more common, say the organizers, pointing out that leaders in the faith community are increasingly intentional about promoting prayer in the workplace. Prayer activities such as early morning Bible studies and lunchtime gatherings seem to be more commonplace. Some Christian workplaces even offer workers monthly "pause, reflect, refresh" sessions, emphasizing breaks and sharing wisdom.
Workers on Our Knees is garnering support from workplace ministries, churches, mission agencies, seminaries, Christian universities and business leaders, says James Bruyn. "There is no one-size-fits-all agenda for this spiritual gathering. Each participating organization will bring its unique approach to prayer." –WILLY KOTIUGA