CAPTION: Here's one I made earlier: Mission and Ministry Administrator Jenny Beesley with some of the Thy Kingdom Come treasure boxes and prayer resources
Precious treasure: Thy Kingdom Come 2019
There’s a treasure theme for Thy Kingdom Come 2019 in Devon.
The 12 day prayer initiative between Ascension day (29 May) and Pentecost (6 June) is launching with a prayer breakfast at Lee Abbey on the north Devon coast followed by a family treasure hunt at the National Trust’s Arlington Court.
Rt Revd Jackie Searle, Bishop of Crediton, will be on hand to help with the clues.
She said: “Thy Kingdom Come is a global prayer movement that invites us to pray for others, specifically for five friends, that they may find faith and hope in Jesus Christ. Sometimes our own prayers can feel quite small.
“During the 11 days of TKC hundreds of thousands of people will be praying across the globe, from different churches and in many different ways – there will be a great wave of prayer growing around the world.
“I am joining my small prayers with the thousands of prayers being prayed. Will you join your prayers too?
In keeping with the treasure theme, the Diocese of Exeter has produced special prayer treasure boxes for churches and individuals to use, as well as prayer postcards and prayer bands.
Revd Barry Dugmore, the Diocesan Mission Enabler, said: “Jesus speaks about the Kingdom of God being like treasure in a field; so precious that a man sold everything he had in order to possess it.
He also said it is like a merchant who has seen a precious pearl and has sold all he has in order to buy the pearl.”
We really want to encourage churches to use the treasure boxes in services and other events. The idea is people write the names of 5 people they want to pray for on one of the cards we provide with the boxes.
“They then put the card in the treasure box as a way of praying for each of those people as a community.
There are loads of free treasure boxes and other free resources available for churches and individuals who want to take part.
People can collect them for free from hub points in Exeter, Plymouth, Barnstaple Okehampton and Hatherleigh.
Bishop Robert at a TKC prayer event in Sidmouth in 2018
For more information please contact Jenny Beesley, Mission team administrator on 01392 294918/jenny.beesley@exeter.anglican.org
There are also a number of specially produced videos for use by churches and individuals and creative prayer ideas on the Thy Kingdom Come website.
Churches across Devon will be going out into the community and running special prayer events.
In Sidmouth a group will be going into the town asking people: “If you prayed today, what would you pray for?”.
Julie Wheeler is part of the team. She said: “It was great being part of this last year. We particularly enjoyed being out with Bishop Robert, meeting those active in our community and praying with business owners.”
Thy Kingdom Come in Devon will climax with a special creative prayer and celebration event in Exeter Cathedral on 9 June featuring music from the band Sound of Wales. Rev Dugmore has been busy planning it and said: “It will be an amazing gathering for hundreds of people of all ages from across Devon.
“We’d love you to be part of it and to bring your treasure chest of prayers as a symbol of your church or local community and the on-going work and prayer for the people of Devon.”
The Diocese Communications team would also love churches and individuals to share their photos, videos and stories throughout Thy Kingdom Come by emailing us or tagging us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
