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Norwich prayer ministry develops Light House vision

Call to Prayer, a Christian prayer movement in Norwich which started life as Eden Ministries around 1995, took on its new name just a few years later, expressing a fresh season in the life of the ministry, and it is about to enter another one.
 


The Call to Prayer ministry is based in a building on Fishergate known as the 'House of Prayer'. Member Gail Halley said, "One or two people within the Call To Prayer team began to have pictures or words about lighthouses, which seemed strange, as we are nowhere near the sea, and our lovely, solid little medieval church seemed so suitably named as House of Prayer."

Nigel Fox, chair of trustees, explained, "When one or two people come forward with very similar messages, we wonder whether God is saying something. When four or more say much the same thing, and this is echoed by someone who didn't know who we are, we say, yes. God is calling us forward as a 'Light House' - with a fresh sense of identity and deep desire to fulfil God's purposes."

Jill Gower said, “Over the last few months the Lord has been challenging us “Who are we?”. As we began to answer that question, the Lord began to show us we were not just a House of Prayer, although that has and will remain central to our ministry.  We are also a prophetic Bible teaching ministry, and have fully embraced Sozo, run by Robbie Bain, watchman over our area and nation, with street evangelism run by Steve and Rachel Maylam. As we sought God it developed into a new phrase for us opening up a discipleship programme”.

"We felt that we needed to step up a gear, and part of that was to employ Holly Ellis as our worship leader and administrator.  This has been a real step of faith as our overheads are already quite high and it is a time of trusting God to provide for us. We have started our discipleship programme with a Prophetic School which is attended by approximately 25 people and has been extremely rewarding so far.  We will be starting a Worship and Prayer course just after half- term. These are open to all and not just those who feel they have specific callings in these areas.

"Furthermore, we have launched Light Houses which encourage folk to gather in their own homes, or anywhere, to watch, pray, bless and act and we will be able to communicate to them prayer requests, as watchman for the local issues and those that affect the nation, prayer updates on the persecuted church, sending them blessings and prayers from time to time, and prophetic words.  This hopefully will work two ways: Although part of the new name relates to Lighthouses providing light often in storms, we feel we are Light House, a house of light and want to encourage those who relate to us to establish Light Houses too."

The vision was celebrated on September 30 at Light House, Fishergate.  Gail said, "As friends of Israel and the Jewish people – we are particularly pleased that the date also fell in the middle of Rosh ha’Shana, the Jewish New Year."

Pictured above: the Light House celebration evening
 


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