Prayer

Prayer- the unseen key to the success of every ministry of the church.

Prayer Vision For Ascension Trust…

It is our vision to create a strong and healthy foundation of prayer across Ascension Trust.

Our goal is for prayer to be a vital part of every project. The Ascension Trust Prayer Team aims to mobilise prayer, by:

  • Providing prayer training materials for Street Pastors & Prayer Pastors
  • Facilitating Prayer Pastors training across the country
  • Organising Prayer Gathering Days in various areas, to encourage and inspire
  • Helping coordinators / prayer coordinators to implement the prayer strategy at a local level.

We want to develop a culture of prayer at every level of Ascension Trust, where street pastors, school & college pastors, rail pastors, response pastors, prayer pastors, coordinators and trustees are united in depending on God alone for direction, provision and protection in each initiative.

Importance of Prayer- prayer is important because it is about our relationship with God.

In prayer, we learn to keep in step with the Holy Spirit and go deeper with God. 

Prayer is our God-given weapon, as we take a stand with His authority against the dark powers that want to take over our cities and nations.

As we pray, we receive strength and faith to continue in the work we are called to: shining God’s light into dark places.

National Prayer Team (ATPRs)

 

Louise Isaac (London):

prayer@ascensiontrust.org.uk

 

Barbara Brown (Coleraine):

prayer1@ascensiontrust.org.uk

Prayer Pastors

Why do Street Pastors pray?

Christians pray because they want to talk to God about the people and situations in their life – they want to acknowledge and include God in all they do.
Street pastors believe that prayer and action go together, so it’s important to pray and it’s important to do something practical.
Christians believe that God teaches us to pray as our spiritual default response; we believe that through prayer God can change us and our world.

What is a Prayer Pastor?

Prayer is important to us, and our Prayer Pastors are a vital part of what we do.

A Prayer Pastor is someone with a desire to make a difference through prayer in the city/town they live in, and willing to invest in the lives of others.

A prayer pastor must be a committed Christian, over 18 years, an active part of a local church, available to cover one prayer shift a month, ideally at base, (but possibly from home in some locations) and willing to undertake some training.

Prayer Pastors:

  • Come to base, support the street pastor teams any way they can and ‘pray them out’
  • Stay in contact with the street pastor team on patrol and keep a log of calls & incidents
  • Respond to specific needs and situations that arise
  • Pray for protection and divine appointments
  • See frequent answers to their prayers
  • Welcome the street pastors back with refreshments
  • Pray to finish the evening, after debriefing
What is a Prayer Partner?

Prayer Partners:

  • May not be able to come to base, but are willing to pray from home
  • Are often friends, family and fellow church members of Street Pastors
  • Have been asked by their street pastor to pray for them personally when they patrol
  • Depend on their street pastor to report back on the night’s patrol
  • Are welcome to join prayer pastors for prayer training as well as any regular prayer times (whether monthly or quarterly)
  • Each street pastor is encouraged to have at least three prayer partners for support
A prayer for Street Pastors

Living God, we praise you for the vision that gave birth to Street Pastors and for every life and every community that has been touched through this movement of your Spirit.
We thank you for every street pastor and we pray for them as they share your love with others. We ask for your protection and encouragement, your wisdom and courage and an ever deepening faith in and love for you.

We pray for those they meet week by week in the pubs and clubs, in the late night cafes, on the streets and at the bus stops.
May those who are lonely be warmed by your presence; those who are bruised and hurting find healing in your love; those that are ashamed and without hope be set free by your forgiveness and grace.

Lord Jesus Christ, you came to seek and to save the lost. Thank you for the privilege of being your hands and feet, your eyes and your heart where we live.
Give us eyes that see as you see, hearts that love as you love, and words that bring life and peace.
And in it all, Lord God, give us thankfulness, generosity and joy in serving you, who to serve is perfect freedom and who to know is Life eternal.

God of Grace, to you be honour, praise and glory, from everlasting to everlasting, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. AMEN!

Lots of people have been encouraged by Prayer Pastors praying for them, check out some of these inspirational prayer stories below:

“One Saturday night in September 2018, a team of four Street Pastors was patrolling in Portrush town after midnight, before going to Kelly’s nightclub.

They stopped to chat with a couple visiting from Larne, then asked if they would let them pray for them. The couple agreed to this and they had prayer.

After a few minutes they met another couple further along the street, who were staying in a caravan in Portrush for a week. The girl said that her mother (called Mary Elizabeth) and her friend’s mother (also called Mary Elizabeth) had particular health difficulties. They were very open to receiving prayer for the girl’s mother and her friend’s mother.

Her husband was impacted by this. He asked if they could form a circle and pray again together – so in a circle of six, arms round each other, they prayed again.

She said:” I wish my mother could have heard that prayer” and he said: “I’m not a religious man but meeting up with you tonight has done me the world of good”.

As the team walked away, they felt God had given them a divine appointment – it was a special connection!”

“Tonight (29/30th September 2018) at 1 am we had a call from the team of four street pastors in Portrush. The team members had been talking to a young man from Draperstown (33 miles away), who was rather the worse for wear and needed to get home. He did have money to pay for a taxi, and the team asked us to pray for a taxi or a way home for him.
We prayed immediately and within 7 minutes had another phone call to base. A couple had pulled up in their car and asked if the Street Pastors were ok, and was there anything they could do to help? It so happened that they were from Maghera (6 miles from Draperstown)!
When the driver of the car and the guy in need of a lift realised it was a perfect fit, they happily bumped fists. The guy got in and they drove off.

What a lovely quick answer to our prayers – within just a few minutes!”

Do you love to pray? Get in touch with Ascension Trust to find out how you can get involved in making a difference through prayer.

Come and join us at one of our Prayer Gatherings… receive a new passion for prayer and much more!

 

Training & Events

Prayer Gathering Day (Manchester)

Prayer Gathering Day (Manchester)

Christians pray because they want to talk to God about the people and situations in their life – they want to acknowledge and include God in all they do.
Street pastors believe that prayer and action go together, so it’s important to pray and it’s important to do something practical.
Christians believe that God teaches us to pray as our spiritual default response; we believe that through prayer God can change us and our world.

What is a Prayer Pastor?

Prayer is important to us, and our Prayer Pastors are a vital part of what we do.

A Prayer Pastor is someone with a desire to make a difference through prayer in the city/town they live in, and willing to invest in the lives of others.

A prayer pastor must be a committed Christian, over 18 years, an active part of a local church, available to cover one prayer shift a month, ideally at base, (but possibly from home in some locations) and willing to undertake some training.

Prayer Pastors:

  • Come to base, support the street pastor teams any way they can and ‘pray them out’
  • Stay in contact with the street pastor team on patrol and keep a log of calls & incidents
  • Respond to specific needs and situations that arise
  • Pray for protection and divine appointments
  • See frequent answers to their prayers
  • Welcome the street pastors back with refreshments
  • Pray to finish the evening, after debriefing
What is a Prayer Partner?

Prayer Partners:

  • May not be able to come to base, but are willing to pray from home
  • Are often friends, family and fellow church members of Street Pastors
  • Have been asked by their street pastor to pray for them personally when they patrol
  • Depend on their street pastor to report back on the night’s patrol
  • Are welcome to join prayer pastors for prayer training as well as any regular prayer times (whether monthly or quarterly)
  • Each street pastor is encouraged to have at least three prayer partners for support
A prayer for Street Pastors

Living God, we praise you for the vision that gave birth to Street Pastors and for every life and every community that has been touched through this movement of your Spirit.
We thank you for every street pastor and we pray for them as they share your love with others. We ask for your protection and encouragement, your wisdom and courage and an ever deepening faith in and love for you.

We pray for those they meet week by week in the pubs and clubs, in the late night cafes, on the streets and at the bus stops.
May those who are lonely be warmed by your presence; those who are bruised and hurting find healing in your love; those that are ashamed and without hope be set free by your forgiveness and grace.

Lord Jesus Christ, you came to seek and to save the lost. Thank you for the privilege of being your hands and feet, your eyes and your heart where we live.
Give us eyes that see as you see, hearts that love as you love, and words that bring life and peace.
And in it all, Lord God, give us thankfulness, generosity and joy in serving you, who to serve is perfect freedom and who to know is Life eternal.

God of Grace, to you be honour, praise and glory, from everlasting to everlasting, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. AMEN!

On Saturday 4th May 2019 Ascension Trust will be holding a Prayer Gathering day at Brunswick Church in Manchester.

This will be a wonderful time of gathering together as churches, partners and friends of Ascension Trust, along with Street, Rail, School, College and Response Pastors from around the country joining our Prayer Pastors & Prayer Coordinators.

Click here to know more.

Prayer Gathering Day (Glasgow)

On Thursday 20th June 2019 Ascension Trust will be holding its Prayer Gathering at Clincarthill Parish Church, Glasgow.

A united gathering of churches, partners, Street / College / Rail / Response & Prayer Pastors, friends of Ascension Trust and all those part of our wider network. The event will seek to strengthen a healthy foundation of prayer across our networks through quality seminars and workshops on the topic of prayer.

Click here to know more.

Prayer Resources