Grey Cup graces Ottawa Civic Prayer Breakfast
Event tweaks theme to emphasize unity
Craig Macartney
Spur Ottawa Writer
The Ottawa Civic Prayer Breakfast has a unique guest this year: the Grey Cup. With the city celebrating last year’s Grey Cup victory, prayer breakfast organizers appointed 1976 Grey Cup champion Gerry Organ as this year’s speaker.
“Knowing the Grey Cup would be held in Ottawa this year, for ‘Canada 150’, we through it would be great if we could get the actual trophy on site,” says Richard Long, one of the event organizers. “The CFL was very gracious to agree. So we also got on the official Ottawa 150 list of events as a result.”
Since it started, eight years ago, each breakfast featured the theme, “Who is my neighbour?” but this year Organ tweaked it for a double entendre.
“The theme will be ‘Let’s have a drink together,’” he explains. “Ever since Jesus’ day, the best way to teach, preach, and influence was over a meal and a drink. I’m building the case that we really need to drink together as a preparation for working together to love our neighbours and advocate for them.”
“Getting together is an essential component of what God has called us to do.”
Organ says the theme plays off the idea of loving our neighbours by emphasizing the need for Christian unity.
“The one thing CFL teams all desire to do is drink together from the Grey Cup. Good teams work together. They play hard together and they challenge each other toward excellence. [The Church] needs to be strong like a good team by metaphorically drinking together, having fun together, and celebrating together, and then loving our neighbours.”
The Breakfast always has a focus of praying for Ottawa’s leadership and first responders. This year is no exception, but Organ says praying for and supporting the city and its officials takes a community.
“Getting together is an essential component of what God has called us to do. The stronger we are as a community, in fellowship, the stronger we can be in praying for and supporting the endeavors of our city leaders and those who provide security. Their job becomes easier when we do our work of prayer, service, and loving our neighbours.”
“We feel that God is pouring out a spirit of prayer on our city.”
Long says another addition this year is that they made special arrangements so pastoral leaders could gather for prayer after the Breakfast.
“This year there is an extra effort to increase the prayer happening on this date and going forward,” states Long. “We feel that God is pouring out a spirit of prayer on our city and we want to do our part to facilitate this.”
The prayer breakfast is scheduled for Friday, October 27, starting at 7:15 at the Ottawa Conference and Convention Centre.
Similar Articles
New support group to address invisible pain of infertility
Ottawa is getting a new ministry, a support group for couples struggling with infertility. It’s a challenge affecting around one in six Canadian couples, but infertility is a topic rarely raised in the Church. “I think every time I have heard someone talk about infertility it has always ended with, ‘and then God blessed us with children […]
Amid financial uncertainty, God is preparing His church
What’s coming? Predictions abound with the Bank of Canada dismissing the “transitory inflation” and now worrying about “sticky inflation”. As the government warns about economic challenges ahead, what should the Church expect and how can believers and ministries prepare for what 2023 brings? […]
Samaritan’s Purse helps with flood cleanup
Samaritan’s Purse has jumped into gear, offering help to those affected by this year’s flooding in Ontario and Quebec. They partnered with the Metropolitan Bible Church (the MET) to help local residents with the onerous […]
A flood of baptisms
Online ministry was a challenge for everyone, especially those reaching young adults. One Campus Ministry (and that’s actually the ministry’s name) found a way to make it work with Ottawa’s university students. Reaching out through Zoom, Instagram, and hashtags, they baptized 16 people in the last two years. “Inviting people […]
Bridging the gap with Muslims
Canada has a rising Islamic demographic. While many Christians struggle with how to reach out to Muslims, Christians who see Muslims in their communities are starting to see the need and respond […]
NHOP youth camp returns
Campfire, the National House of Prayer’s (NHOP) acclaimed youth camp, returns next week after a two-year hiatus. Campfire teaches teens about prayer and helps them grow in evangelism, applying […]
