“There is a deeper sense of relational unity across different fellowship and church groups.”

Craig Macartney
Spur Ottawa Writer

Each year, Pray Ottawa challenges the Church to kicks off the year with a week of prayer and unity that they call “City on our Knees”. While some may expect lockdown restrictions to lower the turnout, City on our Knees organizers are seeing the opposite.

“More people are finding out about [City on our Knees] and bringing it to their friends and peers,” says Sarah Jackson, Pray Ottawa’s lead. “All of Ottawa Christian School staff and students and Jericho Road staff and residents plan to pray for the city in their morning prayers this week. Many pastors from the International Pastors and Leaders Forum are including City on our Knees in their plans, too.”

City on our Knees runs from January 17 to 23 and began with a livestream led by Burning Hearts House of Prayer.

“I think what’s really different this year is the grace of the Holy Spirit.”

“We had a kick-off on Sunday at noon. At the same time, we celebrated our sixth anniversary [since Burning Hearts opened],” says Nahia Haddad, a founder of Burning Hearts House of Prayer. “We recently got involved with CityChurch Somerset, working with the homeless in a park and praying with them. So we prayed from the site, praying for the people we saw and for the city.” Anyone who wanted to be part of the launch could join via Zoom.

However, rather than host a week of online events, the City on our Knees team added several new aspects this year. A focal point was encouraging believers to schedule prayer walks in their neighbourhoods, adding the details to an interactive map on the team’s website.

“We simplified the message this year to a three-step process: directing people to our map to either add their own plans or find someone else’s to join. Then, pray!” Jackson states. “I think what’s really different this year is the grace of the Holy Spirit. With world events impacting our day-to-day lives, we are more interested in praying.”

A simple glance at the map of prayer walks taking place this week across the city clearly shows the increased engagement. Groups and leaders seem inspired with a fresh sense of unity and a drive to pray together more than in the past.

A perfect example is a challenge the International Pastors and Leaders Forum (IPLF) sent to their members during City on our Knees.

“We are beginning to witness a shift in the spiritual atmosphere over Ottawa.”

“We encouraged pastors and leaders to give surprise prayer calls to fellow pastors or leaders who may not necessarily be in their regular circle of contacts or influence,” explains Isaac Gimba, president of the IPLF.

Gimba adds that they specifically hope leaders respond by looking out for a church or fellowship group that they may not agree with on doctrine or their way of worship, but to pray for them and encourage them in Christ.

“There is a deeper sense of relational unity across different fellowship and church groups,” Gimba states. “I sense that last year’s crucial conversation around relational unity between the black and white pastors and leaders has begun to yield dividends in the collaborative approach in City on our Knees, this year.

“We are beginning to witness a shift in the spiritual atmosphere over Ottawa. When the incense of prayers saturates the cloud of His presence, and the people’s hearts and minds are turned over to their maker in reverent fear and true worship, those prayers are poured down as a rain of revival upon us.”