2021 sees greater response to City on our Knees
“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.”
Similar Articles
Pray Ottawa calls for a citywide day of prayer
Pray Ottawa is calling churches to mark this Sunday, September 13, as a citywide day of prayer. The event is called “Pathways to Victory”, in reference to the various ways people have been affected and the city’s need for God’s […]
Taking men to the Nextlevel
The Western Church has lots of effective programs to reach kids, youth, and women, but men seem to be an unreached people group today, according to Lyle Johnson, founder of […]
Youth ministry during COVID
Most churches rely heavily on virtual services. For youth, whose lives are already saturated in social media and technology, Zoom meetings are more of a struggle. One year into the COVID-19 pandemic and with no hint on how long restrictions will continue, Spur Ottawa checked in with local youth pastors to […]
LifeLab makes addiction breakthrough
Union City Church has re-launched LifeLab—a discipleship program for those struggling with addictions (whether drugs, alcohol, pornography, eating disorders, or anything else). Their fall semester offers participants in person and online options, bringing hope, direction […]
Prayer Summit gives ministry leaders a chance to reconnect
Pray Ottawa is gearing up for their 2022 pastors’ and leaders’ prayer summit. The Summit offers the area’s ministry and church leaders a chance to escape from the stress of ministry, to spend two days connecting with […]
Kristallnacht: What shards remain?
Hundreds of people gathered at Ottawa’s Kehillat Beth Synagogue, on November 7, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass)—when Nazi Germany launched the most violent stage of persecution of European […]