Ottawa Civic Prayer Breakfast celebrates fifth anniversary
“This is an opportunity to follow God in blessing the city”
OTTAWA, ON—Ottawa Christians gathered from across denominational lines as a show of unity and to pray for the city earlier this fall. Local pastors, believers, first responders and even the mayor of Ottawa converged on the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre for the fifth annual Civic Prayer Breakfast October 31.
“The Prayer Breakfast is an opportunity for Christians to come together and pray for the health and well being of our city,” says Doug Ward, pastor of Kanata Baptist Church. “At a time when spiritual concerns are seen as a private matter, it is our privilege to bring God into the public sphere and declare with humility that He is deeply concerned with how we love each other and take care of those less fortunate an ourselves.”
After an address from the mayor, the hundreds of attendees enjoyed a hot breakfast while praying for city leaders and first responders. Following the time of prayer, guest speaker Lorna Dueck, president of Media Voice Generation, spoke on the theme, “Who is my neighbour.”
“The essence of the breakfast is that the health and well-being of cities and nations seems to matter to God,” says prayer breakfast master of ceremonies Gerry Organ. “Christians need to take that seriously and recognize that if God weeps over a city like Jerusalem, He also weeps over a city where there is a godless presence. This is an opportunity to take responsibility for that and follow God in blessing the city.”
Organ says they make prayer for first responders a priority, along with praying for various civic authorities. He emphasizes that by praying for first responders, who guard the health and safety of the city, they are praying for blessing over the whole community.
Ottawa paramedic Andrew Phillips says he feels the difference those prayers make.
“Our work can often be overwhelming, but I feel people praying for me. When a big call comes in, I pray for my medics and when all hell is breaking loose, I can still be sharp and respond, because I know Jesus is with me. Constant prayer allows us to be at our best and to do our best everyday.”
Although the civic prayer breakfast only occurs once a year, organizers work to ensure it has a sustained impact. They distribute thousands of bookmarks with the names and positions of key city leaders to encourage regular prayer for the city and its decision-makers. Organizers also work with local pastors, encouraging them to keep prayer and community outreach at the forefront throughout the year.
“The greatest impact of the breakfast is that prayer is sustained throughout the year for some critical leaders in the city,” Organ explains. “We cannot shy away from the power of prayer. If we can sustain the impact of prayer on regions and individuals, for healing, faith, safety and changed lives, we believe it is as big a contribution as any philanthropist can give.”
In addition to fostering prayer, Organ believes an important aspect of the breakfast is its expression of Christian unity.
“Unity is vital to the future of the Church. One of the criticisms of the Church is that there are too many denominations and too much disunity. It brings the reputation of the Church into disrepute. So when many denominations gather at an event like the prayer breakfast, it’s a quiet declaration that those who believe in Christ can meet together and celebrate the goodness of God.”
Organ sees these events as another, small step in standing together to proclaim the gospel and love those around us.
“A person or city that is not prayed for is a sad reality. We are delighted that God has called us to fill the gap by praying for and loving our city.”
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