Cardinal Vincent met with Pentecostal, Orthodox, Anglican, Free Church, new church, and other invited church leaders on 20 March in Methodist Central Hall to pray for the nation ahead of the General Election.
Open prayer from the Pentecostal tradition was followed by a sung Orthodox liturgy. The Archbishop of Canterbury led the Litany for Reconciliation from Coventry Cathedral and the Cardinal led Midday Prayer. All the religious leaders in turn offered a reflection and prayers of intercession for our nation. They prayed that God would inspire the nation to discern the deep spiritual, moral and ethical challenges of our time and vote into office politicians who will build a fairer, more just nation for all citizens.
The prayer meeting was led by the six Presidents of Churches Together in England (CTE): The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, HE Cardinal Vincent Nichols, The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, The Free Churches Moderator, Revd Dr Hugh Osgood (represented by Revd James Breslin), The President of the New Churches, the Religious Society of Friends (The Quakers) and the Lutheran and German-speaking Churches, Billy Kennedy (represented by Linda Ward), The President of the Orthodox Churches, HE Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain.
Also in attendance for the service were invited delegates of the forty-four member churches and staff of Churches Together in England, from Orthodox to Pentecostal and charismatic.
