The Prayer Group for the Suffering Church - Do you want to pray for the Persecuted Christian?
"Many Christians say that the greatest thing they need prayer for when they're in prison is for endurance, courage and relatives at home without them." says Rachel Jackson who runs multi-church project 'The Suffering Church Prayer Group', with husband Julian in Claverton Down. Do you want to join this Bath based project which prays for some of the 8-10 million persecuted Christians worldwide?
"We long for others to join us....we are made up of four people from two churches currently." She says.
Set up several years ago in direct response to Jesus' command to 'remember those in prison as if we were there ourselves', this weekly prayer group prays for prisoners being tortured and suffering internationallly.
"One prisoner in North Africa wrote 'Don't pray for me but for the thousands of people in my country to come to know Jesus'. We think that as Jesus prayed for Peter and his faith not to fail, that we also DO need to pray for those severly tortured and suffering." Rachel explains.
Meeting on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 10.15am in Wansdyke House in Claverton Down, the group enjoys coffee and a short bible thought before commencing their prayer-time.
"We usually listen to a tape recording from 'Open Doors' - an international charity for persecuted Christians - which names specific people needing help. We also use other materials from organisations like Barnabas Fund, International Christian Response and Christian Solidarity Worldwide." says Rachel.
The group's founder Mrs Helen Santos, who began meeting with like-minded Christians in her flat, moved to Weston All Saints. She continues to meet to pray for persecuted Christians on the second Friday of each month, says Rachel.
"We send letters and cards of encouragement to those whom we are able to...We are very keen to grow our group and would love to start an evening meeting here in Claverton Down, for people to join in with."