A beautiful prayer gathering at Belfast City Hall this morning. After a week in which so many words have been used to blame, boast and berate, hundreds of people gathered in the dawn light to stand still and be quiet… to pray, and weep, and hope.
Fantastic to see it reported as a piece of good news from Belfast on the BBC here.
And on the same theme, I was sent a link to this rewritten carol which I thought was too good not to share (you can find it, along with audio version, here). Maybe you could make it your prayer for Belfast today:
O little town of Belfast
How will we see you lie
Through anger deep and broken sleep
As siren-sounds go by?
Yet in your dark streets shining
Is still that hopeful Light
Though wounds and tears of fifty years
Flow free in you tonight
O ruling powers together
Pass blame for all it’s worth
While voices ring for flag and king
But few for peace on earth
While fear is born of all unknown
Still gathered up above
As children sleep, the Light will keep
Its watch of endless love
O holy one, in Belfast
Descend again we pray
Throw out all sin, let love come in
And hatred melt away
We would hear the Christmas headlines
Assure us all is well
O come to us, abide with us
And rid our minds of ‘them and us’
O free us from this hell
Our Lord, Emmanuel
Many thanks for featuring this, Chris.
I was at church the night you visited Bloomfield Presbyterian and spoke about the work in the Titanic Quarter; it was a great encouragement to hear of what God is doing in that part of the city.
Oddly, UTV omitted the 8.30am prayer gathering from their tea time round up.
Yes it was indeed an emotional experience to surround the City Hall with arms linked in prayer. May our city prosper in order that we too may prosper. Peace and goodwill to all men.