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 The Presence
by Kathy Palmer
In October I was privileged to be able to go up to the NEC in Birmingham for the event called "The Presence". There were fourteen people from Tavistock, all got up before dawn, all bleary-eyed except the drivers(!) and drove up in a minibus to experience what would be a really encouraging day.
When we got there, about half past eleven, we went in to the huge auditorium and joined over two-and-a-half thousand people from churches all over the country, even bumping into friends from Polzeath who had set out even earlier.
The day was really a day to pray for the UK for a powerful move of God's presence and power to affect every institution in the nation. We heard from Christians working in the big cities to help hurting and needy communities, and the growing involvement of the police and community organisations with these Christians to bring about lasting change.
We heard about the plight of Christian believers in Africa, the Middle East and China, often ostracised by family and society and sometimes imprisoned yet at the same time showing great courage in their ordeals.
We heard too from people suffering for their faith in our own "Christian" country - for example, the nurse who was sacked by the LEA because she offered to pray for an elderly lady whom she was visiting - thankfully she has now been reinstated.
But amongst it all the sense of the Presence of God in the worship and prayers was overwhelming. In particular I became so aware of God's deep love for our nation and every single person in it, with the hope that very soon we will see a powerful move of God to rescue the confused, hurting and hopeless.
I came away greatly encouraged, realising that God is already working in Tavistock as the churches are working together in such ventures as Street Pastors, Prayer in the Square and Alpha courses.
Sometimes it is great to see the bigger picture; and although we didn't get home till about midnight and we were bleary-eyed again, it was a day to remember, a real spiritual encounter and we all came back heartened that God really does care about all of his creation.
Kathy
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