From 8th-15th June 2004, the Christian community will hold a week of prayer at the Palace of Westminster. Each morning, except Sunday, there will be a prayer walk around Westminster from 10:30am until 12:30p.m., focusing to pray for the Parliament and the leaders. On the Sunday, the prayer walk will be in the afternoon from 1pm-3pm.

A variety of activities including services, prayer meetings, prayer walks, bible studies, fasting, vigils will be taking place. Local churches and Christian fellowships in Whitehall will also be involved, and denominations, prayer networks and Christian organisations will be supporting the event.

"if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."-- 2 Chronicles 7: 14 (NIV)

London Prayer 24-7 believes that Church is at its most powerful when it is united. Many of the Parliamentary staff have felt that God has highlighted the above scripture as the focus for the week. Based on the Biblical teaching, "God will turn and heal the land when we seek Him wholeheartedly."

All different types of Churches, denominations, cultures and ages will be united by one purpose--to pray for God to move in London.

It has now been a few months since Esther Higham, Lucy Cooke (London Year of Prayer) and Phil Togwell (UK Base Leader) held a meeting with a growing group of Parliamentary staff from all political Parties to plan this prayer week.

"It's been exciting to join in with the prayers of these fantastic women and men who work in Parliament. They're a faithful and faith-filled bunch, and it's a privelege to be able to support them. But it's also a lot more than that. Scripture demands that we "pray for our leaders", that we pray for those who make decisions on behalf of our nation, for their wisdom and integrity. Rather than criticising and moaning from the sidelines, we need to get stuck in and pray! " Phil Togwell said.

24-7 prayer started in September 1999, when a group of young people in England who got the idea of trying to pray non-stop for a month. God's presence was felt amongst them and they couldn't stop praying until Christmas. From there the prayer meeting has spread to many nations, denominations and age-groups. Hundreds of non-stop prayer meetings now link up on the web to form a unique chain of prayer.