CHURCHES across Dorset and the New Forest are set to take part in a global prayer marathon launched by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The wave of prayer begins on Thursday (MAY 25) culminating at a special Pentecost service at Winchester Cathedral on June 4 where the Most Reverend Justin Welby will be guest preacher.

In Ringwood, All Saints Church will be beginning their prayer wave by holding a prayer meeting at the same time as their Christian counterparts 4,000 miles away in the Kinkiizi Diocese in Uganda - one of their partner congregations.

Parishioners based at Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst and Milford-on-Sea will be encouraged to take part in the prayer movement while at work. Employees will be taking nine minutes out of each day from Thursday until June 4 to pray.

Simon Robertson, who is part of the team organising Pray for 9 said: “The workplace is often where our Christian values are most challenged by the pressures and stresses of our jobs. By encouraging one another to take a few minutes out of our daily work schedules to pray, we are recognising the importance of faith to all that we do as Christians wherever we are."

And school children at St James in Pokesdown will be showing off their multi-sensory prayer stations to parents following their work with the congregation.

The Right Reverend David Williams, Bishop of Basingstoke, who is part of the national steering group coordinating Thy Kingdom Come across the UK and around the world, said: “I am overwhelmed by the way people across our region have embraced the spirit and passion of this global call to prayer. I encourage everyone to try to attend one of the inspiring prayer events which are taking place in villages, towns and cities throughout the region.

“At Pentecost we celebrate the start of the Church’s mission to the world. We will be recapturing something of what happened on that first Pentecost Sunday as Christians across the local area pray for the confidence to share the good news in the 21st century.”