The South African Council of Churches has urged Christians in South Africa to participate in 40 days of prayer for SA from May 7 to June 15, reports the Association of Christian Media.
The SACC encourages people to make use of a 40 day prayer guide published by Jericho Walls Prayer Network, which centres around reconciliaion events planned for June including an event on June 11 at Orlando Stadium in Soweto billed “Sing a new song”.
Afrikaans churches going to Soweto
According to a report by News 24, three Afrikaans churches will be going to the event in Soweto where student uprisings began 40 years ago in June 1976. They will be pursuing a goal of healing wounds of the past.
The SACC has also released a document entitled “The South Africa We Pray For” which is the name of an initiative launched in 2015 around the theme of prayer and action in response to the state of the nation.
An extract from the 40 day prayer guide says: “The turmoil and unrest and protests in our country, the recent broadening of racial tension, especially highlighted in the social media, as well as economic challenges ─ like the #Feesmustfall’ movement ─ are all legitimate concerns of South Africans. In the midst of all of this, the potential is high to lose hope, to start accusing each other, defend ourselves, and to use acts of violence as solutions to problems.
The Church, as the Body of Christ, is an important vehicle to bring healing to a country’s people suffering and divided by a torrid history. Despite this we believe emphatically that God has a specific purpose for and with the country and its diverse people.”
This article was originally posted at http://gatewaynews.co.za/sacc-calls-for-40-days-of-prayer-for-sa-reconciliation/.