AN INITIATIVE introducing non-stop prayer coverage to Chelmsford will help it "prosper", says the man who has quit his job to get it going.
Retired police officer David Gilbey resigned from his position as an estate ranger for city housing association CHP in order to get Chelmsford 24-7 Prayer off the ground.
The 52-year-old said: "I really believe prayer changes things.
"Last summer, I went to a Christian camp where there were a number of speakers, and one of them talked about the idea of 24/7 prayer and I just thought 'that's what I am being called to do'.
"I got back from the camp two days later and quit my job straight away to focus on this."
Although the project is currently in its infancy, the father-of-three has already managed to get together a steering committee made up of various pastors and community leaders. They include Andy Griffiths, vicar at St Michael's, Galleywood; Peter Balls, pastor of Chelmsford Community Church, Sue Gibson, a member of Christian Growth Centre Chelmsford, and Mike Shelbourne, a preacher for the Methodist Church.
The 24/7 prayer concept is already in operation in various cities worldwide.
"I want to promote closer relations between churches in the area covered by Chelmsford City Council, which has more than 100 churches," said Mr Gilbey, who worked for Chelmsford police for 30 years until retiring from the force in 2011 and was a branch leader of the Christian Police Association in Essex.
"Certainly the principle of 24/7 prayer in the city is that there is always someone praying at any given time, and with 100 churches in the city, there must be a way we can organise that.
"The idea is to draw people with faith in God together, and if we pray, that will change things. We want to do things that take action too; we want to see Chelmsford prosper."
Mr Gilbey, who has lived in Chelmsford for most of his life, and has been a member of the Life Church in Hall Street for more than 30 years, said he believes the idea of constant prayer in the city could be of great benefit, particularly for those who are less fortunate.
"I want to support all those organisations that are doing things to benefit people, including the council, the fire brigade and so on, and I also want us to support people who suffer with loneliness, homelessness, and the organisations that support them too, whether they are Christian or non-Christian."
An official launch event will take place in March, when he will attempt to organise a solid week of 24/7 prayers across the city.
"What we would like to do is have a rota online where people can sign up for a specific slot to pray in," said Mr Gilbey, who is co-leader of Chelmsford's Healing on the Streets team.
"I have seen God answer prayers many times, and most statistics show that more than 50 per cent of people worldwide do pray.
"Ultimately, our goal will be to establish some sort of a prayer centre in the city that isn't a church, somewhere people can come and have a coffee and a chat, and meet God over their problems."
For more information visit http://chelmsford24-7.org
