A simple prayer,
a startling vision.
What if there were an end to
extreme poverty in the
world? Jon Denn believes that the beginning
of that end can start with this prayer:
“The world now has the means to end extreme
poverty, we pray we will have the will.”
Jon is known by many in the Trinity-St. Paul’s
community as the Co-Director of the Trinity
Conference Center. He also is a man convinced
of the transformational power of prayer. His
vision is to have congregations of all faiths, all
around the world, all praying for the will to end
extreme poverty.The prayers will continue until
the United Nations Millennium Development
Goals are met. See the full vision on the website
www.countingprayers.org (off-site link).
The movement will begin at St. Paul’s Chapel on
Sunday, September 23, during the Prayers of the
People. “St. Paul’s is a natural place to launch
this,” Jon has explained.“People of all faiths and
from every part of the globe come to St. Paul’s.
It is a Cross of Nails site of reconciliation.We’ll
begin at St. Paul’s, and invite all congregations of
all faiths in the world to join us.”
This summer, Jon presented countingprayers
to the Trinity-St. Paul’s “New Beginners”
group. Their enthusiastic response matched
the reaction of others upon hearing Jon’s passionate
description of this nascent prayer ministry.
I asked Jon why he thinks responses have
been so positive to countingprayers. “Because
it’s easy to do. There is no cost. And it’s guiding
people to what they can do.”
And as the counter on the countingprayers
website records the hundreds, then thousands,
then millions of prayers for the will to end
poverty, the transformation will be underway.
Blessings,
The Rev. Canon Anne Mallonee, Vicar
This story originally appeared in the September 2007 issue of The Bridge, the parish newsletter of Trinity Wall Street. If you would like to be added to the newsletter mailing list, email bridge@trinitywallstreet.org.
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