National Prayer Breakfast
Every week Parliament is sitting, Christian members of Parliament from all parties (expect the Democrat and the Greens) meet together under the leadership of the CDP for prayer. Then every year, my staff and I, helped by some volunteers arrange a State Prayer Luncheon. We have an outstanding Christian leader as speaker, and last year well over 200 people attended with the address given by Cardinal George Pell. We prayed for our nation, the drought and our farmers, and other issues facing our State. Many Parliamentarians who do not attend our weekly prayer meeting attend this Prayer Luncheon.
Once a year, Christian leaders and Parliamentarians from all states, attend the National Prayer Breakfast. The evening before the breakfast about 700 people attended a service of worship and praise in the Great Hall of Parliament House Canberra, with the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen preaching. As the preacher at this event previously, I can tell you it is a great occasion with all those Christian leaders attending. Then at 7:30am, the following morning about 1000 Christian leaders and politicians from all states and all major parties gathered for breakfast and prayer for our nation, the drought, and for good governance. The Prime Minister and the then leaders of the Opposition read the Scriptures, two Federal politicians gave their Christian testimony, and the English Christian leader of prison ministries spoke. He was Jonathon Aitken, a former British Cabinet Minister who was convicted and sent to jail for perjury after denying he had met an Arab arms dealer prior to making a sale on behalf of the UK Government. His career was ended, the marriage dissolved, and he was jailed.
You can read about his life and his conversion through some Christian Parliamentarians and Chuck Colson from the USA in my article on him on my web-site at http://www.gordonmoyes.com/category/articles/alive-magazine/ Rev Fred and Elaine Nile, Leighton and Dianna Thew and Beverley and myself attended on behalf of the CDP. It was another inspiring occasion of prayer and praise. Apart from this, there were also a number of seminar sessions chaired by politicians, speaking on our nation and the need for prayer and Christian presence on important national issues. Each year at the beginning of February, there is an international Prayer Breakfast together with small groups and seminars for about 5000 Christian politicians and Church leaders from over 140 countries who gather at the USA National Presidential Prayer Breakfast attended by the US President, and last year the speaker was Bono on the issue of World Poverty. While we all cannot attend these functions, we all can pray. Your Parliamentary representatives and our nation need your prayers. Thank you for them.
REV THE HON DR GORDON MOYES A.C. M.L.C.
