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TIME FOR PRAYER: Scenes from Ruach in Kilburn

HUNDREDS of Christians gathered all over London last night (August 9) to pray for healing and an end to the riots occurring across Britain.

Hands clasped and heads bowed, they asked God to intervene in the mayhem unfolding in various towns and cities across England.

Ruach is one church in three locations: Brixton, Kilburn and Walthamstow.

More than 600 gathered at the Kilburn auditorium, in north west London, where ministry overseer Bishop John Francis, told them to cry out to God for mercy and peace.

The ministry has over 10,000 members who joined with other church leaders to pray for peace and God’s divine intervention.

Bishop Francis told his audience: “We contacted Brent Council to ask if they wanted prayer and she said it’s been extremely stressful for us.

“She was so happy that the church phoned to ask for prayers. She asked for prayer for the police force and emergency services to be protected as they try to keep peace as they have had to work on minimum rest.

“She asked the church to pray as they need strength and are tired. She said please do not forget that the police force are ordinary people with families, pray for their families who are scared.

“They asked as a church to do everything in out power to get our kids home safe and get of out streets because it’s dangerous."

The church prayed with passion for God’s divine intervention while the Bishop also prayed against the spirit of injustice and asked God to comfort the family of Mark Duggan.

He also urged people not to take any goods regardless of how tempting it may be.

Reverend Nims Obunge OBE, of the Freedom’s Ark Church, in Tottenham, and chief executive of the Peace Alliance, told the congregation: “We have to reach out to the rioters in love and all those who are doing wrong. Let’s ask God to forgive them. What we pray for is that people do not run reckless with it because the family has said that they do not condone it.

“Some of us have access to communities, to young people, who are taking advantage of this very situation.”

The pastor who is working closely with the Duggan family said the church must continue to pray for the family and the nation.

In February 2007, he played a key role in galvanising the church community to march against gun crime through south London after the fatal killings of five people.

He was the only black church leader invited to attend the recent emergency summit held at 10 Downing Street about gun crime.

Prayer warriors described the mood at Ruach as 'electric'.

One participant, legal secretary Ruth Martin, 34, from South London, said: “The prayer meeting was phenomenal, people were crying out to God for peace and forgiveness. We prayed that God will go into London city and create a calm. It was nothing to do with the police the fact that there was a calm in London.

“Various churches took a stand and there was a strong feeling of togetherness.”

In addition, scores of residents from several communities banded together to begin clean up campaigns, determined to overcome damage caused by reckless rioters who went on a rampage in London and several other towns and cities.

Another pastor from another inner city church urged the congregation to support the fire services and police as well as members in the community who are frightened and lonely.

He announced: “The earth is the Lord and the everything in it. The world is the Lord’s and so is London.

“The police are normal people with family, let’s appreciate their efforts to ensure the riots and looting stops. Let’s pray for peace."

He added: “This is the time for the people of God to spread the love of God by being supportive. There are already people of God are cleaning up on the streets. “

North London rapper Chipmunk also encouraged thousands of his Twitter followers to pray, after the riots, sparked by the death of a 29-year-old man gunned down by police last week (Aug 4).

It caused significant damage to the shops and businesses on Tottenham High Road near where he grew up.

The north Londoner tweeted: “Prayers are more important than tweets, trust me spread love.”

South London rapper Giggs wrote on Facebook: “My prayers go out to the people affected by the riots, and the attacks on innocent people needs to stop.”