“Send your Holy Spirit to light up our lives”

ia Centre

Torch Relay prayers released

18 May 2012

Two new prayers, released today at www.olympics.churchofengland.org, are to 'accompany' the Torch Relay on its tour of England. They will be used by many of the CofE's 16,000 churches publicly as the Torch makes its 70-day tour of the nation, travelling within an hour of 95 per cent of people in the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey.

Composed by the Liturgical Commission, the new Church of England prayers read:
 Torch Relay Prayers

Loving God,
as this torch travels our nation,
preparing us to celebrate the skill and determination of
those competing in the Olympic and Paralympic Games,
strengthen us to love you and serve our neighbour
with all the skill and determination you give us,
through Christ, the light of the world. Amen.

As this light travels our nation,
may your light, O God, shine in the hearts of all
who gather to celebrate the energy, skill and dedication of others.
Send your Holy Spirit
to light up our lives
and set our hearts on fire with love for you;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

They are available alongside a free pdf download of liturgical resources for use during the 2012 Games, containing suggested Bible readings, prayers, collects and litanies.

The Bishop of Truro, the Rt Revd Tim Thornton, and Cornwall Methodist District chairman, Revd Steve Wild, will be the first to use one of the new prayers at a special event marking the arrival of the Torch at Land's End on the evening of Friday, May 18. Bishop Tim and Revd Wild will be kindling a second Prayer Relay torch from a beacon being lit close to Land's End, at Chapel Carn Brea, to symbolise the Gospel coming into Cornwall via the first Celtic missionaries. Twelve lamps will be lit from the Torch (one for each deanery), and churches from all denominations will then be invited to use the lamps to light an Olympic prayer flame for their own church. Bishop Tim and Revd Wild will conduct a ceremony of blessing for the Prayer Relay's baton, which is to be handed over from community to community over the following 70 days. Among those involved with these exchanges are the Bishops of Durham, Newcastle and Whitby.

The Prayer Relay is an initiative of More Than Gold, an ecumenical initiative set up by all the main Christian denominations. More Than Gold has released a free guide, Praying During the 70-Day Prayer Relay, to inspire Christians and churches to contribute to a 'cascade' of prayer and praise as the Flame travels around the nation; it is available at www.morethangold.org.uk/prayerrelay.

Many churches are planning Torch Relay and Prayer Relay-related events and services. For example, churches across Cornwall will be serving a record number of free cream teas in their local communities; and St Johns Church, Greenhill, Weymouth, will be open for coffee/tea and bacon sandwiches to on-lookers on the morning of 13 July.

Bishop Tim Thornton said: "It is a great privilege to be first in the chain of events and to be able offer a Christian perspective on the passage of the Olympic torch across Cornwall. We are trying to help even the most rural of communities feel part of the action. 

"These specially composed prayers are the ideal way to celebrate the Torch relay as we prepare as a nation for the 2012 Games. I encourage people to pray them over the next 70 days."

The Modern Olympics

 The Modern Olympics

An illustrated talk

Friday, May 18, 7.30 p.m.

St. John the Baptist Palmeira Square Hove

Former BBC correspondent Paul Legg, who writes about sport for The Times, takes us on an action-packed journey from Athens 1896 to London 2012 with special emphasis on the early 20th century.

The presentation includes archive footage of the early Games, including London 1908, extracts from “Chariots of Fire”, Leni Riefenstahl’s controversial film of the Berlin Olympics and revisits the “Austerity Games” in London 1948.

Get ready for London 2012 by recalling the sporting dramas which paved the way.

Admission free Donations welcome





The running track at Athens in 2004

(a re-creation of the 1896 track)





Atheletes prepare to run the 100 metres at the first Modern Olympics in Athens in 1896