Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast

I recently had the privilege of attending the National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast, where MPs from across Parliament and church leaders from their constituencies come together to worship, pray, and talk together.

This gathering has been taking place for many years, but it was my first experience, and I left feeling deeply encouraged and moved.

My adventure began the evening before, when we were invited to attend Evensong at Westminster Abbey, followed by a guided tour. As you can imagine, Evensong at the Abbey is very different from a Sunday morning or evening at The City Church. In that more contemplative and quiet space, I found myself reflecting on the greatness of our God. The Abbey, much like Canterbury Cathedral, was built to communicate the otherness of God. He is unlike anything else in this world. As we listened to the choir, heard Scripture read, and joined in prayer, I couldn't help but be moved again by the wonder of who He is.

Interestingly, I learnt that the original Abbey was built by monks who came from Canterbury. It reminded me of the rich heritage our city has in taking the Christian faith across the nation, and I felt freshly stirred that we still have a part to play in that story in the years ahead.

Tuesday morning began bright and early, arriving at the Houses of Parliament for 6:30am—but it was well worth it. I was seated on a table with our local MP, Rosie Duffield, alongside church leaders and MPs from across the country. It was wonderful to discuss such a wide variety of topics, from the joys and challenges of leading a church, to encouraging growth in declining congregations, and even the sanctity of life.

It was humbling to look around the room and see men and women who carry such influence in shaping our nation, including perhaps the next Prime Minister. It stirred afresh Paul's words to Timothy about praying for those in positions of authority. Seeing them smiling, laughing, talking, eating, singing, and praying reminded me just how human they are—and how much they need our prayers. It was also a real joy to see two members of our City Church family serving at the event, faithfully bringing a Christlike influence into Parliament.

Clare Williams-Sarpong from OCCA (The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics) shared a beautiful message on the theme of ‘Hope for the Future’ through the story of Jesus and blind Bartimaeus. She explored how Bartimaeus held onto hope despite his circumstances, warned us about the fickleness of the crowd—ridiculing one moment and celebrating the next—and pointed us to the lasting hope found only in Jesus. She said this to a room full of MPs: "Politics is a great servant but a terrible saviour," which received a hearty "Amen."

We were led in worship by Ruth Naomi Floyd, and it was incredibly moving to sing Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Amazing Grace, and When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, reflecting on all that has taken place within those walls and yet knowing that our God stands above it all.

Tim Farron MP, former leader of the Liberal Democrats, closed the breakfast with a clear and powerful gospel message, declaring to those gathered that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

After breakfast I attended two seminars. The first, hosted by Theos Think Tank, was titled ‘From the God Delusion to the God Illusions’. It explored how society's view of Christianity has changed over recent decades and asked where we really are in 2026. It was fascinating to hear about the tensions of living in an increasingly fragmented society, the complexity this brings to conversations about faith, the need to address the rise of "Christian nationalism", and the importance of the Church never losing sight of its primary calling: to love the Lord with all our heart and to love our neighbour as ourselves.

The second seminar was hosted by the Bible Society and was titled ‘The Quiet Revival: Stories, Questions and Voices from the Ground’. It was deeply encouraging to hear stories of God at work across the nation—from inner-city London to rural Wales—as people shared how men and women are coming to faith and the different ways churches are making disciples. The seminar concluded with an encouragement from Andrew Ollerton, who challenged us to ask: if things are changing around us, how do we need to change? Using Luke 5 and Jesus stepping into Simon's boat to teach the crowds, he highlighted two important reflections:

1. Pathways

Jesus used Simon's boat as a pathway to reach more people. It became a platform for proclaiming the good news. What new pathways do we need to consider if we are to reach the lost in our neighbourhoods? What might that look like both online and in person?

2. Connection

Jesus intentionally stepped into Simon's boat, and that encounter eventually led Simon to follow Jesus, be renamed Peter, and become one of Jesus' closest friends and one of the key leaders of the early Church. As well as thinking about how we reach the many, we also need to ask how we intentionally deepen our relationships with the few who are searching. How can we increase both the frequency and the purpose of those connections?

I thoroughly enjoyed my time and came away freshly stirred to pray for our leaders. I also found myself encouraged again to see us, as a church, continue seeking to make the name of Jesus known and to see our neighbourhoods blessed through His people.