"Prayer is the moment in which we recognise that whoever we are, and whatever we are like, we are reached out to by God. And we look into His eyes and know that we are loved." At the start of Bath and Wells 24-hour Wave of Prayer the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, spoke about prayer with young people gathered in Bath.
For 24 hours, a wave of prayer spread across the Diocese of Bath and Wells, as people came together to pray for the growth of church and the transformation of their communities. Events took place right across Somerset, from intimate prayer gatherings in homes and churches to outdoor events and online prayer walls.
Bishop Michael said of the day, “What a time of encouragement, joy and delight it has been in all that we’ve shared. It has been great to have the archbishop with us and to share in prayer with so many people around our diocese of Bath and Wells. A wonderful 24 hours!”
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, travelled to Somerset to join in. He arrived on Friday evening for a Movement Worship Night for young people at St Michael’s Without, Bath. He joined more than 170 people from across the diocese who had come together to pray with and for young people. The evening was filled with worship. Bishop Michael took part in a question and answer session about the meaning and power of prayer, which was followed by a talk from Archbishop Justin. The archbishop prayed for the young people, and they also offered prayers for him. As the night came to a close, he blessed prayer bunting that had been crafted throughout the evening, with prayers offered during the event. At each event the archbishop the bunting was blessed and taken to be added to bunting at the next event.
On Saturday morning, the archbishop continued his journey through the diocese, beginning with morning prayers in the chapel of the Bishop’s Palace in Wells.
He then travelled to Bridgwater’s Sedgemoor Auction Centre. There, he met with members of the rural and farming communities. The visit provided an opportunity for many from the farming community to share their thoughts and challenges to Archbishop Justin. Speaking after the archbishop’s visit, Rupert Cox, Somerset Mental Health in Agriculture Group, Farmerados, said, “I think it’s really great the archbishop has come to Sedgemoor Market to see rural communities, to see the farmers and to understand from all of the organisations that are here what we are trying to do together to manage farmers wellbeing and mental health. This is the sector with the highest proportion of suicide of any business sector in the UK, so we are doing all we can to raise the profile of these things and having the archbishop here to endorse us is absolutely fantastic.”
Archbishop Justin’s next stop was St. Francis Church in Bridgwater, where prayer stations focused on the work of the church within the local community including the Food Bank, the work of Street Pastors, chaplaincy at Hinkley Point C, and those working to highlight the issue of modern slavery and county lines in Bridgwater. After blessing the bunting and praying with the community at the end of his visit to St Francis, the archbishop reflected on the role of prayer, “Without prayer, we are simply a voluntary organisation operating out of a building with a pointy roof.”
Later, at Nailsea School, the Archbishop was welcomed by local children and members of Kingshill Church School, who led him through a series of creative prayer stations. The stations reflected a wide range of topics, from children and young people to schools and education, as well as the chaplaincy work of the Mission to Seafarers. It was a joyful moment that highlighted the communities engagement with prayer in meaningful and imaginative ways.
The final stop of the day brought Archbishop Justin to Frome where a new Christian community is being established in the former vicarage of St Mary’s Church. The archbishop toured the Giant’s Garden with young volunteers and reflected on environmental stewardship and climate change. He planted a vine in the garden, symbolizing growth and renewal, before concluding his visit with prayer in the newly created prayer space converted from a derelict shed in the grounds of the church.
The 24-hour Wave of Prayer was a powerful reminder of the unifying strength of faith. Across Somerset, people of all ages and walks of life came together to pray, reflect, and share their hopes. Whether in a quiet chapel, a bustling school, or an online prayer wall, the diocese’s commitment to prayer was on full display, culminating in a weekend of deep spiritual connection and community.
Speaking about his time in Somerset Archbishop Justin said, "I deeply enjoyed my visit to Bath and Wells. It has been inspiring to see the church here united in prayer for the wider community. That’s what prayer does. It opens us to God’s love, which fills our lives and leads us to love and serve others. I’m grateful for this reminder and pray for God’s blessing over this area."
Wave of Prayer events took place right across the diocese, as communities came together to pray in different ways for the growth of church and the transformation of their communities.
