Annual Lord Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast

The Annual Lord Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast was held on Friday, 7 June 2014. More than 400 church, civic, charity, educational leaders and community people gathered around shared values that benefit the great City of Newcastle. Pastor rick Prosser and his team thank the Lord Mayor, Cr Nuatali Nelmes for her ongoing support.

The combined churches music team opened with ‘One Voice’, a locally written song by John Newsome, Amelia Gardner, Joel Proctor, Stuart Brown and Beth Gleeson.

Rhema Newcastle FM live broadcast from the event, chatting with the Lord Mayor, Rick Prosser and other guests.

Donna Meehan a Gamilaroi woman, author, broadcaster and respected local Christian Indigenous Leader opened the gathering with an ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ and prayer.

This year marks 16 years since the Lord Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast was established as an opportunity for civic, business, community, and church leaders to gather and celebrate shared values that benefit our community. Since then, the event has grown from strength to strength, helping all Novocastrians, irrespective of their background, feel a commonality of purpose and place. The theme for this year is EVERYONE and it encompasses the belief that every one of us has an important role to play in our region. It also allows us to reflect on what we can do to ensure that everyone is included and supported in our community.

Prayers were led for city leaders by Pastor Sam Pilli, for those in the margins by Sue Prosser, Gary Christensen, for carers, caseworkers and children and prayer for the generations by Sarah McCutcheon.

Let us join to pray for those in the margins, our migrants, our refugees, our vulnerable, our homeless, our lonely, those in addictions, mental health and many many more. We speak love, peace, hope, over their life, re write their chapter in their life in Jesus’ name. We speak homes to the homeless, we speak healing in their trauma, clarity in their minds… We thank you for everyone in our city and beyond. We speak life over them in Jesus Name. Give them a smile today and bless bless bless bless them in Jesus Name. Amen

PRAYER FOR CITY LEADERS

Heavenly Father, Thank you for the opportunity you have given us to gather together as ONE. We pray for the people of Newcastle. We pray for your grace and healing for our friends, families, businesses, schools, Churches and leaders of this city and region. We thank you for the leaders in this room and of this city who play a significant part in bringing your kingdom here on earth. We pray you bless each and every leader and their teams, prosper them with good health and wisdom. We pray for the food we are about to have, bless the hands that have made and served, we also think of the people who are in need of this food, May you provide for those in need. In Jesus’ name we pray – Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE GENERATIONS

God, you are a father to each and every generation. 

In Genesis you introduce yourself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. A God who makes himself known to generations and calls them by name. 

We thank you for the generations represented in the room today and for those waking up across our city.  Thank you that you are good news to everyone. You are good news to the Silent Generation ( the Builders) because you are a loving father who provides and protects. 

• You are good news to the Baby Boomers because your kingdom has no end. 
• You are good news to Generation X because you invite us to sit at your table. 
• You are good news to Generation Y because you partner with us empower us to overcome with your spirit. 
• You are good news to Generation Z because you are a leader who can be trusted. 
• You are good news to Gen Alpha because you are clothed in compassion. 

I ask you for greater unity across our generations. I pray for deep connections and friendships. I pray for collaboration and partnerships. 

I pray that Newcastle would be known as a great place to live for every age and life stage. I ask that every generation would feel welcomed and safe in all of our public places. There is no one too young or too old in your kingdom. Teach us to love one another. To be patient and kind to one another. To let go of our frustrations and any misunderstandings. Your divine answer to our prayers is in this room. Soften our hearts and open our eyes. Amen. 

Macquarie Life Choir led by Wynette Horne OAM  the founder of the Waratah Girls Choir led the gathering in worship with the song ‘Still, My Soul, Be Still’.

Testimonies were shared by Father Nicholaos Zervas OAM, 17th Freeman of the City, Greg Pyke, recovery story, Wynette Horne founder of the Waratach Girls Choir and Paul Lambess, founder and owner of Winarch Capital.

MAKE A DONATION

CatholicCare and Allambi Care are two leading local agencies working together, and in partnership with others, to lead a region-wide foster care campaign across the Hunter. This initiative is a call to arms for the local community to create awareness of the critical need for foster carers and homes for children in care. There is a severe shortage of foster carers in Newcastle and the Hunter, and we are at a crisis point. This campaign will lead people to reach out to a local agency that suits their needs and start the process of becoming a carer.

This collaborative partnership between different agencies is a positive solution to a significant issue in the Hunter. We know that when we all work together and harness community spirit and enthusiasm, we can achieve great things. The time is now to do that for our children.

Call to action:   The need for carers in Newcastle and the Hunter region. This event is giving local people the opportunity to donate, support and spread the word about the issue of foster care in our community.

$18,300 was raised through the breakfast for the Hunter Foster Care Initiative

Read by Pastor Mat Jones, Livefree Church.

Our Father in heaven blessed be your name. We speak the name of Jesus over our city and region. We welcome your presence. Holy Spirit awaken the hearts of EVERYONE. We speak over EVERYONE in this city and region. Hope and life. Healing and Wholeness. Strength and Courage. Faith and Salvation.

Lord, we ask for your heart to manifest in EVERYONE. We ask that we see with your eyes. EVERYONE matters to you. We pray for every carer, every child, every caseworker and every agency. We pray for a release of more carers and open homes. We pray more caseworkers and that you would bless them. We pray for every vulnerable person throughout our community.

We commit to take responsibility for EVERYONE in our community. Our prayer is that EVERYONE in this city and region have the opportunity to flourish in life. We ask for the birthing of new way ideas that would lead to resourcing the region and EVERYONE in it. Jesus you are our hope and in you there is a future. Awaken EVERYONE to the purposes of heaven. We ask that you would fill EVERYONE with a hope for the future.

In Jesus name Amen.

The Macquarie Life Choir and the Combined Music Team closed the morning with the great hymn ‘Amazing Grace’.