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By Peter Biggs
 PEOPLE of faith believe prayer can bring about change.
Many thousands will demonstrate this conviction May 27, as they gather in centres worldwide -- including several cities in Canada -- for the third Global Day of Prayer (GDOP).
Dexter Quinlan, chair of the organizing committee for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), told CC.com that he expects up to 10,000 people to attend this year's event at the Ricom Coliseum. Last year's event, held at the Air Canada Centre, attracted over 7,500 people, he said: "We had a variety of ethnic groups represented, and many denominations."
Previous years have seen large gatherings in Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton. In addition to these cities, several other Canadian municipalities are scheduled to host the event this year.
The initiative began in July 2000, when a South African business leader named Graham Power came to believe that he had been called by God to accomplish several goals.
According to the GDOP website, Power was given "three clear instructions" in a vision "based on" II Chronicles 7:14: - To call Christians from all denominations in Cape Town for a Day of Repentance and Prayer at Newlands Rugby Stadium.
- To challenge Christians across the rest of South Africa to unite in a Day of Repentance and Prayer
- To challenge Christians in Southern Africa to unite in a Day of Repentance and Prayer.
An estimated 45,000 people gathered together in Cape Town, in March 2001. Since that time, the initiative has inspired an international movement. According to GDOP, over the past three years, the numbers have grown to millions of participants, in some 199 countries.
The Toronto operation is "run on a shoestring," said Quinlan. "Funding is largely from donations from a couple of dozen churches, along with a couple of large individual donations."
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Quinlan said last year's event was budgeted at $120,000, most of which went to renting space for the event. "The offering on the day was around $50,000," he said.
With help from some "seed money," Quinlan said, they are budgeting for $130,000 this year.
Quinlan said the approach taken in the Toronto's event would be consistent with the principles of II Chronicles 7:14. "First we humble ourselves," he said. Then, "we'll pray for our leaders, the education system, marriage and the health of the family -- and also . . . the environment."
Asked to describe in concrete terms what has resulted from these gatherings, he said: "We look at this as a journey toward unity -- with the GDOP as one step on that journey. It is worth noting that 7,500 people is actually a small number, compared to the 4.5 million population of the GTA."
Angela Boorah, a participant in last year's GDOP event in Calgary -- which attracted between 5,000 and 6,000 people -- agreed that the event had led to greater unity among the churches.
"We felt a great sense of unity and closeness with others from different parts of the church," she said. "We had tremendous support from Bishop Henry and the Catholic community."
For Calgary's third GDOP, organizers are decentralizing the gathering into five large church centres.
In addition to the main day of prayer on Pentecost Sunday, GDOP is encouraging groups to offer prayer over the 10 days before the event, in designated centres which will be open 'round the clock starting May 18.
May 18/2007
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