Defence Christian Network – National Week of Prayer

National Week of Prayer is a UK-wide call for Christians of all denominations and backgrounds to pray for our country and its leaders, in these increasingly uncertain times. From 6-14 September 2025, Christians from a wide range of denominations met together at over 200 gatherings in churches and Christian workplace groups, including in Defence.

On Thursday 11 September, the DCN hosted a ‘Service of Prayer for the United Kingdom’. Defence Christians were joined by Bear Grylls, plus Ambassadors, MPs, Peers, senior clergy, military personnel, Civil Servants from across Government and representatives from numerous Christian organisations and church denominations. Worship was supported by the Household Division Band, a Fijian Military Choir and renowned worship leader Graham Kendrick. In his opening address to the congregation, Bear Grylls spoke of being, “United in prayer, united in love for our neighbour and united in asking for God’s great blessing on our great nation.”

Although National Week of Prayer is a new initiative (now in its 2nd year), it looks back to the historic National Days of Prayer observed by the wartime generations. It’s a little-known fact that in the first half of the 20th Century, a total of 21 National Days of Prayer were called in this country.

National Week of Prayer has provided a great opportunity for members of Defence to join in prayer with Church communities in wider society. It has allowed serving personnel to be part of a unifying movement of hope that brings together a broad range of Christian traditions across the UK. The non-political, multi-denominational nature of National Week of Prayer aligns well with the character of the Defence Christian Network as a unified, ecumenical, multi-cultural network.

A network member who attended the service said “I feel truly blessed to have been part of the National Week of Prayer — where people from different denominations and leaders came together in unity to lift our nation up before God. The service was alive and beautiful, filled with heartfelt prayers.”