“Don’t pray for Connect09!” is the surprising message from Archbishop Jensen as the first Connect09 prayer day approaches on June 1.

But, as always, context is everything.

Dr Jensen says people should not make the mistake of praying for the campaign, but rather for people.

In a video on the internal Connect09 website Dr Jensen says, “Don’t pray for the administration, don’t pray for me, don’t pray for the money - use Connect09 as an opportunity to pray for your neighbours.”

“Pray for those to whom we are going with the Word of God, that the Lord will bless and open hearts and get them ready to hear the message of Christ,” he says.

Posters and prayer cards have already been distributed across the churches for the June 1st date and prayers and prayer points are downloadable from the website.

The Archbishop’s latest video with an update on Connect09 will also be available and churches have the option of playing it during their Sunday services.

Connect09 executive director Andrew Nixon says the idea is something like the recent Earth Hour. 

“People have already been praying for our region and our city and we expect that to continue, but it will be good to have a special focus right across the whole diocese for that one day,” Mr Nixon says.

Another prayer day will be held on November 2 and Mr Nixon is asking churches to make sure the prayer day posters are placed in a prominent position in churches as a constant reminder of the need for prayer.

“The emphasis on prayer is quite deliberate. We want to make sure that by the time 2009 comes, our churches will have been in prayer for months for those around them. Prayer changes everything,” Mr Nixon says.