Prayer Web receives 6000 new prayers

For the past fortnight advertisements in internet arenas such as Google and Facebook have invited Swede’s to pray. This initiative has generated more than 6000 new prayers over the last 14 days. During the year more than 41,000 prayers have been received and these are now on the Church of Sweden’s Prayer Web.

“We are very grateful and happy that so many Swede’s have chosen to visit the Prayer Web and enter
their prayers. Through this initiative we have had many first-time visitors and as many as ten times
more visitors during the last weeks than in the equivalent number of weeks before the initiative was
launched. The aim is to awaken curiosity about God and the Church,” says Marianne Ejdersten,
Programme Director for National Communication for the Church of Sweden. “The Church of Sweden
decided a year ago to move the prayer box, present in churches since the 1960s, to the internet.” she
continues.

The Prayer Web is now accessible via advertisements on Facebook, Google, MSN, the newspaper
Aftonbladet and the magazine Tara’s website, among others. It is possible to directly enter your
prayers via these sites for a four week period. Church of Sweden parishes are also able to participate
by enabling visitors to directly submit their prayers to the parish websites.

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More than 41,000 prayers and 120,000 visitors
There are currently over 41,000 prayers on the Prayer Web, making it the largest collection of prayers
in Sweden. Since its launch more than 120,000 people from 98 countries have visited the website and
the media has publicised the prayer site both in Sweden and abroad.

One in five prays regularly
As well as the internet approach, the Church of Sweden is using advertising posters and hoardings
with the message “Send God a text” in eleven towns. The advertising posters show people with their
hands folded in prayer and a mobile telephone. There are five different images; a confident girl with
turquoise fingernails, a person wearing cufflinks, normal hands, an elderly lady and a man with rough
worker’s hands.

“All to demonstrate that anyone can pray and that you can pray anywhere. We want to encourage
people to feel the freedom to turn to God and to talk to God. According to our surveys one Swede in
five prays regularly. 2010 has also been designated the Year of Prayer by the General Synod,”
concludes Marianne Ejdersten.

The “Send God a text” hoardings will feature in the following places:

1-14 Nov Halmstad, Jönköping, Umeå and Växjö
8-14 Nov and 29 Nov - 5 Dec Alingsås/Vårgårda, Skaraborg and Luleå
22 Nov - 5 Dec Stockholm and Sundsvall
22 Nov - 5 Dec Gothenburg
29 Nov - 12 Dec Borås