A WAVE of prayer spread across Somerset over the weekend – with the Archbishop of Canterbury among those taking part in the county.

Christians in the Diocese of Bath and Wells created a Wave of Prayer, starting on Friday evening.

The event brought people together in churches and homes, in schools and workplaces, in outdoor spaces and online, creating a continuous flow of prayer across the diocese.

Archbishop Justin Welby made a special visit to Somerset to join in with the Wave of Prayer, visiting Bath, Wells, Nailsea, Frome and Bridgwater.

The Archbishop in Bath

“I deeply enjoyed my visit to Bath and Wells,” he said. “It has been inspiring to see the church here united in prayer for the wider community. That’s what prayer does. It opens us to God’s love, which fills our lives and leads us to love and serve others.

“I’m grateful for this reminder and pray for God’s blessing over this area.”

Rupert Cox, from Somerset Mental Health in Agriculture Group, Farmerados, met the Archbshop at Sedgemoor Auction Centre, near Bridgwater.

At Sedgemoor Auction Centre. Bridgwater

“I think it’s really great the archbishop has come to Sedgemoor Market to see rural communities, to see the farmers and to understand from all of the organisations that are here what we are trying to do together to manage farmers’ wellbeing and mental health,” he said.

“This is the sector with the highest proportion of suicide of any business sector in the UK, so we are doing all we can to raise the profile of these things and having the archbishop here to endorse us is absolutely fantastic.”

At St Francis, prayer stations highlighted the work of the church within the Bridgwater community, including the Food Bank, Street Pastors, chaplaincy at Hinkley Point C, and those working to highlight the issue of modern slavery and county lines.

With Street Pastors at the St Francis of Asisi Church in Bridgwater

At Nailsea School, the Archbishop was greeted by local children and members of Kingshill Church School.

They led him through various creative prayer stations, which covered themes such as children and young people, education, and chaplaincy work.

Meeting young people at Nailsea School

The final stop of the day was Frome where a new Christian community is being established in the former vicarage of St Mary’s Church.

The archbishop toured the Giant’s Garden with young volunteers and reflected on environmental stewardship and climate change. He planted a vine in the garden, symbolizing growth and renewal, before concluding his visit with prayer in the newly created prayer space converted from a derelict shed in the grounds of the church.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby digging in at St Mary’s in Frome

Other events across Somerset saw people praying with and for their communities.

In Porlock, West Somerset, prayer boards were created at churches along the Pilgrim Trail, while in Highbridge prayers were offered for local schools, the town council, shops and businesses.

In Timsbury, volunteers read all 150 Psalms, a prayer walk was held in the Chew Valley and in many other places spaces were created for formal and informal prayers with music for reflection and opportunities to pray with alongside others or alone.

At the end of the day, the Bishop of Bath and Wells, Michael Beasley, said: “What a time of encouragement, joy and delight it has been in all that we’ve shared.

“It has been great to have the archbishop with us and to share in prayer with so many people around our diocese of Bath and Wells. A wonderful 24 hours.”