parliamentary Reception

100 DENOMINATIONAL & NETWORK LEADERS ATTEND PARLIAMENTARY RECEPTION TO LAUNCH SHINE YOUR LIGHT 2025

Over 100 Christian leaders from over 60 denominations, streams, and networks gathered at Portcullis House, Westminster, on Wednesday 7th of May 2025 for a parliamentary reception to celebrate Shine Your Light, a nationwide evangelistic movement taking the gospel onto streets and marketplaces across the UK.

Hosted by Jim Shannon MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the International Freedom of Religion and Belief and organised by the National Day of Prayer and Worship (NDOPW), leaders from all four nations celebrated a doubling in participating churches from 738 in 2023 to over 1,500 last December.

They were also told of plans for Shine Yor Light 2025, starting with a 72-Hour Prayer focus over Pentecost weekend, 6-8 June, and a weekend of Christmas evangelistic events from 12-14 December.

Mr Shannon, who has backed the Shine Your Light campaign from its inception in 2023 introduced programme guests, including: James Lusted, broadcaster and Church Pastor, Andy Frost from Share Jesus International, Lydia and Henry George from Ichthus Christian Fellowship and Bishop David Edwards from the New Testament Church of God and United Christian Broadcasters. Prayers were led by the Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson, the new President of Churches Together in England, representing 56 denominations.

Stories from the floor were shared from Shine Your Light Christmas events which took part in Bedford, Birmingham and Canterbury as well as from Wales and Scotland.

Dr Jonathan Oloyede, Convenor and Founder of NDOPW/SYL spoke of how Shine Your Light was an opportunity for the Church to ensure that the Christian Festivals were “reclaimed”, and of the need for prayer, unity and mission “to work intentionally closer if we’re to continue to see God's Kingdom grow in these Isles”.

After the gathering, he said: “Seeing over 100 Leaders in Parliament this week speaks of how much the Lord's hand is on this call for mission, unity and prayer to come together. We can no longer separate the three - but bring them together as one. Shine Your Light has grown since 2023, but there is more that we need to do as the Church to reclaim our confidence in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Praying at the heart of Westminster is a symbolic sign of the ripples needing to go out. As we prepare for Pentecost in a few weeks’ time, let us start praying for our communities that they would be open to the move of the same Holy Spirit which fell at Pentecost.”

Jim Lyon, Chair of trustees for the Congregational Federation of over 200 churches, and who organised a Shine Your Light event in rural Northamptonshire last year, said: “We did something last December in my community and we saw some truly amazing opportunities to bring people together to hear the message of Christmas. I would encourage every Christian to pray for a key for you to unlock the opportunity to do a Shine Your Light event in your area, using the amazing resources which are available.”

Mr Shannon concluded: “Being able to sponsor this Shine Your Light Parliamentary Reception was an honour for me. Seeing many Christians from across the whole of the Isles in Parliament was exactly what the spirit of Shine Your Light is about. I commend the boldness of Christians taking a stand to make sure that God's light is visible in our world of darkness. I am expectant of greater things in 2025 if we can multiply the passion in the room to every community in these Isles. I am praying for what God might do next.”

For information about how your church can get involved in Shine at Pentecost and Shine Your Light at Christmas 2025, and the free resources available to churches, visit www.ndopw.com

For further information/interview:
Adam May | 07736 949869 | Email: adam@NDOPW.com
Director of Communications and Engagement for NDOPW/SYL