Many people may be praying for different things from the election, but church leaders plan to put theirs to good use by holding what they believe is the first ever prayer night for the election itself.

Churches Together in Maidstone will be holding the Election Focus evening on Friday, April 24, and are expecting a big enough turnout that they have booked Maidstone Leisure Centre.

At the top of the prayers they want answered is that values including honesty, integrity, and humanity are kept in mind throughout.

As the economy rallies, they also want to see everyone in society benefit from the wealth.
They also want to see winning candidates keep their promises.

Chairman of Churches Together and vicar of St Paul’s Church, Canon Andrew Sewell, said: “As churches we all want to serve Maidstone and increasingly we want to do it together.

“Our politicians can also have all the help they can get.

“This is a first and we do not want it to be a hustings.

“That is not what it’s about – there is a strong Christian tradition of the common good.
“God’s will will be done, we know that. But we want the process to go well, as well as the outcomes.”

Candidates’ statements will be shown on short video clips, each of the same length, and they will not be addressing the meeting otherwise.

Prayers will be led by various church leaders and people will be able to pray individually.
Subjects will also include education; national security, including the exposing of terrorism and protection of young people from extremism and radicalisation; and national wellbeing including the NHS.

He added: “We meet together regularly as church leaders from different backgrounds with a good sense of unity.

“At a time when the election race is wide open and the future of the nation needs clear, positive leadership, we have felt the need to put out a call to Maidstone residents urging them to pray.”

The event will run from 7.30pm to 9pm.