Christians pray for success of Commonwealth Games 2010

Church leaders on Tuesday prayed for the grand success of 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in October in New Delhi.

Even as preparations are in full swing for the multinational sport event, bishops, pastors and laypeople converged at the 'United Prayer Meeting' were in joined hands beseeching God's favor for the success of the October 3 - 14 event.

The prayer meet was organised by the National United Christian Forum (NUCF), a union of the National Council of Churches, Catholic Bishops' Conference and the Evangelical Fellowship of India.

"Help us to participate to make it a grand success. May we be in service and prayer for the event…Let us use every opportunity to glorify your name," prayed the representative Rev. Dr. Josh Kallimel.

Together the leaders – Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox – prayed for the smooth running of the event and for the safety of foreign visitors and diplomats arriving at the capital.

Addressing the prayer meet, Rev. Dr. Richard Howell, general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India, urged Christians to "participate in such significant events and express our love and dedication to our country."

Citing the government's need for 25,000 volunteers to serve in various capacities, Rev. Howell said, "This is the opportunity we should use. Church should take an interest and serve the nation wholeheartedly."

"I would be discussing more with Archbishop of Delhi Vincent Concessao and together we would make our services available," he added.

Commonwealth Games is being staged in India for the first time and in Asia for only the second time. This event is also India's first big international sports event since the 1982 Asian Games.

The Games are organised by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), a union of around 70 countries in major continents: Asia, Africa, America, Europe, Carribean and Oceania.

Interestingly, the Commonwealth Games came into origin with the proposal of Rev. J. Astley Cooper who suggested a "Pan-Britannic-Pan-Anglican Contest and Festival every four years as a means of increasing the goodwill and good understanding of the British Empire."