I’d Like to Do This

British Christians will be able to pray together wherever they are in future, by subscribing to a new mobile phone text alert service unveiled Thursday.

A Christian charity, Prayer in Action, has teamed up with a mobile phone company to offer the Prayer Mobile service, which it hopes will eventually reach 500,000 people across the country.

Subscribers will receive a text asking them to pray, simultaneously, on issues ranging from terrorism to homelessness and the credit crunch, said an official from the phone firm.

“Within the next two to three years, this service will be offered to about 500,000 Christians,” said Erik Fok, sales chief of Ecumen, a range of religious products for mobiles developed by telephone company Teimlo.

“With a world in turmoil, it’s amazing to think that we could soon have half a million people in the United Kingdom alone joining in focused prayer on an issue of national concern.

“This will be a force for positive change in our nation,” he added.

Prayer in Action boss Carl Brettle added: “In a world of uncertainty it’s great to know that the (service) will be able instantly to mobilise thousands of people to pray into the key issues that face society today.

“The Prayer Mobile text service pulls together one of the oldest traditions known to mankind with one of the newest most prevalent technologies available. Prayer is only a text away,” he said.

Last year Teimlo offered downloads of the Bible for mobile phones.

The Prayer Mobile service will cost 25 pence (0.49 dollars, 0.32 euro) a week, for which subscribers will receive a regular weekly alert.