Prayer to Start the Day

Public Health Directorate - Prayer to Start the Day

NHS Lanarkshire Public Health Department has been in the forefront of the current pandemic.

On 23/03/20 (start of UK lockdown), one of the current public health registrars felt there was a need to start a prayer group at work. She asked a few of us within the Public Health Department regarding this proposal and was supported by a number of Christians in the department.

So the prayer group started the next day (24/03/20).

The prayer meeting started at 08:45 each morning on weekdays and lasted no more than 15 minutes. It was held via normal conference call (not Microsoft Teams or Zoom). One of the participants dialled in with the chairperson’s code.

The prayer meeting began with reading short Bible verses and then two members would lead the prayer.

Five members of staff within Public Health Department attended regularly. Sometimes, the prayer meeting may be cancelled when people had other commitments. The prayer group was open to anyone to join with two peer supporters attended regularly.

This short daily prayer meeting provided valuable peer support to members of the Public Health Department and beyond. The daily prayer meeting came to an end on the 100^th day of lockdown (30/06/20).

Albert Yeung

Consultant in Dental Public Health

NHS Lanarkshire

albert.yeung@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk

12 October 2020