The 9 O'Clock Prayer

The Nine O’Clock Prayer for Peace unites CFOers around the world, creating what we call, The Belt of Prayer. Seven days a week at 9pm, CFOers around the world pause for one minute wherever they are, and pray the following…

Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.

This beautiful painting of the Nine O’Clock Prayer was created by CFO’er Tanya Rigzin of Kashmir, India! (Below, please continue reading for more about the prayer)

The pattern of the Nine O’Clock Prayer for Peace was first used by the British during World War Il. The idea had been proposed by London industrialist Major W. Tudor Pole during the dark days of the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940. Each night at 9:00pm, the people of the British Isle would tune in to the BBC to hear the news. The announcer would say, “This is London. This is the 9 o’clock news and this is Stuart Hibbern.” Then the chimes of Big Ben would ring out and the nine great strokes would follow. During the chimes and strokes, an estimated two million people prayed in silence. This minute was known as the Silent Minute of Prayer.

There are many stories about the effects of this time of prayer. for example, a captured Nazi Intelligence officer stated, “With the striking of your Big Ben each evening you used a secret weapon which we did not understand. It was very powerful and we could find no counter-measure.” Other reports were from German bomber pilots who saw hundreds of planes coming against them when in fact, there were only two (from Hand on the Helm, by Katherine Pollard Carter).

The Silent Minute of Prayer was adapted by Glenn Clark for The Camp Farthest Out movement. As CFOer Ruth Robinson recalls…

God gave Glenn Clark a vision of broadcasting love to the world because when people first came to camp and found themselves so bathed in love, they were tempted to keep it. God showed them that by sending it out, it multiplied. This pattern can create a Belt of Love around the world.

It was Dr. Clark’s belief that the Sermon on the Mount is the heart of the Bible, The Lord’s Prayer is the heart of the Sermon on the Mount, and “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is the heart of the Lord’s prayer. In focusing on “Letting Go and Letting God” and seeking relinquishing ourselves to God first (… and let it begin with me) we could begin to seek the harmony and unity that is desperately needed in our world.

All our invited to be a part of this prayer for peace. It is very simple. Each night at 9 p.m. wherever you are, alone or with others, pause for a moment and pray silently or aloud…

Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.

Pray this prayer, in whatever your native tongue (see below), knowing that you join thousands around the globe who call themselves CFOers, people who seek first the kingdom of God in the eternal Here and Now and the abundant life Christ taught in the scriptures. CFO is an organism/movement. There is nothing to join. Simply prayer this prayer, and perhaps check our calendar of events for a CFO Camp near you.

DANISH

Komme ditt rige, ske din vilje som i himlen saledes ogsa pa jorden.
Ma fred vaere pa jorden, og maske begynder det med mig.

Efik (NIGERIA)

Yak Ubong Fo Edi.
Yak Inam Uduak Fo; Nte Enamde ke Heaven,
Yak Inam ke Ison Kpasuk Ntre.
Yak Emem Odu ke Ison. Yak Onyun Otono ke Idem mmi. Amen.

FRENCH

Que ton règne vienne, que ta volonté soit faite sur la terre comme au ciel.
Que la paix soit sur terre, et qu’elle commence par moi.

GERMAN

Dein Reich komme, dein wille geschehe wie im Himmel so auf Erden.
Lass frieden auf Erden sein und lass ein mit mir beginnen.

HINDI

Tera Rajya Aye,
तेरा राज्य आए,
Teri  Ichcha  jaise  Suwarg  mein puri  hoti hai,
तेरी इच्छा जैसे स्वर्ग में पूरी होती है,
Waise Prithvi par bhi puri ho,
वैसे पृथ्वी पर भी पूरी हो,
Prithvi par Shanti ho ,
पृथ्वी पर शांति हो,
Aur yeh mujh se aarambh ho.
और ये मुझ से आरंभ हो.

ICELANDIC

Til komi pitt riki, veroi pinn vilji, svo a jorou sem a himni.
Medi friour vera a jorou of megi hann byrja a mer.

ITALIAN

Venga il tuo regno, sia fatta la tua volontà come in cielo così in terra.
Che la pace sia sulla terra e che inizi con me.

LATIN

Adveniat regnum tuum, fiat voluntas tua sicut in caelo et in terra.
Sit pax in terra, et incipiat mecum.

SPANISH

Venga tu reino. Hágase tu voluntad así en la tierra como en el cielo.
Que la paz sea en la tierra y comience conmigo.

SWAHILI

Ufalme Wako ufike
Utakalo lifanyike,
Duniani Kama ilivyio mbinguni.
Kuwe na amani duniani
Na ianze na mimi. Amina.

SWEDISH

Tillkomme Ditt Rike. Ske Din vilja sasom i Himmelen sa ock pa Jorden.
Ma freden vara pa jorden, och far den borja med mig.