Mayoral Prayer Breakfast
The Redland City Mayoral Prayer Breakfast is a very special annual event where you can make a positive contribution to school chaplaincy programs in the Redlands, with surplus funds donated to these important programs. It is an opportunity to bring members of our city's community together to give thanks for God's rich blessings, and pray for the needs of the residents of Redlands.
The breakfast provides an opportunity for the Redlands’ church, business and school community to come together to give thanks. It seeks to unite and strengthen all faiths within the Redlands. Residents are encouraged to share in the spirit of community camaraderie attend the breakfast and with your participation, you will be contributing to a group that seeks to unite and strengthen all faiths within the Redlands.
Every year, the chosen keynote speaker, someone who is of significance to the community, shares their ideas and blessings with the guests of the day. This year, international author and humanitarian Kay Danes was the speaker at the breakfast on Wednesday 24 August 2011.
Kay called on her faith and childhood memories of her church to get her through tough times when she and her husband were imprisoned in a Laotian jail in 2001. There was a big rush on to buy copies of Kay’s books after the breakfast – with thanks to Kay for donating $10 per sale to the chaplaincy program.
Nearly 200 guests attended the breakfast which was held at the Redlands Sporting Club and was a huge success. A thank you to our sponsors: Renaissance Retirement Living; The Big Red Cat; Alan and Janice Lucas from Remax Bayside Properties; Christian Business Network; Alex Gow Funerals; Bayside Bulletin; Certified Roofing and Golden Cockerel. Other private donations were gratefully received.
The program started with a flag presentation conducted by TS Norfolk Navy Cadets, AB Lowe and AB Howarth, followed by the Mayor’s welcome to guests and the singing of the National Anthem, led by a young Redlands performer, Dakota Striplin. Dakota also entertained the gathering with his own composition, ‘Best friend’, which was quite a moving performance at the conclusion of the breakfast.
The opening prayer and Grace was conducted by Father Frank O’Dea of the Star of the Sea Catholic Church; Prayer for Australia and closing prayer, Rev Peter Elliott of the Cleveland Uniting Church; Prayer for Families by Pastor Andrew Schulz of the Redlands Lutheran Church and Prayer for Redlands by chaplain Anna-Claire Hoey from the Alexandra Hills State High School. The words to all of these are available by clicking on the hyperlink on this page.
A regular and very important part of this program is the reading of Bible verses by local high school students. This year Bethany Fullerton from Cleveland and Timothy Rackemann from Alexandra Hills high schools, after which the Mayor presented each of these students with a gift of their own Bibles.
Neale Collier was the MC once again and did a wonderful job – thanks Neale.
The Redland City Mayoral Prayer Breakfast is hosted by the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International, with all funds going to the Redlands chaplaincy – a great cause!
Thank you to all who attended and supported this great cause and we hope to see you next year. Keep checking this website for more information as we get closer to August 2012.