Prayers for Tauranga

Prayers were offered for the future of New Zealand's fifth largest city at the 18th Tauranga Mayoral Prayer Breakfast held at TECT Arena yesterday.

About 150 people listened to guest speaker Warehouse Group CEO and Baptist pastor Mark Powell talk about how business was about relationships.

Mayor Stuart Crosby acknowledged the efforts that churches were doing in quietly working under the radar to build thecommunity.

He said the measure of a society was how well it supported the less fortunate.

He also praised the huge effort made by the city's youth in the Rena clean-up and the importance of social networking such as Facebook to galvanise them into action.

Colin Booth led a prayer for the business and economic situation, Kim Williamson on the arts and environment and Jessie Misa on the community and multi-culturalism.

Prayers were also offered for churches and Christian agencies, Tauranga's leadership, hospital and other health agencies, and police and fire service.