It will be a room that encourages different approaches to prayer, whether creative — using the arts — quiet, or by any means that would equip those using it to feel they can express their prayer effectively. The idea is for it to act as both a place of sanctuary and peace, but also as a place for expression and honest seeking of God. As a room set apart for this and this only, it would be able to be set up to facilitate this.

It will not be affiliated to any Christian society or organisation to ensure free and open access to anyone wanting to use it. Therefore volunteers will be required to maintain the day to day up keep of the room, and take responsibility for it. As well as those involved with running it on a practical level, there will be an external figure to ensure that the room continues into the future in the spirit in which it has been set up, throughout the coming and going of the student population.

The room will display a set of "boundaries" which will outline the expected use of the room; eg. that it is for Christian prayer and that the space and privacy of other users will need to be respected. However, it will operate on the basis of trust for all those who use it.

A petition has been raised, and those who have signed it have registered not only their support for the idea, but a commitment to use it at least once a term. So far there are nearly a hundred and twenty signatures from students from the various Christian societies, as well as Christians who are not affiliated to any of them. (Numbers are correct at time of going to press, but are predicted to increase!) This is expected to secure a suitable room.

A Christian prayer room has the potential to offer the sanctuary and peace that students need. More importantly though, the purpose of this room is not simply to benefit students; God is so rarely given the attention He deserves — this room should encourage and facilitate the prayers, worship and supplications to a God who loved us enough to die for us. If you would like to support this project, or simply to be kept informed of the developments, please email Beverley at brs101@york.ac.uk