Bishop offers prayers to jobless

The Bishop of Worcester has stood outside a Jobcentre taking requests for prayers from unemployed people.

The Rt Rev John Inge collected prayer requests and handed out copies of the Church of England's prayer for those affected by redundancy in Redditch.

The bishop said he planned to say prayers for those who took up his offer at the Ash Wednesday service at Worcester Cathedral later.



He said he wanted people hit by the recession to know help was available.

A spokesman for the Church of England said Dr Inge would not read out individual names during the Cathedral service.

He said: "He will make a collective reference to them during the Ash Wednesday service and he will then place the completed cards on the altar during the service so that they are remembered in prayer collectively by those present.