PARISHIONERS are being asked to nominate a particular hour each day in which they will spend at least five minutes praying for their church, their community, and the world.

The "Every Hour" project will be launched in the New Year by All Saints' and Salutation, Blackwell, in Darlington, Co. Durham. But already the Vicar, Canon John Dobson, has signed up enough people to cover every hour between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.

"We have got at least 100 so far, and there will be at least one person praying at some time during each hour," he said on Tuesday. "I hope eventually to have more than 20 praying in each of the popular hours, and at least ten in the not so favourite ones. Interestingly, slots in the early morning and mid-evening are proving most popular. The quietest period is early afternoon."

His project, which he hopes will become permanent, is part of the diocese of Durham's "Priorities" for 2014 and the "Preparing the Ground for Growth" project, which sets out to promote growth of churches and communities across the diocese.

Canon Dobson, who is also Area Dean, said: "The intention is to be united in our prayers wherever we are. Sometimes, we just need a nudge from a friend to make prayer and worship the priorities that they deserve to be. We have 340 members of the church electoral roll, plus others who worship regularly, or who regard All Saints' as their church. We would like to involve the vast majority of these people and others if they would like to join us."

The Canon has bagged the slot from 7 a.m. "No one who is serious about being a disciple of Jesus Christ is too busy to find at least five minutes per day for prayer."