10,000 cream teas welcome Olympic Flame to Cornwall

Tomorrow (19 May) around 10,000 people will enjoy free creamteas in almost every church in every village and town in Cornwallto celebrate the start of the Olympic Torch Relay.

ChurchesTogether in Cornwall has organised the Great Cream TeaChallenge, which expects to see a record number of cream teashosted in a single day. The cream for the event is being providedby Rhodda's and localfarmers around Cornwall.

"It's great that the churches are working together in this way,"said Methodist minister the Revd Doreen Sparey-Delacassa, who wason the organising committee. "We will be holding the eventalongside a day of prayer for Cornwall. Everyone who takes part inthe cream tea will be prayed for. There will also be sportingevents happening in the grounds of many of the churches takingpart."

The Olympic Flame will leave Lands End tomorrow morning to beginits journey through Cornwall. It will leave just a couple of hoursbehind a double-decker PraiseBus from Escalls Methodist Chapel, carrying the first of manymusicians who will sing their faith from the top deck as thevehicle tours around the country.

On Sunday 20 May there will be a day of prayer across the Duchy,with special church services and prayer for a revival of faith inCornwall. Some congregations may devote themselves to a week of24/7 prayer, leading up to a celebrationat Gwennap Pit on Sunday 27 May, when the preacher will be theRevd Leo Osborn, President of the Methodist Conference.