The Vow

Taking the Vow

Each year members of 24-7 Prayer gather either regionally or globally to celebrate, worship and share stories about what God is doing through the movement. During the gatherings there is a time set aside for the OMS to come together for vow taking and the renewal of vows.

For those who have been recommended by members of the OMS to take their vows for the first time, there is a covenant consecration service which involves the taking of their solemn and generous vows to remain true to Christ, kind to people, and to take the Gospel to the nations. The service follows a set liturgy, which is made available to candidates before the gathering to aid in their preparation for making their vows. Candidates initially take the vow for a period of 5 years.

Friends of those taking their vows, particularly their ‘companions of the heart’, also known as their ‘cymbrogi’, are warmly invited to attend the service if possible, to encourage and support the candidates.

Once the vow is taken, members of the OMS are encouraged to regularly discuss their journey of adherence to their vow with their cymbrogi, and their companion or spiritual director if they have one.

We do not consider it appropriate for people who have not been recommended, or who have not undergone the period of preparation, to take vows. Persons who have not been recommended by another member of the OMS, or who have taken vows outside the 24-7 Prayer gatherings, are not considered to be members of the order.

Renewing the Vow

One of the distinctive characteristics of the OMS is the regular gatherings of members of the order to renew their vows. These gatherings happen at the same time as the service for those taking the vow for the first time, and members of the order recommit to their vows during the same service.

Whilst the vow has already been made by the member of the OMS and they are therefore still bound by it, there are several advantages that members receive by publicly renewing their vows.

1. Members of the order gather to discuss the joys and the challenges of living with the vow, sharing in mutual encouragement.
2. The renewal process gives each member of the order an opportunity to refocus life around the commitment they have made.
3. The vow renewal liturgy contains a confession for the times that each member has failed to live up to their vow. This provides an opportunity for forgiveness, mutual encouragement, and exhortation to renewed commitment to the vow that has been undertaken.

We recommend that members of the order attend a regional or global gathering at least every two years to undertake renewal of their vows.