8:33am Tuesday 22nd December 2009
CHURCHES in York and Malton will be praying for the safe return of missing chef Claudia Lawrence over Christmas.
Special prayers will be said during the Christmas Day Eucharist at York Minster, where her father is a regular worshipper, and also at Holy Trinity Church, close to Claudia’s home in Heworth.
Meanwhile, members of the congregation at St Mary’s Priory Church, in Malton, continue to pray for her safe return at every service.
Inside the church, which is where Claudia attended Sunday school and prepared for confirmation, fresh flowers have surrounded a poster of Claudia ever since she went missing.
St Michael’s Church, also in Malton, will host three 20-minute services on Christmas Eve, at which people can light candles for Claudia. They will take place at 9.30am, 10,30am and 11.30am.
Martin Dales, a friend and spokesman for Claudia’s father, solicitor Peter Lawrence, said: “Peter is very grateful for the continuing prayers and thoughts of so many people across the nation at this difficult time of not knowing where Claudia is.”
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