It's claimed the Queen and Prime Minister Boris Johnson have been "fairly non-committal" in proclaiming a day of prayer as the UK experiences the second wave of the coronavirus crisis.
The CEO of the UK Evangelical Alliance told Premier he wrote a letter to the Queen and to Mr Johnson, but the response wasn't what he had wished for.
Gavin Calver said: "I personally wish that the Queen had called a day of prayer like we've done during the Second World War. I have written to the Prime Minister and the Queen, I've had responses but that hasn't happened."
He added: "I think because the Evangelical Alliance represents quite a lot of people and the Queen historically has engaged with us very often, we got a letter back, which was nice, very, very warm, but fairly non-committal, let's say."
The Evangelical Alliance, which represents thousands of churches and organisations across the UK decided to declare a UK day of prayer anyway on 13th November.
Calver told Premier he knew it had to be done after many church leaders called for one and the UK was tightening coronavirus restrictions again.
"It was when the further restrictions were brought in, in England, and you already had restrictions in Wales and Northern Ireland and in Scotland, we felt it was time to actually say, 'Come on, folks. Let's have a focused day of prayer. Let's petition heavenlies."
The call to pray will focus on government leaders tackling the virus and treating those affected by it. It will also include prayers for frontline in health and social care workers and the vulnerable.
He added: "The prayer is not as simple as 'God, why did you make a mistake and let this happen? Can you please stop it?' The prayers are 'Lord, would you take care of those on the margins? Would you have your way in this time? Would you use your church in the season? But also would you take care of the vulnerable?' God did not make this happen, but he is moving powerfully in and through it."
The Evangelical Alliance has a suggested schedule for the day and ideas to help people pray on its website.
Meanwhile, The Church of England has declared the length of England's second lockdown to be a month of prayer.
Listen to Premier's interview with Gavin Calver here:
