St. Ed’s and St Peter’s Prayer Hub.Week beginning Sunday 15th November 2020Welcome to the second week of our St Ed’s and St Peter’s Prayer Hub which we started last week. We hope you found the prayer suggestions last week helpful and that, if you were able, you joined in with saying the Lord’s Prayer at 12pm each day.Please join us live on St Eds Facebook page at 9pm on Saturday evenings for a time of quiet reflective prayer.Sunday: Give thanks for our life together at St Ed’s and St Peter’s, for the opportunity to worship together online. Give thanks too for those who join with us from further afield, including overseas.Monday: Pray for all those who are working to produce vaccines.Tuesday: Pray for those who will watch our Tiny Tunes livestream today.Wednesday: Hold in the Light of Christ’s love all those who are unwell with mental health illnesses, especially those who can’t access the right help and support they need.Thursday: Pray for Syria, Lebanon, Ethiopia, and all places torn apart by disunity, chaos, fear and hatred.Friday: Spend some time today giving thanks for God’s goodness and love.Saturday: Pray for our worship tomorrow.Lord Jesus Christ,You are The Light of the world.Fill our minds with your love, And our heart with your peace.In your name O Christ,Our life and our nourishment. Amen.Attached is a sheet of the above in case you prefer to print a copy for reference
The livestreams are continuing with the following services being made available via the St Ed's Facebook page:Sunday 15th November 9:30 am Service if the Word with Val Hooker Sunday 15th November 11:15am with Stella Noons (service sheet attached)Sunday 15th November evening 6.30pm with Rachel and Sophie (for Sunday Club and the young at heart)Tuesday 17th November 10am Tiny Tunes (music for all young people)Wednesday 18th November 10.30am Rev PaulWednesday 18th November 9pm Rachel’s Rectory RamblingsSaturday 21st November 9pm Prayers together Watch live if you are able --- or join later on 'catch up'.Everyone welcome.AdditionallyShoeboxes Thank you to everyone who donated a shoebox this year. We gathered 62 – a fantastic total! Thank you. They will be hugely appreciated by those who will receive them.Advent begins on Sunday 29th November.
Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.Isaiah 40 : 31Bible reading : Matthew 25 : 1 - 13Thought for the weekToday is Remembrance Sunday as we come to remember those who died in the wars defending our country, to give thanks for our freedom and to commit ourselves to the way of peace, in the strength of Jesus The Prince of Peace. This is of course all the more poignant as we face in these days an unseen enemy, and all the disruption that is causing to so many. We have today many who are making sacrifices, we have new front lines, a fight for a vaccine and for freedom, and the virus is affecting the lives of us all.Jesus tells the Parable of a wedding, and of bridesmaids called to take part, and yet some are unprepared. It is a reminder to us how we are all called by Jesus to take part in His Kingdom. We are all called to keep our lamps filled so we can shine brightly for Him. So we are ready to meet Him in the people we see and those on our hearts to pray for.This second lockdown has come with a call from the Archbishops to pray. Many of us have adopted the practice of pausing wherever we are to say the Lord’s Prayer at 12 o’clock each day. It connects us with one another and brings us into the conscious awareness of the presence of God. You may wish to join us.Alongside this, within the benefice, we will be giving a simple suggestion for each day of something you might like to pray about as we pray together for the world in all its trauma and anguish and also as we give thanks for God’s continued presence and faithfulness to us in this time of uncertainty and difficulty. - see separate news-item for this week's suggested topics.In this lockdown may we shine with Jesus’ Light, that everyone may know His presence and His Peace. Rev PaulPrayer for this weekGod, our refuge and strength,bring near the day when wars shall ceaseand poverty and pain shall end,that earth may know the peace of heaventhrough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Praying TogetherWeek beginning Sunday 8th NovemberJesus’ disciples once asked him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ Prayer is at the heart of our life together as followers of Jesus. Central to our worship, individually and as a fellowship, it is the lifeblood that holds us and sustains us. Jesus gave the disciples the words of the prayer we now call the Lord’s prayer. Jesus also taught us to pray simply and from the heart, not worrying about the words we use but instead being mindful that in prayer we are talking to our loving heavenly parent.Paul, in the letters that he writes to Christians, encourages them to, ‘pray always’, and to, ‘give thanks.’ Within the benefice many of us have adopted the practice of pausing wherever we are to say the Lord’s Prayer at 12 o’clock each day. It connects us with one another and brings us into the conscious awareness of the presence of God. During this time of lockdown we would like to encourage you to continue this or, if you’ve never done it to perhaps take this up. You might like to set a reminder on your telephone and if midday doesn’t work for you to commit to another time each day. We hope these prayer suggestions will be a helpful aid to your prayer times.Alongside this we will be giving a simple suggestion for each day of something you might like to pray about as we pray together for the world in all its trauma and anguish and also a we give thanks for all that is good and God’s continued presence and faithfulness to us in this time of uncertainty and difficulty. We hope this will be a reflection of our life and worship together as we pray together for the world God made and loves, which Jesus died for and in which the Holy Spirit lives and moves in grace and peace.Sunday 8th - We give thanks that the Holy Spirit unites us in prayer and and draws us together in the love of Christ.Monday 9th- We pray for all those who are unwell with Covid-19 and for those who care for them.Tuesday 10th- We hold in the Light of Christ the people of the USA following the election.Wednesday 11th- Hold before the Lord the young people of our country, many of whom are struggling. Thursday 12th- As we think of the beauty of God’s good creation we pray for the earth and our stewardship of it.Friday 13th- Spend some time today in quiet stillness remembering that you are loved by God, in whose image you are made.Saturday 14th- Pray for our worship tomorrow.Attached is a sheet of the above in case you prefer to print a copy for reference
