Prayers for 4th October

PRAYER SPACE – 4th October, 2020
DIOCESE Please pray for all those who are being ordained priests in our Diocese at this time. This year the ordinands who are to be priested will celebrate their ordinations locally, on different days. We pray especially for them as they negotiate these uncertain times. Pray too for their parishes and training incumbents. We thank God that he has brought each of them to us and pray that he will continue to make them a blessing among us. By name, please pray for; Bruce Watson, Lesley Hardy, Stephen O’Connor, Simeon Nevell, Michael Darkins, John Huffman, Jacky Darling
MAIDSTONE DEANERY All the parishes at this difficult time;
All Saints Loose, All Saints Maidstone with St Philips & St Stephens, St Andrew’s, St Faith’s, St Luke’s, St Martin’s, St Michael’s, St Nicholas’ and St Paul’s.
RESIDENTS Odiham Drive, Old Trafford Close, Poplar Grove, Burns Road, Chamberlain Avenue
COMMUNITY Fairlawn Residential Home, The Blackthorn Health Centre
CHARITY OF THE MONTH Winter Shelter, particularly for its users as there will be challenges this year for the shelter
SICK & ANXIOUS Tanay, Dawson, Kirsty, Paul Middleditch, Betty Hildebrand, Gordon Lorimer, Amy Bates, Connie Davies, Judy Thompson, Betty Chandler, Joan Finn, Diane Hills, Arthur Pilbeam, Ian Stuart, Malcolm Holbrook, Emma, Betty King, Belinda Pearce, Jenny White
BEREAVED Barry Rendell, Joyce Foster (many will remember Joyce – her funeral was on the 28/9)
If you have a particular need you would like us to pray for please use the following contact details;

ST NICHOLAS CHURCH

Email: Prayerstnicholas@outlook.com

Telephone: 01622 758641

ST ANDREW’S CHURCH

Email: johnesweetman@blueyonder.co.uk

Telephone: 01622 728233

If you wish to add a name to the Prayer Space please ensure that you have their, or their family’s permission. Our prayer space provides a ‘cycle of prayer’, throughout the year, around church, local community and beyond.

WEEKLY PRAYERS, from John & Jean Sweetman at St Andrew’s
Lord, you require in us sincerity and truth: fill our minds with your wisdom, make us happy in your service; create in us a new heart and put a loyal spirit within us. Do not banish us from your presence, or take your Holy Spirit from us; give us the joy which comes from your salvation, and make us willing to obey you through Jesus Christ our Lord AMEN (From Psalm 51).

Heavenly Father, as we see the continuing spread of covid both in our own country and other parts of the world, we pray for your blessing on all who are making so many efforts to overcome this virus; for those seeking to find an effective vaccine, for those who deal with and monitor testing and for all who care for those suffering from covid. Above all we pray for an early abatement of this disease. We ask this in Jesus’ name. AMEN

We pray for Church leaders as they seek to organise the continuation of worship at this difficult time. We pray for those taking up new positions of leadership in our Diocese especially asking for your blessing on Stephen in his new role, on Andrew Sewell on his appointment as Archdeacon and on Rev. Chris as our new Area Dean. We pray too for the preparations being made for the Annual Church meetings in our two Parishes giving thanks for all who are stepping down from positions of Lay leadership and praying for those who will succeed them. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.

Lord God, you are our protector, you are our complete saviour. We see the love you have for us in the mighty acts of Jesus Christ. There are times when we are harassed, overwhelmed, when we feel that our pilgrim path of life is full of thorns and briars and we are having to walk on in blindness with bare feet. Help us to know your comfort; let us ever be sure that if we have pain, you share it. If the path is difficult, you are there with us in all we experience; so with you we are safe and the wounds are only temporary. We ask these things so that we know that you rule in our lives. AMEN.