AYR ST COLUMBA PARISH CHURCH
Thursday 29 October
This is “Good Money Week”, a campaign to raise awareness of sustainable, responsible and ethical finance and is looking at how our money can support a green and fair recovery after the pandemic. Pray that all, from individuals to governments, may take this seriously as we hear of the loss of so much which we value in our environment.
And in these days, as autumn turns into winter, pray that we may value and use every opportunity to get out into the fresh air, when we can, and enjoy the delights of God’s creation in garden, field and hedgerow never taking any of it for granted.
Friday 30 October
Today is a day when people used to include regularly some of the harvest of the sea in their diets Pray for our fishermen and all who work at sea – in ships, on oil rigs and on small boats, catching our seafood. Give thanks for their work which brings enrichment to the lives of other people. As winter comes and storms occur, their daily life becomes less predictable and more dangerous. Pray that God will protect them and bring them home safely. Pray for their families often waiting anxiously for their return.
Saturday 31 October
Tonight many children and young people will be marking Hallowe’en (or the Feast of All Hallows or All Saints) in traditional innocent ways. Customarily we in St. Columba would be holding a Light Party to offer a positive alternative to some of the less than helpful aspects of Hallowe’en which commercial interests have heightened in recent years. Such a party is not possible this year. Pray that wherever our young folk are enjoying themselves and having fun, they may be kept safe, especially in places where some younger children may feel scared or fearful of the images presented to them, even just in fun. Pray that all our young people may grow up to know and love the Light of the World and be blessed by Him. Pray for our Sunday Kids staff team as they prepare for what they will share about Jesus with our youngsters tomorrow at church and ask that many will come along now that safe, socially distanced meeting can be held again.
Sunday 1 November
Today ushers in another new month and is known in the calendar as All Saints Day when there is a special opportunity in church services to remember with thanksgiving those no longer with us in this life. Whether or not you are worshipping in church or at home online or by phone, give thanks for all who have enriched your life and whose memory is special to you and your families. Pray for all who have been bereaved , especially in this very difficult year, and for those who are caring for them, pastorally or in other ways: that, sensitively and appropriately, they may be helped to adjust to the changes in their lives which this has meant.
Monday 2 November
This is the day when the new tiers of Scottish Government regulations, designed to keep as many as possible safe from the pandemic, come into force. Many will find these confusing and difficult. Pray for our leaders as they strive to balance the needs of the economy with the lives and livelihoods of the population, asking God to help particularly those who struggle to comply and those who see no need for them. Pray that we may all be more thoughtful of others as these take effect. Pray, too, for those who have to enforce them and are too often vilified or abused as they try to do so, asking that they may go about their task patiently and cheerfully.
Tuesday 3 November
Pray for the many whose businesses are failing and jobs being lost, whose lives must feel very bleak indeed, perhaps some of them friends and family. Pray that we will be aware of their needs, both practical and emotional and for friendship, love and prayer. Ask God to prompt us to find ways we might help and encourage those in this position, Pray that those whose mental health is affected may find the right kind of help and support.
Wednesday 4 November
As the nights draw in and temperatures fall, pray for all who sleep rough in our cities. Remember the work of the Bethany Christian Centre in Edinburgh and the Lodging House Mission in Glasgow as they reach out to them and give thanks for the congregations in and around our cities who provide and cook a hot meal for those who use the Care shelters offered in some former churches which have been equipped for this purpose. Remember also the ongoing work, volunteer staff and clients at the food banks in many of our towns and cities. Pray especially for children affected by food poverty and for every effort being made to provide them with a daily hot nutritious meal.