SEPTEMBER PRAYER CALENDAR 2020 Week 2

Thursday 10 September

The increasing number of people affected by the Corona virus has risen sharply in the last week all over the world. Pray for our leaders and their medical and scientific advisers in the Westminster and Holyrood governments as they grapple with the difficult decisions which have to be taken, balancing the health of the nation with the need to speed up the opening of the economy in every sector. Pray for wise and realistic decisions to be made and pray that these will be heard and heeded across the nation.

Friday 11 September

“The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” This month of September is being marked as Creation Time when  the focus will be on planet earth and all that it offers us,  its inhabitants, along  with the animal kingdom, birds, fish and insects, in terms of a beautiful place in which  to live and breathe and grow. Praise God for the beauty He has created. Ask for forgiveness for the ways in which we have polluted and spoiled it and pray that we will be better stewards of it in future. Give thanks for the special beauty of this autumn season when we can rejoice in its changing colours and harvesting its fruits of field and farm to sustain us through the winter.

Saturday 12 September

Although our Sunday Kids is not meeting on Sundays yet, give thanks for the excellent material being prepared by the leaders and posted on Facebook for our young folk and their parents and carers to enjoy. Pray that this will be well used and appreciated by them. Pray for the youth organisations which normally use our premises who are eager to re- start their activities also: that it may be possible to do this soon.

Sunday 13 September

Give thanks that the resumption of congregational worship in our Sanctuary was so well supported last Sunday and pray that this time of coming together to worship God continues to be uplifting and challenging as more wish to come along. Give thanks for the wonders of modern technology and those skilled in operating it which ensure that the service can also be provided online on the church website, or on Youtube, for those still unable to attend. Pray for our Organist, Matthew and his wife, Rachel, whose musical gifts so beautifully enhance the worship while congregational singing is not yet permitted.

Monday 14 September

A new working week…and a reminder to pray for those in our congregation’s satellite office as the folk there begin their 127th day there helping the congregation get through this difficult time, especially helping those not on line. Give thanks for the excellent work of Irene and those who help her as she produces an uplifting thought for all of us each day on Facebook in addition to her “normal” work; for our Session Clerk, Bob, her husband, as he, with Walter, attends to Kirk Session business and many other matters; for John, our Beadle (who recently lost his father) and Michael at Lochside who work hard to keep our properties in good order, along with our cleaners; for Tom, our Treasurer, whose work is made more difficult because of the many uncertainties of these extraordinary times; and for Scott and David, leading us all through their worship, visits and calls. Give thanks for each of them and pray that we may never take for granted all that they do for us, often going well beyond the call of duty.

Tuesday 15 September

A letter just in, entitled Putting HOPE in everyone’s hands  reminds us that even through the global pandemic the work of the Scottish Bible Society and its worldwide partners continues and needs our prayers and our giving. It tells of urgent needs in Haiti, Rwanda, Lebanon, where the local office was badly damaged in the recent explosion, and Syria. Their officers ask us to pray for their teams serving in these countries at this time.

Wednesday 16 September

Alleviating loneliness and feelings of isolation is a matter for on-going prayer – how can we reach out to those who feel cut off from their usual pathways of communication? Our God sees and will prompt His people to pray on. Might each of us be the answer to our prayers for them.

Here is a verse from a poem which a friend of a friend posted in an e mail today:

As long as we pray

We will be transformed daily

As long as we pray, grace will fill our empty hearts

As long as we pray

We find strength to serve others

As long as we pray

Thank you for praying…and please keep at it!