Hello everyone
In a week when we have Celebrated the 100th Birthday of Captain Tom Moore and Donald Trump has entered into a Conspiracy battle with China, people are asking the question how will Coronavirus change the way we live? The weekly Clap for Carers, now in its sixth week, shows appreciation and care for Health professionals and other key workers and resounds across our village of Meltham.
Hearts were caught, cheered and warmed by the war veteran Tom raising £30m by the completing of laps in his garden. Monies raised for NHS charities. On his Birthday a fly past was organised and Tom was made Honorary Colonel and also became an honorary member of the England Cricket team.
Sadly we can also sense disquiet around which is understandable but we need to pray that we don’t allow our nation and ourselves to become part of a blame culture.
If nothing else, we will have been learning a little of how to live with uncertainty and deprivation of privilege – something that might bring us closer to the lived experience of a lot of people and a lot of Christians in this world.
We will be experiencing the reality of faith as we contemplate living and ministering in a changed world. So, we can either complain about what lies ahead or we can try to shape it for the sake of the kingdom of God.
Nick Fawcett in his book of prayers ‘For Such a Time as Now’ asks for lessons to be learned from this crisis
PRAYER
Lord, it’s hard to see any good coming from the crisis we’re facing, this time that is bringing such anxiety, such heartache, and such hardship to so many.
Yet if one useful thing might come out of it, let it be this: that we learn – as individuals, as a nation, as a world – from the experience, and so be better equipped in the future should similar or worse threats to our health arise.
May lessons from these dark days equip us, if need be, to respond more effectively, provide more meaningfully, and help more swiftly in times ahead. Open our eyes to the best and the worst in all that is happening now, and enable us truly to learn from both. Amen
You might also like to consider the following.
1.
There is a Prayer App which can be accessed on all devices
PRAY AS YOU GO
A daily prayer session lasting between ten and thirteen minutes, it combines music, scripture and some questions for reflection. It is produced by Jesuit Media Initiatives.
There aims are to : become more aware of God’s presence, listen to and reflect on God’s word and grow in relationship with God
This App has been used in the past at Meltham Churches Together Wednesday Prayer Time and Christine and I both find it very helpful
2
The Church of England has launched a helpline called Daily Hope. This is aimed at those who do not have access to the internet and all the online resources. Using a freephone number (0800 8048044), it offers a hymn, reading and prayer. It is completely free for the caller. This has been advertised widely on the internet but will not have been seen by those without this facility. Do you know anyone, without internet access, who might be interested and who you could contact to let them have this number?
Keep safe, keep praying
Peter
