An eight week journey that will help you and your community to grow and deepen your prayer life.
Join us for a series of 1 hour sessions each Thursday at 8pm on Zoom as we embark on a journey through the Lord’s Prayer. Starting Thursday 12th November.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84173108829?pwd=M1R1Q25iTzcrZGpWSWp6YVZiQXF1UT09
Meeting ID: 841 7310 8829
Passcode: 772492
More info can be found here:
https://prayercourse.org/
Starting tonight we have a care & share zoom meeting. 8pm every Tuesday during lockdown. Everyone is welcome. A chance to just see & listen to others or to join in with activities & prayers. Hope you can make it!
The link below will work for all the dates listed:
Topic: Tuesday 8pm care & share
Time: Nov 10, 2020 08:00 PM London
Every week on Tue, 5 occurrence(s)
Nov 10, 2020 08:00 PM
Nov 17, 2020 08:00 PM
Nov 24, 2020 08:00 PM
Dec 1, 2020 08:00 PM
Dec 8, 2020 08:00 PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81093472877?pwd=SXQzOC9SWUVtYTlaTFpOVGRLTU9rQT09
Meeting ID: 810 9347 2877
Passcode: 942776
Hello Everyone
Ladysmith Black Mambazo sing: ‘Keep praying; ask the Lord for help. For he is powerful. That is your weapon; do not lose it. Pray without ceasing, for the Lord is powerful.’
A Call to Prayer
A prayer call has been made with the support of senior church leaders – Churches Together in England, Evangelical Alliance, RC Archbishop of Westminster, Leader of the Pentecostal Church, the Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London, Pete Grieg of 24.7 Prayer International, and the Church of England House of Bishops.
This week we have had several emails from various churches and organizations all pointing to the need for prayer. There are many different suggestions – i.e. Prayer on specific days, or on each day, prayer at specific time, fasting along with prayer, using bells as a call to prayer. So many ideas, so many thoughts but no matter how, when or where you pray or possibly fast the key thing is to take on board the words sung by Ladysmith Black Mambazo ‘Keep praying; ask the Lord for help for he is powerful. That is your weapon; do not lose it. Pray without ceasing, for the Lord is powerful.’
Words from Stephen Cottrell the new Archbishop of York says – “Prayer changes things. It changes things by inviting God into the room.”
YOU MAY LIKE TO USE THE FOLLOWING PRAYERS
As we have entered a second period of National lock down, let us pray in earnest that people will honour the guidelines set.
PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Loving God,
at this time of crisis
when so many are suffering,
we pray for our nation and our world.
Give our leaders wisdom,
our Health Service strength,
our people hope.
Lead us through these parched and difficult days
to the fresh springs of joy and comfort
that we find in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
On Wednesday 11th November let us take a moment to remember all those who laid down their lives in the two great wars and for all lives lost in the wars since the end of the second world war.
YOU MAY WISH TO USE THIS PRAYER FOCUS FOR EACH DAY
MONDAY
SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
We pray for all those involved in the shaping of young lives. We give God thanks for the sacrifice and commitment of teachers and all those involved in serving children and young people in education.
TUESDAY
ELDERLY, ISOLATED ABD VULNERABLE
We echo God’s commitment to those most at risk of this virus by praying for those who are particularly vulnerable and isolated. We pray for their deliverance protection and comfort. We hold before God those who care for them – that they would be strengthened and encouraged in this work.
WEDNESDAY
BUSINESSES, THE WORKPLACE AND ECONOMIC WELLBEING
In this time of great challenge, we pray for the economic wellbeing of the country. We remember before God those who face great uncertainty in their work. We lift before God those who have lost their jobs and face an uncertain and difficult future.
THURSDAY
NHS AND OTHER KEY WORKERS
Our God is the great healer – and the agent used more than any other is the NHS. Today we voice our gratitude for those who serve this country in the National Health Service and pray that God would prosper the work of their hands – that they would be encouraged in their continued work of sacrifice and care amongst us.
FRIDAY
NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
We pray for those who are in positions of authority with responsibility for decision making at national and local level at this difficult time. We ask that God would give great wisdom, deep commitment to all and right judgement.
SATURDAY
ALL WHO ARE GRIEVING AND ALL SUFFERING WITH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ILL-HEALTH.
‘Lord the one you love is ill.’ John 11.v3
We bring to God all those who suffer in body, mind spirit or with grief. We ask that in God’s great loving kindness they might know God’s sustaining presence amidst their pain.
SUNDAY
FAMILY, FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES
We lift to God those we hold in our hearts – praying for their healing. their well-being and their sense of hope. We pray that even when loved ones cannot physically be together, they would not feel apart. We ask for God’s help in our communicating, our connecting and our caring.
KEEP SAFE – KEEP PRAYING
Peter
An outdoor Service of Remembrance will take place by the War Memorial at St Bartholomew’s Church, #Meltham – Sunday 8th November at 10:45am. Due to the current Covid lockdown restrictions, this will be very different from usual. The Royal British Legion is encouraging individuals to stay at home, and stand on their doorstep to mark the 2 minute silence. To assist with this, we will live stream the ceremony on YouTube from 10:45am so individuals can take part from home. https://youtu.be/oC7RthCCDfM
There will be the traditional laying of wreaths at the War Memorial by the local organisations – however we encourage just one representative from each organisation to take part to help manage social distancing etc.
Hello Everyone
On Sunday 1st November, the Church at large celebrated the feast day of ‘All Saints’.
Today as we circulate our weekly prayer sheet, it’s Monday 2nd November, the day we pray for departed souls.
May I suggest we make time to pray for all the saints and all souls throughout the week, holding them in our minds eye. A good way to Start is with thanksgiving and praise to God our Father.
Spend a while in quiet. Invite the Holy Spirit into the space you are creating. Become aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit, with you now… the Spirit who works in you…
A Reading from Ephesians 1:11-14
11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God,for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. 12 God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. 13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
Why do you seek God in prayer?
What are you looking for? . . .
Would you like proof that you are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit?
When you spend time: listening, seeking, desiring God, this is evidence that the Holy Spirit is in you and at work in you . . .
This Spirit invites you to be a person of hope.
How is Christ inviting you to hope?
If at times you find yourself with diminished hope, you’re not alone. It doesn’t mean you’ve lost the Spirit. It means you’re alive and life involves struggle.
Speak to God about the challenges of holding on to hope… Read the scripture again, see if you can catch something of the bigger picture. God can see and invites you to glimpse hope through the merits of the saints and souls gone before us.
Ponder the presence of God’s Holy Spirit within you: the pledge of your inheritance!
A Prayer for All Saints Day
By Jan Richardson
God of the generations,
when we set our hands to labour, thinking we work alone,
remind us that we carry
upon our lips, the words of the prophets,
in our veins, the blood of martyrs,
in our eyes, the mystics’ visions, and
in our hands, the strength of thousands.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
As I am sending this email out I am reminded that the first one that was sent was at the beginning of the first Lockdown and it was on the suggestion of two members of Churches Together that we could pray daily at a specific time knowing that others would be praying with us. Obviously this time is not always possible for some but these prayers can be used at any appropriate time during the week. As we enter into a second lockdown let us take with us the words from a song sung by Ladysmith Mambaza ‘Keep praying; ask the Lord for help. For he is powerful. That is your weapon; do not lose it. Pray without ceasing, for the Lord is powerful.’
KEEP SAFE – KEEP PRAYING
Peter
Technical issues means the original link didn’t work. Here is the updated link https://youtu.be/kCmjJ3bVMyg
Join us from St James’ Church for a service of Holy Communion at 9:30am led by Rev John Dracup. https://youtu.be/kCmjJ3bVMyg
Topic: All Saints Day
Time: Nov 1, 2020 11:00 AM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82918417647?pwd=c3ZIbUxBM2JvRWtZSmxWeW90ZjNBdz09
Meeting ID: 829 1841 7647
Passcode: 698751
Hello!
Welcome to the Anniversary edition celebrating 175 years of St James’ Church. This month is jam packed full of memories, photos and tributes to St James’ Church, including letters from past vicars. If you’re not familiar with the Church then have a look and take trip through time.
However, it is not just about the anniversary there is an update from the Foodbank and don’t miss out on what’s been happening at St Mary’s. Learn about the Virtual Crisis coffee morning Meltham Shoebox Appeal!
The #Meltham shoe box warehouse at St James’ Church Meltham Mills is now open to receive your gift filled shoe boxes!
This season please consider giving a few practical gifts, all wrapped up in hope, that will bring a little bit of Christmas sparkle and joy into a child’s life.
Every year the charity Teams4U sends Christmas shoeboxes, packed full of love and hope, to children in deprived communities overseas. Since their first appeal in 2013, T4U have given over 221,000 shoeboxes, spreading a bit of the magic and joy of the Christmas season.
“Every shoebox contains a memory, one that over the years they will remember and treasure. Each box tells the child ‘someone, somewhere, cares for you, has thought of you.”
In these challenging times, whilst the world is reeling from the effects of the pandemic, children everywhere are struggling without school, without friends, and some, even, without toys or something to do. For these children, in orphanages or living in the most marginalised communities, this pandemic has made the world an ever bleaker and desperate place.
“Christmas is coming, whether we’re there for these children or not. But, I think, right now we need to be more present for them. Now is the biggest need.”
How can you help?
Teams4U say each gift is like a Christmas stocking in a shoebox – an assortment of essential items such as stationery for school, toiletries, winter woollies, hair accessories etc. plus a few small toys and sweets. You can drop these off at the following drop-off points: Crossroads Shop. Meltham. St. James’ Church Meltham Mills.
The charity requests a small monetary donation of £2.50 in addition to each shoebox to help support the costs of transportation.
For more information on the Shoebox Appeal and to find your nearest drop-off point please call T4U’s regional coordinator for West Yorkshire. Meltham Shoe box 07954784317
Unable to make a box yourself:
This year, in addition to accepting donated shoeboxes, T4U have a Sponsor-a-Box scheme and for £15 will make up a gift on your behalf. Visit their website www.teams4u.com or ring their office to learn more: 01978 310110.
