Our monthly prayer diary written by Hilary Prescott.

MON 1  Heavenly Father, we think of how the first disciples must have felt their lives were turned upside down: first the Lord’s death and then His resurrection; how people probably viewed them as fools for what they believed and talked about and practised in their allegiance to Christ. On this April Fool’s day, may we not be afraid to be considered foolish because of our Christian faith and witness.

TUES 2  Lord, we ask for your blessing on all who live in Station Avenue, Chirk.

WED 3  Jesus lives! Thy terrors now/can no more, O death, appal us;/Jesus lives! By this we know/thou, O grave, canst not enthral us. Alleluia

THURS 4  Lord God, we commit to you all the people in our area who are unemployed and pray that they might receive the support they need and find suitable jobs.

FRID 5  We give thanks , Lord, for our Church Treasurer and for her hard work, skill and commitment in helping our churches function effectively and with hope for the future. Please send your blessing on her and all who in any way help manage our finances.

SAT 6  Loving Lord, we bring before you those whom we know who are ill; patients cared for by our local hospitals and Health Centre. May they experience your healing power and find wholeness in body, mind and spirit.

SUN 7  Let us pray for all attending our Family Services today: may the young people be enabled to grow in interest and faith through what they see, hear and do. Yet, let us also ask God to guide us too in our Christian lives so that we too might gain new insights and joys in our faith.

MON 8  Thank you, O God, for all who help keep Chirk and Fron looking tidy and attractive. Please bless them in their work.

TUES 9  Any culture which is terrified-as ours is- of silence and aloneness is one in which the sense of human reality, human truth, is being eroded. Rowan Williams

WED 10  Thank you, Lord, for all who run St. Mary’s Toddlers’ Group. May today’s session be an enjoyable and productive one and one which nurtures supportive friendships.

THURS 11 Heavenly Father, we pray for your blessing on our vicar and all who help him in his ministry.

FRID 12  Let us remember in our prayers today the staff and pupils of our local schools as they embark on a new term.

SAT 13  O Lord God Almighty, we ask that the baptism at St. Mary’s tomorrow may be a joyful occasion and one which truly heralds a new start on the journey of faith for the child and the family.

SUN 14  Heavenly Father, may the AGM at St. Mary’s after the morning worship prove a useful time to rejoice in all that with the help of the Holy Spirit has been achieved, and to look forward confidently to the future in our worship and witness.

MON 15  Almighty God, we give thanks for our church buildings, for the people whose faith and generosity and skill have created and sustained them. We pray for the people responsible in our churches for the overseeing of the buildings and ask for your guidance in their work.

TUES 16  Lord, we bring before you the residents and staff of Chirk Court, and ask that you will encourage and bless them in all they do.

WED 17  Heavenly Father, we give thanks and pray for all in our area who organise sports teams, groups and events , and who therefore do so much for the community.

THURS 18  Lord, may your Holy Spirit guide all attending this evening’s meeting of the Chirk Churches Together Committee as arrangements are made for future events. Thank you for the fellowship the churches enjoy.

FRID 19  Lord God, we pray for your blessing to rest on all who live along Woodland Grove in Fron.

SAT 20  Lord, we give thanks for all who help keep our churches clean, tidy and attractive and fit places for worship and fellowship. May your blessing rest on them.

SUN 21  Heavenly Father, thank you for all who lead our Intercessions in our churches: may your Holy Spirit bless and guide them in their choice of topics and expression as they offer prayer on behalf of all in the congregation.

MON 22  Let us commit to God the congregations and ministers of the churches in the Offa Mission Area, and pray too for the  project to create an effective website for the Mission Area and its member churches.

TUES 23  ST. GEORGE  On this St. George’s day , let us pray for all Christians in England and for a hopeful future for the Church there. Let us also ask God to give us the strength and courage and faith shown by St. George, so we too might overcome barriers to goodness and truth and the spreading of the Good News.

WED 24  Loving Lord God, we give thanks for Chirk Community Hospital and ask that you will bless and empower all the staff there as they work to carry out your healing mission in different ways. We pray too for the well-being of the patients.

THURS 25  ST. MARK  Almighty God, who enlightened your holy Church through the inspired witness of your evangelist Saint Mark: grant that we, being firmly grounded in the truth of the gospel, may be faithful to its teaching both in word and deed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen (Collect for the day)

FRID 26  Let us offer to God thanks for the groups who work so hard to look after our churchyards and keep them tidy and attractive and welcome to wildlife. May their work be blessed.

SAT 27  Be ye…followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour…Now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light. Ephesians 5

SUN 28  Thank you, O God, for all who act as sidespeople in our churches; may they know your blessing and encouragement.

MON 29  Lord, we pray for the well-being of all who use our local caravan parks; may they be refreshed by their holidays and find a welcome in the area.

TUES 30  Let us ask God to be with all helping out and attending today’s Mini Market, and ask that it will be a friendly and successful session.