This month’s prayer diary written by Hilary Prescott

MON 1  Let us give God thanks for all who help keep Chirk and its environs tidy and attractive, and ask for His blessing on them.

TUES 2 For the beauty of the earth,/for the beauty of the skies,/for the love which from our birth/over and around us lies:

Lord of all, to thee we raise/this our sacrifice of praise.

WED 3  O God, you long for us all to be whole in body, mind and spirit, so we pray for people we know who are hard of hearing: may they receive the support they need and find new confidence and fellowship. We pray too for their families and friends who might be finding communication difficult and for all charities and organisations working to improve the situation of the deaf.

THURS 4 Lord, we bring before you for your blessing families in Chirk and Fron: help households where there are difficulties with childcare, shortage of funds or where there is conflict or neglect.

FRIDAY 5 Heavenly Father, we pray for our vicar and for all the ministers and pastoral workers in the Offa Mission Area and ask that you will grant them the energising and guiding power of the Holy Spirit.  We also bring before you the congregations and communities of the area, that they might thrive and grow in faith and love.

SAT 6  THE TRANSFIGURATION  Father in Heaven, whose son Jesus Christ was wonderfully transfigured before chosen witnesses upon the holy mountain, and spoke of the exodus he would accomplish at Jerusalem: give us strength so to hear his voice and bear our cross that in the world to come we may see him as he is; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen  Collect

SUN 7 Lord, we pray for our Family Services today, for the families attending and all working to nurture their faith and commitment. Yet help us all to remember that we are your children whatever our age and so enable us to continue to grow spiritually and with joy in knowing you.

MON 8  Thank you, loving God, for our local hospitals and Health Centre. We pray for the medical and administrative and support staff, especially in these difficult times, and also for volunteers who help in so many ways to keep things going smoothly.

TUES 9  O God, we pray for the Mini Market session today- for the helpers and their customers, and a spirit of fellowship and relaxation.  We give thanks for the funds being raised through the weekly events.

WED 10 Let us give thanks for the beauty of our churches and for the people through the years who have been responsible for the upkeep and changes in the buildings, May God help us now to take good care of the churches and their grounds and to make the right decisions about their upkeep, and send His blessing on the people focusing on their care.

THURS 11 Lord of all life, we bring before you all who mourn, that they might know your strength and comforting presence.  We also pray for our local funeral directors and your blessing on them and their important work.

FRID 12 Thank you, O Lord, , for all who organise sports clubs and events in our area; may your blessing bring about their success and enable all participants to benefit in health of body and mind.

SAT 13  He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities , that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Cor 12.9 (DL Sep 10)

SUN 14 Almighty God, we ask that all who visit our churches, either to look around or participate in worship, might find the peace, comfort and joy they seek from the experience and know a warm welcome.

MON 15 BLESSED VIRGIN MARY  Heavenly Father, we give thanks for Mary and her willing role in the birth and life of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.  May we too be ready to respond positively to your wishes for us and so help the world to be a better place.

TUES 16 Let us thank God for the members of our local police force and ask Him to guide and bless them in their important work for the communities they serve.

WED 17   O Lord, we know that you care for each one of us: we pray for everyone in our area who is unemployed, on a low income or on benefits. Help them in these difficult times and guide them to make the right decisions. Thank you for our localFood Banks  and thepeople who staff them and those who provide the necessary resources. May they know your blessing.

THURS 18 O Lord God, we bring before you all our local venues which are tourist attractions and which provide the necessary services; may they know real success this summer. Please also watch over the tourists themselves in their quest for pleasure and relaxation.

FRID 19  O Creator God, may your blessing rest on all the volunteers who form the St. Mary’s Churchyard Group and who do so much to encourage wild life, create beauty and involve the community. May their efforts bear real fruit and also attract new helpers to the group.

SAT 20  O God, we commit to you and ask you to bless today all who live in Bourne Terrace in Fron.

SUN 21 Almighty God, we rejoice in the fact that we can share in the Eucharist properly again. We pray for your blessing on the congregation members who help administer the Chalice.

MON 22  Today the Church is thinking of victims of violence based on religion, so let hold these sufferers before God and ask Him to grant them courage, faith and a sense of your loving presence with them.  Let us also pray for a growth in understanding and tolerance between the different faiths and less misuse of religion to boost people’s political power or control.

TUES 23  As today is Slavery Memorial Day, we remember with sorrow, O Lord, all people in the world , past and present, who have been subject to slavery of various kinds, and we pray for an ending to slavery today, an end to trafficking and appalling levels of pay and working conditions. Thank you, Lord, for all who down the ages worked to put an end to slavery and are doing so now. Please empower them and help all who are enslaved.

WED 24  St Bartholomew  Thank you, O Lord, for your disciple , Bartholomew, and his role in the foundation of the early Christian Church. We give thanks for people today working for you, whether as part of a church set-up or not, and especially those who do so humbly, quietly and unrecognised. May they know how you appreciate their work and love them for it.

THURS 25 Loving Lord God, we ask that your healing power may rest on all whom we know who are ill, whether in body, mind or spirit. May they know wholeness and hope in their suffering.

FRID 26  Tomorrow God isn’t going to ask: What did you dream? What did you think? What did you plan? What did you preach? He’s going to ask: What did you do?    Michel  Quoist

SAT 27  Let us give our Lord thanks for all who turn out to help keep St. David’s churchyard tidy and attractive and pray for His blessing on them and their work.

SUN 28  Heavenly Father, we pray for all attending St. David’s in Fron today, and give thanks for their faith and their support of this church. We pray too that more people might feel that they want to be part of this congregation, and so help the church survive and grow and be a lively presence in the community.

MON 29  Thank you, Lord, for the hard work and enthusiasm of everyone involved in the Churchyard Barbecue and Teddy Bear Zip Wire event at St. Mary’s today. We ask you to bless the participants and we pray that the event might prove a happy, friendly occasion well attended by church and community.

TUES 30 Lord, we ask that your blessing might rest on all who live in Charles Street in Chirk.WED 31 Let us give thanks for all members of our congregations and indeed our local communities, who provide refreshments and do the catering at fund-raising events, other church occasions and after services. May our Lord bless them richly.