Our monthly prayer diary written by Hilary Prescott

TUES 1  Let us pray for the staff who work at Chirk Leisure Centre and all who use the facilities there, and give thanks to God for the opportunities for better health and enjoyment which are provided.

WED 2 Candlemas/Presentation of Christ   As we remember how in the past the new church candles were blessed for use in worship in the year ahead; Lord, we ask that our worship in the year ahead might truly honour you. May we also dedicate our lives to you and in your service as Jesus was dedicated to you in the Temple.

THURS 3  O God, we pray for the success of the industries and firms operating in our area, and for wisdom for the managements and for the well-being of the staff.

FRID 4  Heavenly Father, may your rich blessing rest on all who live in Oakcroft , Chirk.

SAT 5 Thank you, O Lord, for the members of Chirk Town Council and Wrexham County Council as they give time and energy to serve the people of our area.  Please guide and bless them in their decisions and actions.

SUN 6 Accession of Queen Elizabeth 11.  Thank you, Almighty God, ruler of the universe, for the reign of Queen Elizabeth the Second; for her wisdom, integrity and courage. But we also give thanks that she is a Christian in word and action and makes her faith clear to the nations she governs.  We ask you to bless her, and also ask that any plans in Chirk or Fron to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee can go ahead and be a great success.

MON 7 It is possible to be so active in the service of God as to forget to love him.

You must live with people to know their problems, and live with God in order to solve them.

Peter Taylor Forsyth 1848-1921

TUES 8  Loving Lord God, we commit to you the staff who work in our local hospitals: that you will grant them the health, strength and skill they need.  May the patients cared for know your healing power and be brought to wholeness of body and mind.

WED 9   Almighty God, we pray for the staff and pupils of our local schools: for health, and for the wisdom and determination not to hinder the learning of the children, so that the latter might be enriched and enabled to mature with confidence and enjoyment.

THURS 10   Heavenly Father,  we ask you to bless all who provide care and worship for St. Mary’s and St. David’s- our clergy, Lay Reader and retired clergy. Grant them the health, energy and wisdom they need as they act as your hands, feet and voice.

FRID 11  Let us pray for the well-being of the staff and residents of Chirk Court and give thanks for all that is done there. In these difficult times may the right decisions be made so that the residents do not feel lonely and feel loved and energised.

SAT 12   Almighty God our Father, as tomorrow is Racial Justice Sunday, we commit to you all people who have been or are victims of racial injustice.  May we ourselves reflect your love for all your creation in accepting and caring for people of all races , colours and creeds. In this time when there is aggression linked to people’s concern for the behaviour of people in the past, we pray that we might acknowledge what has been accepted in the past but focus on how we can right the wrongs of the present. 

SUN 13  Heavenly Father, we give thanks for the families linked to our churches and for the ways in which they are encouraged in their faith and in their membership of your greater family, the Church. We pray that you will bless the leaders and work of The Sunday Club.

MON 14 Valentine’s Day On this St. Valentine’s Day, Lord of Love, we pray for people who know no real love in their lives; who feel rejected; lonely; fearful for the future. May your loving presence be with them so that they might know they are loved and valued.  We also bring before you people who for various reasons seem unlovable.

TUES 15 Thank you , O God, for our local library and the good work it does in our community. Please bless all who work there.

WED 16  Lord, we thank you for our church treasurers and the Mission Area Treasurer, and the time and skill devoted to ensuring our churches can function properly and confidently. Please bless them in their valuable work.

THURS 17  O Lord our God, we pray for all attending today’s Holy Eucharist, and ask that this morning’s worship might truly honour you and bring joy and peace to the congregation.

FRID 18 Heavenly Father, wethank you for the members of the Police Force in our area; please guide and empower them as they seek to keep our communities safe and viable.

SAT 19  Bind us together, Lord,/bind us together with cords/that cannot be broken./Bind us together, Lord, bind us together, Lord,/bind us together with love.

We are the fam’ly of God,/we are his promise divine./we are his chosen desire,/we are the glorious new wine.

SUN 20  We praise you, O Lord, for our Scriptures and the guidance they offer to us in the way we live and our relationship with you.  May our team of readers be blessed as they seek to transmit your message to us with clarity and understanding.

MON 21  Fairtrade Fortnight  As this special fortnight begins, let us give God thanks for the firms who are part of this scheme and which care for their workers, and ask that more organisations will do the same in promoting justice and well-being for their staff. Guide and bless such firms and their employees and encourage more people to use the goods of these organisations.

TUES 22  O Lord, we commit to you all who along Greenfields in Fron and ask that you will bless them.

WED 23  Loving Saviour, send your healing power on all whom we know, and people in our area,  who are ill, in body, mind or spirit. May they know wholeness and peace. Please bless the work of all the staff at our local surgeries.

THURS 24  Thank you, Almighty God, for the fellowship we have with the congregations which belong to the Offa Mission Area. Guide their ministers and the people so that with faith and  enthusiasm they effectively transmit your light and love to the people in their communities.

FRID 25 Creator God, we give thanks for the Churchyard groups which ensure our churchyards are tidy and flourish in many ways. We pray for more volunteers to help the dedicated teams with this valuable work.

SAT 26  Since then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4 14-16

SUN 27  Church Action on Poverty Sunday. At a time when people’s lives have been disrupted physically and socially and economically by the pandemic and natural and political forces, let us pray for those who are facing poverty, despair and frustration and ask that their needs might be met and support provided.MON 28 In these uncertain times, Almighty God, we believe that you are the one true certainty in the world. Help us to trust you and please guide all in power in our country and in the world to make the right decisions about how to deal effectively and caringly with the virus and its impact.