Our monthly prayer diary wirtten by Hilary Prescott

SUN 1  Creator God, may your blessing rest on the Harvest Services at St. Mary’s and St. David’s (followed by tea) today, so that they might be a joyful celebration of your generosity and the fellowship within the church and community.

MON 2 Let us thank God for the farmers and their helpers in our area, and ask for His blessing on them.  Let us pray too for any struggling and feeling depressed.

TUES 3  Lord, we pray for your blessing to rest on all who live along School Lane, Fron.

WED 4  Heavenly Father, we pray for your blessing on the Celtic Service this evening, and thank you for those who create the services and organise them.

THURS 5  O Worship the King/All glorious above;/O gratefully sing/his power and his love;/our shield and defender,/the Ancient of Days, /pavillioned in splendour ,/and girded with praise.

FRID 6  O Lord God, we commit to you St. Mary’s Harvest Supper, and give thanks not only for your provision for us all, but for the hard work of the organisers of the event.

SAT 7  Heavenly Father, we pray for the well-being of the families in our area, and ask you to encourage and bless those who attend our churches.  Help us to know how best to nurture and encourage their faith.

SUN 8  On this Homeless Sunday, let us bring before God all who have no permanent home, and those who live on the streets, especially the young and vulnerable. Let us pray too for Big Issue sellers, and organisations and churches which work to provide necessary help. But let us remember as well all home owners or people in rented property, anxious about mortgages, rents and debts.

MON 9  In Prisons Week, Lord, we pray for all prisoners- for good conditions and suitable care so that they might not re-offend. We remember before you those whose difficult upbringing and lives have turned them to crime. We pray for their families and for adequate support when they are let out of prison. We pray for those in HMP Berwyn and the staff there, especially the chaplains.

TUES 10  We thank you, Lord God, for the Mini Markets and all who organise and help with these sessions.  We pray for the continued success of these events.

WED 11 All the days of the poor are hard, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble with it. Proverbs 15 v.15-16

THURS 12  Lord Almighty, we pray today for the staff and residents of Chirk Court, that all might know real companionship, peace and fulfilment.

FRID 13  Let us pray for God to send his blessing on all who live in Castle Road, Chirk.

SAT 14  Let us pray for peace in the world, for the victims of violence and oppression and abuse, and for God’s hand on all who work to bring peace, justice and hope to those in need.

SUN 15  Lord, we give thanks for our church organists and others who use their musical skills in our worship: please continue to inspire and bless them.

MON 16  Heavenly Father, we ask you to be all members of our local Fire Service; keep them strong and safe as they carry out their important work.

TUES 17  Almighty Father, as we come near to the middle of the Autumn Term, we pray for the staff and pupils of our local schools and ask for your blessing on them. We also ask that you will guide our churches as we seek to further the links with the schools.

WED 18  ST. LUKE  On this day, let us give thanks for the medical staff of our local hospitals and Health Centre, and ask for your guidance in all they do.  Please bless, Lord, all their patients and those waiting for help, that they might know your healing power. We pray too for all whom we know who are ill.

THURS 19  We give thanks, O Lord, for the gift of sight: help us not to take it for granted.  We pray for all facing up to poor vision, to increasing or total blindness. Grant them the courage and support they need. We also commit to you the organisations dedicated to helping the blind to cope.

FRID 20  Thank you, Lord God, for all who work hard to keep our church buildings in good repair and looking attractive, and for their knowledge, skill and commitment. Please guide and bless them in all they do. We pray for a good outcome to today’s meeting of the St. Mary’s Fabric committee.

SAT 21 Most High, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me a right faith, a sure hope, a perfect charity, sense and knowledge, so that I may carry out your holy and true command.  Francis of Assisi 1182-1226

SUN 22  O Lord God, we give thanks for our team of bell ringers at St. Mary’s, for their dedication , skill and hard work, and also for the fact that their ringing means that so many people will know the presence of the church in their midst.

MON 23  Almighty God, today I just wait before you in silence for a while and acknowledge your wondrous presence and power in the world and in my life.

TUES 24  United Nations Day  Almighty God, we commit to you the members of the United Nations and pray for wisdom in their handling of the difficult issues facing the world today. Guide the leaders, so that the true welfare of their people might be paramount in their decisions.

WED 25  Lord, may your Holy Spirit inspire and guide the members of the Offa Mission Area Committee as they meet today, so that your will might be done in our area.

THURS 26  Heavenly Father, we pray for any newcomers to our area, that they might settle in quickly and happily, finding new friends and feeling welcome wherever they go.

FRID 27  O Lord God, we pray for those people who would like to come, but for various reasons, are unable to come and join in worship in our churches.  May they still be strengthened and comforted by prayer, knowing you are with them. Help us all to continue our fellowship despite the absences.

SAT 28  Lord, we give thanks for the sports facilities in Chirk; for all who run the centres, and those who organise teams and events. May your blessing rest on them and the people who participate.

SUN 29   On this Bible Sunday, let us give thanks for the Holy Bible, its riches and the way it helps us build up our knowledge of our faith past and present and encourages us in our relationship with the Trinity and the way we are called to lead our lives.  Let us ask God’s blessing on all organisations and individuals who work hard to help people understand the Bible and even to possess one.

MON 30  O God, we commit to your care our vicar, curate , lay reader and retired clergy who help lead worship in our churches. Thank you for their ministry.  May your Holy Spirit inspire and encourage them in all their work, and grant them the health and strength they need.

TUES 31  As today is Hallowe’en, let us give thanks for churches who are holding special events for children based on the lives of the saints and the idea of Light- rather than darkness, ghosts and witches. Let us pray though for all caught up in the Occult, that they might turn to the life-giving giver of light, our Saviour Jesus Christ.