This month’s prayer diary, written as always, by Hilary Prescott:

TUES 1  Lord God, we bring before you all who will be starting at college, university or taking on a new job or training. May they have the confidence and enthusiasm they need to settle in and do well.

WED 2 Thank you, Lord, for all who have worked so hard, and will continue to do so, to ensure the church is clean and safe for worshippers and any visitors. May they know your blessing and the sense that what is being done is an important aspect of their own ministry for you.

THURS 3 Loving Lord God, we have particularly valued our friends and their support over the past months. Thank you for them and for the Chirk Friendship Group which has helped to stimulate and deepen friendships between people in the area for some time. We pray for the continuation of this group, that it might flourish in the future.

FRID 4 Morning has broken/like the first morning;/blackbird has spoken/like the first bird./Praise for the singing!/Praise for the morning!/Praise for them, springing/fresh from the Word.

Mine is the sunlight!/Mine is the morning/born of the one light/Eden saw play!/Praise with elation,/praise ev’ry morning,/God’s re-creation of the new day!

SAT 5 Now that people are allowed to travel and enjoy exploring interesting and beautiful places, we pray for all visitors to our area, that they might find peace and refreshment here. We pray too for their safety and that of all with whom they may come into contact.

SUN  6 Almighty God, we pray for the ministers and congregations of the churches in the Offa Mission Area, that we might know your blessing and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.  Help everyone to adapt to new conditions and situations with confidence and effectiveness.

MON 7  Lord God, we commit to you all who live along Bourne Terrace, Fron.

TUES 8 Lord, we pray for your blessing on the families and the staff as young people return to school.  May they feel confident  and determined to do well as they face new circumstances. Thank you for the blessing of education in schools here, and we pray for all children in countries where culture and poverty prevent them experiencing what would enrich their lives.

WED 9 O Gracious and Holy Father, give us wisdom to perceive you, diligence to seek you, patience to wait for you, eyes to behold you, a heart to meditate upon you, and a life to proclaim you, through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen     Benedict of Nursia  c.550

THURS 10  Holy Lord, we praise you that we can come close to you in prayer, unworthy though we are. Thank you for the opportunities we have to come together in church to share with others the sense of your living and loving presence.

FRID 11 Creator God, what a wonderful world you have created.  We give you especial thanks for the beautiful environment in which we live, and for all the people who ensure that Chirk and Fron and our churchyards are kept tidy and attractive: we ask that you will bless them and grant them the time and energy they need for the task.

SAT 12  Almighty God, we commit to you The Church in Wales, that you will bless and guide its officials, ministers and congregation members so that your will might be done in Wales , to the glory of your name.

SUN 13  On this Education Sunday, let us pray for all schools, colleges and places of learning in the United Kingdom and for their wisdom to promote true freedom of thought and speech and the values that promote a search for knowledge that will be of noble benefit to humankind.

MON 14  Holy God, we ask for your blessing on the work of Mission Direct and for the  continued provision of resources that will enable that work to be done effectively.

TUES 15  Loving Lord , we commit to you the staff, medical and administrative, of our local hospitals and pray that they will have the resources needed to ensure that all cases and treatment are up to date and staff can cope with any emergencies. We also ask that they will receive the funding and staffing  they need.

WED 16  Loving Lord, we pray for all in our area, and any people we know, who are affected in any way by Dementia.  May they know your loving presence and be granted the support they need to cope.  We also commit to you the staff and residents of Chirk Court.

THURS 17 Heavenly Father, we pray for the families who are in some way connected with our churches, that they might continue on their journey of faith with eagerness and the support they need.

FRID 18 Thank you, Lord, for the staff of Chirk Library and for the valuable service which the library provides for the community. We ask you to bless that work .

SAT 19  Let us think of all in our country who are travelling today, whether for a long or short distance, that they might do so safely. Yet we also pray for all who will not reach the end of their journey as they expected, that they might receive the help they need.  Let us ask God to be with them and with the people who work to help travellers in need- the police, ambulance men, A and E staff and Insurance organisations.

SUN 20  Tomorrow is the International Day of Prayer for Peace, so let us offer our own prayers to God for peace in the world: peace between nations and within countries. Let us pray that that misuse of power, resources, and disregard for the people affected by conflict and greed might change and that justice, compassion and valuing people as individuals might be promoted.

MON 21 Saint Matthew  Lord God, we give thanks for St. Matthew and his willingness to change his life and ways and to follow Jesus. May we be granted the vision to see our lives for what they are , and helped by our Lord, refocus our attitudes and practices to be more in tune with what you want of us and for us.

TUES 22  O God of compassion, we bring before you the patients cared for  in our local hospitals and Health Centre and all whom we know who are ill. Grant them the touch of your healing hands and restore them to wholeness and hope.

WED 23  Heavenly Father, we thank you for St. Mary’s Toddlers Group team whose love and concern for children and their families contributes greatly towards the latter’s well- being. Please bless the helpers and the families with whom they usually work ; we pray too for the future of the group.

THURS 24  Lord, we know that because of Covid 19, many charitable organisations have suffered from a decrease in funding and support as well as not being able to help people as they would like to do. We pray for the organisations which operate within the Chirk and Fron area or which are run by local people, that they might regain the means they need to fulfil their obligations.

FRID 25 Through Christ we have gained access to the grace in which we stand, and rejoice in our hope of the glory of God.  We even exult in our sufferings, for suffering produces endurance, and endurance brings hope and our hope is not in vain, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts, through the Holy Spirit given us.   Romans 5 1-5

SAT 26  Let us pray for the farmers in our locality, for their families  and for their workers, that God will bless their important work and help them to do well.

SUN 27 Thank you, Lord, for the fellowship we enjoy with the fellow members of our two church communities and for the support, encouragement and joy we receive from these contacts.  Help us always to remember that in such relationships we should be mirroring your loving and forgiving friendship towards us.

MON 28  O Lord, we pray for your blessing on all who live in Myddelton Terrace, Chirk.

TUES 29  Lord, there often seems so much to worry about- for ourselves , our families and  friends and for the world we live in.  Help us not to be overwhelmed by such cares but to remember ‘our times are in your hands’.(Ps. 31) We pray for guidance as to how much we ourselves can do to help in the situations we care about;  we also commit to you people who are suffering in any way from mental illness that they might receive the support they need for relief and for light in their darkness.

WED 30 Dear God, we commend to you today the members of our local churches: the Methodist Church, Sacred Heart and the Community Church. We give thanks for their faith and witness and for our fellowship with them. Help us all as we begin to work together again after these difficult months.