Our monthly prayer diary, written by Hilary Prescott

THURS 1  Heavenly Father, we commit to you people we know or who live in our area, who are preparing to start a new school, a new job, go to college or embark on a training course. We ask you to give them the confidence and support they might need and bless them in their new life.

FRID 2  O Lord, we pray for our vicar and curate and for the ministers of the Offa Mission Area, that they might know the power of your Holy Spirit upon them and be guided in their work and mission to church and community.

SAT 3  One must not always think about what one should do, but rather what one must be.  Our works do not ennoble us; but we must ennoble our works.

God can no more do without us than we can do without him.

The eye with which I see God is the same as that with which God sees me.

Meister Eckhart  Dominican mystic 1260-1327

SUN 4  Almighty Father, we pray for your presence and inspiration at our Family Services today.  May everyone attending know your rich blessing.

MON 5  Let us ask God to send his blessing on all who live in Charles Street, Chirk.

TUES 6  O God, we give thanks for all involved in running and helping at the Mini Market in St. Mary’s; please bless them and their hard work, that the mornings might bring pleasure and support to all who visit and all who help.

WED 7  Lord, we pray for all who work for the charity Mission Direct and for the people whom they help. Please bless the work of this organisation.

THURS 8  Heavenly Father, we pray for the staff and pupils of our local schools as they settle in to a new term and a new school year. May the year ahead be one of stability and progress for all concerned. We also ask for your blessing on the heads and governors of the schools as they seek to guide their establishments effectively.

FRID 9  Loving Lord God, we remember before you all who grieve at this time, that your light and comfort might strengthen and help them. We pray that today’s Good Hope Cafe might help to provide the comfort and companionship that are needed.

SAT 10  O God, we pray for the success of this morning’s Coffee Morning at Fron Community Centre ; may this fund-raising venture for St. David’s attract many people. We ask you to bless all helping at the event.

SUN 11 On this Education Sunday, let us give thanks for all members of our churches in Chirk who spend time helping children and young people learn more about our faith, and ask for God’s blessing on teachers and taught. Let us also pray for the staff of organisations , National and International, which promote the Bible and who also help improve literacy in countries where education is poor or spasmodic.

MON 12  Thank you, Lord, for the staff at Chirk Court and their work with the residents. Please guide and bless them, and watch over the people who live there, that they might know security, peace and joy in their lives.

TUES 13 Out of the depths have I cried to you, O Lord; /Lord, hear my voice;/let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication./If you, O Lord, were to mark what is done amiss,/O Lord, who could stand?/But there is forgiveness with you, /so that you shall be feared./I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him;/in his word is my hope. Psalm 130 1-4

WED 14   Lord, we pray for a fruitful Eco-Church meeting today, and ask you to guide the work of the group, and encourage our church members as we seek what we can best do to help the environment.

THURS 15  Lord, may your blessing rest on all who live along Bourne Terrace in Fron.

FRID 16  Loving Lord God, we commit to you all whom we know and people in our area, who are ill, especially those who are suffering from long term conditions or illnesses requiring difficult treatments. Please be with their friends and families and grant them too the support they need.

SAT 17 Let us give thanks for those involved in fund-raising at St. Mary’s and pray for the success of their projects.

SUN 18  Pet Service at St. David’s  O Lord, we ask that today’s special service at Fron will be well attended and bring pleasure and help to all who come along. Thank you, O God, for our pets and the comfort and pleasure they can bring us. We pray for our local vets and for all organisations which seek to care for the welfare of animals, wild and domestic.

MON 19  On Wednesday  is the International Day of Prayer for Peace, so let uspray for peace in our troubled world. Lord, we pray not just for the situation in The Ukraine, but for areas of the world where people have been suffering for a long time from oppressive governments or tribal or religious warfare, and have lost not only loved ones, but their livelihoods and homes. We ask you to empower the powerless and all working to promote mercy, justice and peace in the world.

TUES 20  Almighty God, we bring before you the members of the Chirk Churches Together Committee and give thanks for their willingness to serve in this way. May your Holy Spirit inspire and guide them as they meet this evening, the first session since the onset of the pandemic, so  that your will might be done in our churches and communities.

WED 21  Thank you, O Lord, for the members of St. Mary’s Church Committee. Please bless them and guide them as they meet this evening, so that your will might be done for our community.

THURS 22  Yesterday the church honoured St. Matthew.  Thank you, O Lord, for the life and witness of St. Matthew, and for his readiness to heed your calling and change his life to serve you rather than his own interests. Help us, to be as flexible and ready to follow you in all we are and do.

FRID 23  Heavenly Father, we give thanks for the Church Secretaries of St. David’s and St. Mary’s and for their hard work and the way they help our churches to keep going efficiently. Please send your blessing upon them.

SAT 24  Lord, we give thanks for the people who attend the Community Work -in at St. David’s Churchyard, and who help keep the area tidy and attractive. Please bless them and their work.

SUN 25  How grateful we are, Lord, for all who provide and arrange the flowers in our churches, and help to make our buildings and our worship worthy of you. May they know your blessing upon them.

MON 26  Almighty God, we pray for the members of our Town Councils and County Council, for your guidance over their discussions and decisions ; may they receive your blessing as they dedicate time, energy and skill to the service of our communities.

TUES 27 Take my life, and let it be/consecrated, Lord, to thee;/take my moments and my day,/let them flow in ceaseless praise.        Take my love; my Lord, I pour/at thy feet its treasure store;/take myself, and I will be/ever, only, all for thee.

WED 28  Loving Heavenly Father, we commit to you the members of St. Mary’s Toddlers Group who work so hard to provide an important service in the village for young families. We ask you to bless them and their work and also the families who come to the sessions.

THURS 29  Creator God, we give you thanks and praise for the glories of your world , for the wild life and plant life which belong to it as we do. Please help us, Lord, to use and enjoy our world wisely  as good stewards of your creation. May the leaders and the people of the world be ready to take necessary action to preserve it for the future.

FRID 30  Lord Almighty, we bring before you the Harvest Service and Supper at St. David’s this evening and pray for a well-attended and happy occasion of thanksgiving and sharing.