November 2024 Prayer Diary
This month’s prayer diary written by Hilary Prescott
FRID 1 ALL SAINTS DAY Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord: grant us the grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that we may come to those in expressible joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
SAT 2 ALL SOULS DAY Loving Lord God, we bring before you all who mourn, that they might be comforted. We pray that tomorrow’s All Souls Service at St. Mary’s with the Methodist Church will bring peace and strength to all who attend.
SUN 3 Almighty God, as it is the International Day of Prayer for the persecuted Church, we pray for the many Christians throughout the world who face persecution and even death for their faith- through government agency, local aggression or from other religions. May they know your protection and presence and find their faith a source of strength, inspiration and comfort through your Holy Spirit. Thank you that in our country we can worship in confidence. We also pray that our new curate, whom we welcome today, might be blessed in his ministry with us.
MON 4 Thank you, O Lord, for Chirk Town Hall and all the organisations, meetings and events to which it plays host and which so benefit the community. May your blessing rest on all who use the Hall.
TUES 5 Lord God, we commit to you the staff and pupils of our local schools in this busy term. We also pray that your guidance will benefit the governors of the schools as they make decisions about key areas of school life.
WED 6 Lord of compassion, we pray that your healing touch will rest on all whom we know who are ill, and on members of our congregations who are unwell, and on the patients cared for by our local hospitals and surgeries. May they know new wholeness of body, mind and spirit.
THURS 7 O God , Creator of the world, in the midst of our busy lives, help us not to forget our responsibility to the natural world around us as well as the people we meet. Thank you for the Eco Church movement; please bless the special meeting about it for other churches which is being hosted by St. Mary’s today.
FRID 8 Fight the good fight with all thy might;/Christ is thy strength and Christ thy might; lay hold on life and it shall be/thy joy and crown eternally…Cast care aside upon thy guide;/his boundless mercy will provide;/trust and thy trusting soul shall prove/Christ is its life and Christ its love.
SAT 9 O God, we give thanks for all in our churches who organise church events, who put a lot of work into the preparations beforehand, who help on the day. We ask you to bless them and be with them in their important work.
SUN 10 REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY Let us commit to God the Remembrance Services and commemorations in Chirk and Fron, and the Mission Area, that all who attend will find inspiration and comfort from the words, music and their memories of the people named at the events.
MON 11 On this ARMISTICE DAY, let us remember all who have been injured or lost their lives in conflicts or working for peace and stability. Thank you for their sacrifice. We pray, O God, for peace in the world, and for a greater willingness of leaders to talk and to listen and to understand each other, so that the lives of their citizens, military and civilian might be spared.
TUES 12 Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to rest on all ministers of the Offa Mission Area and their helpers as they serve their congregations, and ask God to bless and encourage the congregations of the various churches, and the Mission Area Committee members as they meet today.
WED 13 Lord, we ask you to be with all attending today’s service at Chirk Court, that they might find interest, comfort and peace. Bless all the residents and staff there.
THURS 14 Almighty God, we pray that this Advent’s Churches Together discussion group sessions will prove helpful and stimulating for all who attend; please guide the leaders as they prepare and deliver the material.
FRID 15 Lord God, thank you for all who run youth groups in our area. Please help them in their important work as they encourage and stimulate the young people.
SAT 16 Lord, may your blessing rest on all who live in Lodgevale, Chirk.
SUN 17 Let us give thanks for all who read the Lessons in our services: may God guide and bless them as they seek to put over the messages of the readings clearly and with understanding.
MON 18 They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. Isaiah 2.4
TUES 19 Recognising the good work which Chirk Library does for the community, let us ask God to bless all the staff and their work there.
WED 20 Heavenly Father, we give thanks for the members of St. Mary’s Church Committee and their work for the church. May this evening’s meeting prove fruitful and ensure that your will is done for the church and community.
THURS 21 Thank you, O God, for all who clean our churches; may they be granted the time and energy they need to carry out this task which honours you in your holy place.
FRID 22 Let us pray for God’s blessing to rest on all who live along Canal Side, Fron.
SAT 23 Heavenly Father, we pray for the success of St. Mary’s Christmas Fair today, and give thanks for all helping at the event.
SUN 24 CHRIST THE KING As we celebrate Christ as King today, let us marvel at the fact that in humility and grace, Christ was born as one of us and established a reign of service and loyalty to God the Father. May we too serve God according to Christ’s example.
MON 25 Thank you, Loving Lord God, for Chirk Community Hospital and its wonderful work. May your Holy Spirit be with the staff and may the patients know your healing presence at work in them.
TUES 26 O Lord, we bring before you all in our churches who would value visits , and pray that you will guide those who visit and provide friendship and support.
WED 27 The Mystery of God is ‘a sea deep enough to swim in, but too deep to cross.’ Ann Griffiths C18 poet
THURS 28 Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Be with all who attend this morning’s service at St. Mary’s.
FRID 29 O Lord our God, we commit to you the special events in Chirk tomorrow – the Switching on of the Lights and the special Fair. May the Messy Carols at St. Mary’s prove a happy gathering of families and help them to appreciate the true meaning of Christmas. Thank you for the members of Chirk Churches involved in running the activities provided: may they be blessed in their work.
SAT 30 ST. ANDREW Heavenly Father, may we too, as did Saint Andrew, be willing to give up our usual life and routine in order to follow Christ and serve your kingdom here on earth.