Our monthly prayer diary written by Hilary.

WED 1 On this April Fools Day, let us pray for all who suffer because they are scorned, made fun of or humiliated for their Christian Faith,  and ask God to grant them and us the courage to witness boldly to our faith and to have a sense of His support and love..

THURS 2  MAUNDY THURSDAY  As we remember the Last Supper, may we follow in our Lord’s footsteps and serve Him and others willingly and with humility, and pray for all attending  the Eucharist at St. Mary’s today and similar events throughout the world.

FRID 3  GOOD FRIDAY  Almighty God, we pray for all leading and participating in today’s  Chirk Churches Together Walk of Witness and Frugal Lunch and the Children’s Crafts event, followed by the Service of Reflection at St. Mary’s. We ask that your Holy Spirit might inspire and strengthen participants in their faith, and fill them with love and gratitude towards Jesus Christ our Saviour.

SAT 4  EASTER  EVE  O Lord our God, we bring before you all who are living in the darkness of grief, that they might glimpse the light of hope before them; we also pray for everyone in our churches who will have provided and arranged flowers to decorate our buildings and so bring beauty and joy to our lives and to our worship.

SUN 5 EASTER DAY  Lord of all life and power, who through the mighty resurrection of your Son overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in Him: grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ, may reign with Him in glory; to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be praise and honour, glory and might, now and in all eternity. Amen  (Collect)

MON 6  Let us pray for the safety of all travelling on this Bank Holiday, and also ask our Lord to empower all working for the Emergency Services and in A and E departments.

TUES 7  The day of resurrection!/Earth, tell it out abroad;/The Passover of gladness,/ The Passover of God./From death to life eternal,/From earth unto the sky,/Our Christ hath brought us over/With hymns of victory.

WED 8  Heavenly Father, we pray that all visitors to Chirk and Fron will enjoy the experience- the landscape and the people. We also commit to you those who visit St. Mary’s, that they might find peace and fulfilment.

THURS 9  Lord of the Universe, we bring before you our troubled world, its violence and inhumanity, and the people who suffer their effects. We pray the leaders might heed your guidance, and ask you to bless all who work to promote peace, justice and love.

FRID 10  O Lord, we ask for your blessing on all who live in Castle Walks, Chirk.
SAT 11 Loving Lord God, we pray for people who are lonely, who feel isolated, ignored, who feel they do not matter and who are fearful. May they sense your presence with them and be granted the company and support they need.

SUN 12  O God, we give thanks for all who write and deliver the Intercessions in our services, and ask that you might inspire them in their choice of topics and words.

MON 13  Let us pray for the managers and workers at our local caravan and holiday parks and for the visitors who use them.

TUES 14  Abide in me and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine and ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  John 15 v. 4-5

WED 15  Heavenly Father, we pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit  at the sessions of The Welsh Governing Body , that your Church might flourish and be truly the Body of Christ in the world.  Help everyone to listen to each other with care and understanding.

THURS 16  Lord God, thank you for the ministers and congregations of the Offa Mission Area; we pray for their well being and for their work within the church community and the locality. We pray for the Pioneer Minister as he seeks to enliven and bring hope to the churches.

FRID 17   O God of Life, we bring before you all who mourn- not just the people we know, but also those whose loved ones have been killed in war or through crime. We also pray for the undertakers in their sensitive and vital work.

SAT 18  Let us give thanks for the members of Chirk Town Council who use their time to help our community, and ask God to bless and guide them in their work.

SUN 19  Heavenly Father, we pray for the members of St. David’s in Fron and for their plans for the church, and ask that you will bless them in their mission.

MON 20  Lord of healing and wholeness, we bring before you all those who we know who are unwell, and we pray too for the patients treated in our local surgeries and hospitals. Please bless and empower the staff who care for them.

TUES 21  Thank you, Lord, for the Mini Markets Team and their dedication and hard work.  Please bless them and all who attend today’s session.

WED 22  As the churches face difficulties in funding their worship and work, we give thanks , O Lord, for the Social Committee and their vital work in fund-raising.  We pray for those involved and for the success of their ventures.

THURS 23  ST. GEORGE  On this day, let us pray for the Churches in England- for their buoyancy and committed witness to the Christian faith.

FRID 24  We give thanks , O Lord God, for the fact that we can worship and pray in safety in this country, and we pray for the safety of Christians at risk because of their faith. May your Holy Spirit be present at today’s Prayer Group session and guide the prayers offered to you.

SAT 25  ST. MARK  In giving thanks for St. Mark and his ministry, let us pray for all who have dedicated their lives to the service of Christ and of the Gospel in many ways, and may we find encouragement in our service.

SUN 26  Almighty God, we pray for our vicar and all who help with our services and mission, and give thanks for their ministry which we ask you to bless.

MON 27 May your blessing rest, dear Lord, on all who live along Woodland Grove in Fron.

TUES 28 The wizard Gandalf in ‘Lord of The Rings’ is explaining to the hobbit Frodo who has just learnt that he now has the responsibility of destroying The Ring of Power, the source of the growing power of the evil satanic figure of Sauron: ‘Always after a defeat and a respite, the Shadow takes another shape and grows again’. ‘I wish it had not happened in my time,’ said Frodo. ‘So do I ‘ said Gandalf, ‘and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given us.’ JRR Tolkien

WED 29 Let us thank God for all who organise and lead sporting activities in Chirk, and pray for them and all who take part in those activities.

THURS 30  Lord, we pray for the governors, staff and pupils of our local schools and ask that the weeks ahead might prove happy and successful.