Lisa Medina

Today’s thoughts are provided by Rev. Judith Holliman.

You can download a copy of these prayers here.

Dear Friends,

Every now and then a book comes my way that becomes in its turn part of me, I don’t just read it, I walk into it. Or as Julia Donaldson says:

‘I opened a book and in I strode
Now nobody can find me.
I’ve left my chair, my house, my road,
My town and my world behind me.’

That happened for me this week when I read ‘Liturgy of the Ordinary’ by Tish Harrison Warren. Much of what I now write comes from the ideas begun by this book.

I often comment when I am preaching on the baptism of Jesus that he hadn’t actually ‘done’ anything when he was baptised, nothing that is except to be himself, he had been him, and in being him he was God’s son with whom God was well pleased. He was beloved. When we wake first thing in the morning, rumpled and drooley (maybe that’s just me!), slightly not quite awake yet, we are beloved, we haven’t done anything, but we are loved. Our waking identity is given to us by grace: an identity that is deeper and more real than any other identity we will don that day belongs in that moment to us.

To awake is a gift – do you start the day thanking God for it even if it is that brief, thank you.

Thank you, God that before I get up
Before I clean my teeth or go for a wee
before I even think straight
I am beloved.

Today is a special one for us in the Holliman household as James is 19. James gives me many reasons to pray on a daily, often hourly basis and that is okay. I developed the need to put down and process lots of things as James found his own way through life and school especially, I found that doodle prayers worked really well.

They are very much a personal way of talking to God without talking, enabling me to put things deliberately before God and as I doodle, trying to accept, to understand, to find my way, my place – to acknowledge that God knows and understands.

Perhaps it is something that could work for you if you give it a chance, not much to lose is there?

So here are some doodle prayers for today – give it a try.

If it works for you there is lots of other info at prayingincolours.com

Today’s thoughts are provided by Rev. Judith Holliman.

You can download a copy of these prayers here.

Prayer is such a personal thing isn’t it? My Grandma used to pray sat in her chair looking out at the garden. My Grandpa would pray on his knees by the bed. I wonder how it works for you? For some people praying is like breathing – it just comes. For others it is much more elusive and that is okay – we are all different. When I am struggling with prayer I sit in my back room and imagine Jesus is sitting next to me, relaxed, smiling and I just tell him what’s going on. If it’s good I can see him smiling, if it’s dreadful I see him leaning forward, caring and sometimes I think he just throws his head back and laughs because I can get myself into some pretty stupid situations.

One of the best ways into prayer that I have used is the Examen, which is an unnecessarily academic word for a very simple practice. The Examen enables you to simply think over what is going on . . . with God.

So then:

Think over your day today – what feels good? What is not so good? What are you anxious about? What have you noticed?

Thank God for being there in the situation, for the blessings you have felt and seen, talk with Jesus about the worries you have.

Say sorry for stuff that you wish hadn’t happened.

Recognise that you can start again, clean before God thanks to Jesus.

This can take 2 minutes or an hour or . . .

You are not in competition, Jesus will be present whatever.

Just be.

Prayers

Loving and gracious God
We face a bug that spreads like evil
Unseen and unknown it grows and defiles
Help us to remember that you have overcome evil
That you stand for and with us.
Be with your world as it stops and faces this warfare
Help us to act in a way that honours you.
Be with the rulers, politicians and newspaper editors
Help them to remember how many people they speak for
Especially the most vulnerable.

Loving and gracious God be with your Methodist People
Especially we pray for those in Wales – often called your own country
Help us to take time to discern what this prolonged change
Means for us
We will be in a new normal now, things will never be exactly the same
What do you call the Wales Synod to be?
How can I help?

Loving and gracious God
Be with those whom I love
Help me to understand that you love them even more than I do
Hold them for me as I cannot
Bring them your peace
A peace that stems from the knowledge of your love.

Our Father
Who art in Heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in Heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory
For ever and ever,
Amen.

God bless you this day.
Judith x

‘In the morning O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.’
PSALM 5:3

Each day we want to pray for those impacted by Covid19 and to pray for our Synod and Circuit. Each day’s thoughts and prayers will be provided by a member of the Ministry team, Today’s thoughts are provided by Revd Nick Oborski.

Through the month we will pray for all sorts of people in all sorts of situations but today it’s right we start by praying for those in the Health Service and the Care service. Both play a vital role all year round they look after us and our loved ones.

I have been privileged to be linked into a prayer newsletter produced by the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity. It’s an organisation that primarily connects with Christians in the city of London providing support in their work environment. They recently talked to volunteers in the health service and I have reproduced some of the material below. It offers the chance to develop our own prayers based on “Giving Thanks” and “Asking God to Act”

Give thanks…
“I sense God’s presence sustaining me each day, in my interactions with scared patients and families as I am able to extend a hand of comfort, and with my colleagues as we hold each other up.”

“In volunteers who give so much of their time, in the kindness of staff, in patients who in crisis still put others first, in the dedication and humility of medics … Wherever I look, if I look hard enough, I can see God working through others, in situations, through actions, words, and just being.”

Ask for God’s help…
“We fear for the safety of our families and some colleagues are forced to isolate from their loved ones …There is a real danger and concern of not having adequate PPE, so staff are extremely anxious for their own lives.”

“It’s physically exhausting being in PPE for 12- to 13-hour shifts, and everything takes longer when wearing it. Emotionally, it’s very sad to watch someone die alone.”

Praying God’s heart for these people and situations…

Loving God we thank you for those who offer your loving care to those facing sickness, and fear and sometimes death. We ask that you would be with them as they try to connect with those they care for from behind the protection of PPE.  We thank you for their great courage knowing that they put themselves at greater risk by serving us. Amen

We ask Lord that you help those seeking a vaccine and we pray for the different tests and trials being conducted around the world that a suitable vaccine might be found as quickly as is possible. Amen

We pray for those in Leadership roles within the NHS, Care Homes, and Government Departments. We ask that you would give them wisdom as they continue to make decisions which affect the work of these services and that their decisions help provide workers with what they need to be as effective as they can be. Amen

Praying for the Wales Synod and Our Circuit

Today we pray for our Wales Synod and for our sister Synod, Synod Cymru. Over recent years we have looked at how we might work closer together and indeed thought about how we might become one Synod. Both Synods now face a different landscape as we look to the future. There is a sense that people are rediscovering community. Will they also rediscover the church? As our churches look towards re-opening, we need to be reflecting on how we can continue to develop local community and ask ourselves what that might look like for our Synods individually or together.

A Prayer

Loving God strengthen your people to have the courage to engage with our local communities to share your love with them. We pray for Stephen and Jenny the Chairs of the two Wales Synods that they might seek your vision for your Methodist church in Wales and that you would give them the courage to take risks as we move into a new and possibly very different future to the one we have known up to now. Amen