May – August 2017
Prayer Gathering Weekend The Hayes, Swanwick 26 – 28 January 2018 Guest Speakers (to be confirmed) Book early to get ‘Early Bird’ discount
Come along and enjoy
Great teaching, prayer, word, worship and workshops! Cost ‘Early Bird’ discount (pay before 1st September): £155 per person After 1st September full price applies: £170 per person For application forms please email: saprayernetwork@salvationarmy.org.uk or call on 020 7367 4539 The Salvation Army is a Registered Charity No 214779, and in Scotland SC009359
Greetings, Prayer Matters readers, Welcome to this May–August 2017 edition of Prayer Matters. The year is moving on and here we are presenting the summer edition in which you will find varied mission focus prayer topics to inform your prayers. For the ten days between Ascension Day and Pentecost Sunday, we join a global wave of prayer launched by the Archbishop of Canterbury – ‘Thy Kingdom come’. In this edition you will also notice our HOPE 2017 Friday Focus. In connecting with this initiative we join other churches across the UK planning for mission together in 2018 to make Jesus known. Friday Focus is the first step as we unite across our nation, praying together on Fridays (whenever possible), supporting ongoing mission across the UK and preparing the way for HOPE 2018. My grateful thanks and acknowledgments go to Stephanie Chagas-Bijl (Resource Hub – THQ) who has prayerfully collated and edited this issue and to our guest writers who inform and enrich our prayers. Prayer Matters survey – we really need your feedback! Prayer Matters has been published now for a number of years. With the recent Fit for Mission re-organisation in the territory, much of the content is being co-ordinated by the newly formed Resource Hub (Mission Service), and now seems an opportune time to evaluate the publication with your feedback. The aim of the research is to gain insight into how you view the content and the design and to evaluate if any changes need to be made to help us improve/maintain Prayer Matters as a helpful prayer resource. Please see the survey questionnaire on the following page. This will also be sent out electronically in the Prayer Bulletin; if you don’t receive the email bulletin, we ask you please to complete the short survey and return it to the address on the form. On the inside front cover you will also see a poster page for our next Prayer Network annual conference. Prayer Gathering Weekend: 26–28 January 2018 Hayes Christian Conference Centre, Swanwick As we go to print for this edition of PM, we are drawing together the programme which will include fellowship, great worship, teaching, speakers, and of course prayer – watch out for further details on the posters. Booking for this event is now open and the early bird gets the discount! 3
For application forms email us at saprayernetwork@salvationarmy.org.uk. Contact details and prices are on the poster page on the front cover. Come alone or bring a group from your corps – all welcome. Development of our ‘One Thing’ Prayer School DVD series continues to move forward under the leadership of Lyndall Bywater, with DVDs for Seasons 2 and 3 due to be available this summer. Last but not least, I want to take this opportunity also to say a big thank you to Josephine Bankole, who until recently has worked at THQ (part-time) looking after our prayer events administration and other duties, not least the periodic mail-out of 5,000 copies of Prayer Matters. Jo has been a great behind-the-scenes support to me and the UKI Prayer Network and has managed to keep things going during the months whilst there was no Prayer Co-ordinator in post. Now, having finished her degree, she is moving on into full-time work in the area of her qualifications and chosen career path. I’m sure you join with me in wishing her all the very best and every blessing as she moves on. God bless you all! Pauline Captain Pauline Milner, SA Prayer Co-ordinator
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! PRAYER MATTERS SURVEY The Prayer Network would appreciate your feedback on Prayer Matters. Please fill in the survey, tear it off and post it to: The Salvation Army, SA Spiritual Life Development – Prayer Network, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN . The survey can also be filled in online at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/saprayer 1. What is your division? _____________________________ 2. Which of the following most closely applies to you?
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May Scripture Focus – Psalm 78 Monday 1 May – Psalm 78:1 The psalmist begins this psalm as one who has authority, instructing those who are listening to hear what he has to say. Pray that at the start of this new edition of Prayer Matters, your ears may also be inclined to hear from God and your eyes attentive to read through the daily contributions of others, so that you may take it all to him in prayer. Tuesday 2 May – Psalm 78:2 Quite often the Psalms speak of God’s goodness in the past to an unworthy people who respond to his love with ingratitude and ignorance. Lord, I pray for divine wisdom to understand what you want to do in and through me. I thank you for your constant faithfulness and love. Amen. Wednesday 3 May – Psalm 78:3 In those ancient times, stories were handed down from father to son by parables, sayings or chronological poems. Take some moments to reflect on your own story and how God has been a part of it. Ask him to show you someone you can share it with today, so that it may be of encouragement to them. Thursday 4 May – Psalm 78:4 Lord, help me not to hide your goodness from those around me, especially those of the next generation. Give me the courage I need to tell others of your praiseworthy deeds, your power and the wonders you have done. Amen. Friday 5 May – Friday Focus: Jesus for all (John 3:16) Because of Jesus we can have the free gift of eternal life with him. Give thanks for Jesus’ death and resurrection. Pray that churches will work together using both words and actions to make Jesus known, finding creative ways to connect with people in our community so they find Jesus for themselves. (Roy Crowne, HOPE’s Executive Director)
Candidates Unit
Major Janet Robson (Territorial Candidates Director) Saturday 6 May – Candidates Unit ‘Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and in purpose’ (Philippians 2:2 NIV). 7
Pray for those serving in the Candidates Unit based at William Booth College: Major Janet Robson, Major Liz Chape, Sue Bullens, Audrey Burns, and Lieutenant Tom Dunham who will be joining the team in the summer. Pray for unity as the team work to support men and women seeking to respond to God’s call to officership and territorial envoyship. Sunday 7 May – Candidates Sunday ‘Here am I. Send me!’ (Isaiah 6:8 NIV). As we read about Isaiah responding to the voice of the Lord, pray that his voice will be heard at corps around the territory as we mark Candidates Sunday. Pray that those who will be preaching do so with clarity and conviction. Pray that this day will be a call to men, women, boys and girls to hear the voice of the Lord in their lives. Monday 8 May – Children and young people ‘I am the Lord’s servant… May your word to me be fulfilled’ (Luke 1:38 NIV). As we read about the humility and obedience of a teenager, pray that children and young people in The Salvation Army will be encouraged to understand and respond to God’s calling on their lives. Pray that we will be and do all we can to see children and young people reach their full potential and all that God intends for their lives. Tuesday 9 May – Design For Life weekends ‘…Find out what pleases the Lord’ (Ephesians 5:10 NIV). Design For Life (DFL) is run three weekends a year with the aim of helping people explore God’s calling and design for their lives. Pray that people will take the opportunity to attend DFL and confirm or discover God’s will for them. Pray specifically for plans being made to run a DFL for children so that we can encourage and celebrate the way in which God invites children to respond to his call on their lives. Wednesday 10 May – Assessment Conferences ‘…your kingdom come, your will be done’ (Matthew 6: 10 NIV). The Candidates Unit normally hold seven Assessment Conferences a year. These are a crucial event for anyone applying for officership, territorial envoyship or reacceptance into officership. Pray for the applicants who will be attending Assessment Conferences in the coming months and for the men and women who serve as assessors. Pray that God’s will be done and his presence made known. Thursday 11 May – Every officer a Candidates Secretary ‘Live a life worthy of the calling you have received’ (Ephesians 4:1 NIV). It is sometimes said that ‘every officer is a Candidates Secretary’! Pray for all officers in the territory, that they will be energised and encouraged by God’s calling on their lives. Pray that they will be good role models to those they lead and serve alongside. Pray for your corps officer(s) and other officers who you know. 8
Friday 12 May – Friday Focus: Pray for five (Colossians 4:2-3) Think of five family members or friends who don’t know Jesus. You could set an alarm on your phone to remind you each day to pray for your five. Pray that you are given opportunities to share about Jesus with them and that they come to follow Jesus for themselves. (Dr Rachel Jordan-Wolf, Church of England)
Older People’s Ministries (Older People’s Regional Specialists)
Saturday 13 May – Genesis 18:17-18 Lord, every day is a gift. Today we are older than we were yesterday. May we grow with grace and wisdom each day. Sarah and Abraham were surprised at becoming parents in older age. Lord, you are the God of surprises. Lord of everything, of things understood, of things mysterious, may we open our eyes to your surprises for us today. Use us, whatever our age, for your Kingdom, we pray. Amen. Sunday 14 May Lord, we pray for families and carers of people who no longer recognise their helpers due to dementia. We are grateful that you know them, Lord, and see their works. Help them to remember their loved one as they once were and all that they mean to them. Bless them now. Amen. Monday 15 May ‘They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green’ (Psalm 92:14 NIV). Lord, we thank you for our older people, full of grace, love, acceptance and wisdom. Help us to see them the way you do – valuable, vital and fruitful. We ask that they continue to bear fruit. Amen. Tuesday 16 May – Lamentations 3:22-24 With every new day, may we seek to be thankful to God for his steadfast love towards us. May we find strength in his new mercies. ‘Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside! Great is thy faithfulness!… Morning by morning new mercies I see’ (Thomas O. Chisholm, SASB 26). Wednesday 17 May – John 14:2 Lord, thank you because your grace is sufficient for us and your power is made perfect in weakness. We pray that your power may rest on those who, perhaps due to their age, feel that it is more difficult to serve you as they would like. May your power rest on them and may they feel valued. Help them to delight in your strength. Amen. 9
Thursday 18 May – 2 Corinthians 12:9 Lord, we pray especially for those who are at the end stage of their life. We pray for your peace and serenity to be around them just now. Death is not the end for those who have a belief in you. Be with those who mourn the loss and passing of their elderly loved one and encourage them to see that while life is fleeting, hope in you is eternal. Amen. Friday 19 May – Friday Focus: Crossing barriers (John 17:22-23) HOPE unites the Church across denominations, race, culture and customs. An unprecedented number of churches are committed to mission in 2018. The dream is to grow the Church by 10 per cent. Thank God for churches working together. Pray that Christians will show God’s reconciling love and peace. (Rev Yemi Adedeji, Redeemed Christian Church of God)
Integration Focus Saturday 20 May As the territory continues to focus on a year of Integration, the theme of the second quarter is community engagement. Pray that corps will be able to understand what is happening in their local settings so that they can be more integrated with what God is doing in the lives of those around them. Sunday 21 May Pray that corps may continue to consider new ways of reaching out into their communities. Pray that the relationships they develop will bring transformation, hope, peace and justice to all. Monday 22 May The words in Micah 6:8 (NIV) encourage action: ‘… And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ Pray for corps that seek to be a ‘voice’ in their local contexts, advocating on behalf of the voiceless. Tuesday 23 May Pray for the locations throughout the territory that are seeking to strengthen relationships and integrate the work between corps and nearby social centres (Lifehouses or care homes). Wednesday 24 May Lord, it is easy to have lots of ideas about what might be good to do in my community, and then to feel overwhelmed by the possibilities and not know where to start. Help me to listen to what people are saying in my local context – but more importantly, to have spiritual ears open to hear your prompting. Amen. 10
Thy Kingdom Come – Ascension to Pentecost
(Pauline Milner – SA Prayer Network Co-ordinator) Along with individuals and churches around the world we respond to the call of the Archbishop of Canterbury for Christians to join a wave of prayer across the UK and around the world – praying that people you know might know Jesus (prayers adapted from www.thykingdomcome.global resources). Thursday 25 May – Ascension Day, Hebrews 9:24 Almighty God, your ascended son has sent us into the world to preach the good news of your Kingdom. Inspire us with your Spirit and fill our hearts with the fire of your love, that all who hear your word may be drawn to you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Pray the Lord’s Prayer. Friday 26 May – Hebrews 2:8b–10 God of our salvation, hope for all the ends of the earth, we pray: Thy Kingdom come. Through Jesus our Saviour your light and glory has blazed forth into the world. Send your Holy Spirit that I may share with my friends and family (say their names) the life of your son and your love for all. Help me to be a witness to that love as I pledge to pray for them. Action: sign up to #Pledge2Pray at https://www.thykingdomcome. global/#Pledge2PrayCounter Saturday 27 May – Romans 8:38,39 We pray that the world may know Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace: Thy Kingdom come. We pray for those who, through sickness, grief, misfortune or abuse, feel that their lives are without meaning or direction. Surround them with your love, and give patience and wisdom to all who support and guide them. Amen. Sunday 28 May – John 7:37–39a We pray for all who are estranged and without hope. May they be brought near to you: Thy Kingdom come. Reflect on the words: ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink’ (vv37-38 NRSV). Pray for those you know who have yet to drink deeply of all that God has for them. Pray for yourself that you might find renewal in God’s love as you pray, that out of your heart ‘shall flow rivers of living water’. Amen. Monday 29 May – Isaiah 40:28–31 Reflect silently on these verses. Pray for all leaders locally and around the world who serve the gospel to be kept in safety whilst God’s word accomplishes its purpose to renew, strengthen and embolden them by his Spirit to be powerful witnesses for him. Pray for those you know by name: Thy Kingdom come, we pray. Amen. 11
Tuesday 30 May – 1 Corinthians 12:4–7 May we be bold to speak the word of God while you stretch out your hand to save, we pray: Thy Kingdom come. Help us not only to proclaim the good news of your love, but also to be the good news. Reflect on the verses for today and think of ways in which you can be the good news. Ask the Holy Spirit to activate his gifts in you and lead you into acts of service ‘for the common good’. Wednesday 31 May – Joel 2:28,29 Lord, thank you that you have so generously poured out your Spirit on all peoples, whether they acknowledge it or not. By the same Spirit may we, your Church, be equally generous in giving to those in need, faithful in serving and bold in proclaiming the gospel so that people we know might know Jesus, we pray: Thy Kingdom come. Amen.
June Thursday 1 June – Luke 11:9–13 May we, the Church, be passionate and faithful in banging on the doors of Heaven in prayer until: Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven. Today we pray for those who hold positions of responsibility and power both internationally and in our local communities; may your Holy Spirit guide them in their decision making, so that paths of truth and justice may be open to everyone. Friday 2 June – 2 Corinthians 1:20–22 Lord, may your Church be one in serving and proclaiming the gospel, we pray: Thy Kingdom come. We pray for all who follow the way of Christ and for the unity of all Christian people; break down that which separates us from one another and from you, that knowing your forgiveness we may share your love with a needy world, such that others might know your forgiveness and be saved. Amen. Saturday 3 June – 2 Corinthians 3:17,18 We give thanks that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Yet we remember all who are imprisoned and suffering for the gospel; may they know the comfort, peace and glory of Christ even as we pray: Thy Kingdom come. Pray for the miraculous release of the captives, for love and support for those who have been rejected by family and friends or separated from their children because of their belief in Jesus. Pentecost Sunday 4 June – John 20:21,22 Happy birthday, Church! For that day, when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, we pray: Thy Kingdom come. Come, Holy Spirit, fill 12
the hearts of your people afresh and kindle in us the fire of your love. Send us out in power, your Church, in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to serve you in mission to the world and as witnesses to your love. Glory to God, whose power, at work among us, can do infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine. To him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Alleluia! Amen.
Isle of Man Focus
(Captain Simon Clampton – corps officer, Douglas) Monday 5 June The Douglas Corps mission statement is ‘Knowing Christ, Sharing Christ, Serving Christ’. Pray that this will truly underpin all that is done in worship and through activities such as home league, Cameo, the full-time nursery, lunch club, parent-andtoddler group, Followers Jesus Club, musical activities, quarterly Messy Church and community assistance to those in practical need. Tuesday 6 June The Isle of Man is a separate island state which is not part of the UK. Pray for all the members of Tynwald, the Manx Parliament, and all who are in authority to govern this small island community with wisdom and compassion. Wednesday 7 June The Isle of Man is famous for its motorcycle TT races. Pray for all who are racing or travelling on the island’s roads during this time, that wisdom might triumph over recklessness; for the officials, competitors, mechanics, sponsors, medical support, marshals, ancillary support and all who enjoy the races. May it may be a time of good sport and enjoyment for all. (From the Isle of Man Diocese prayer for the TT) Thursday 8 June Pray for the ministry at David Gray House Lifehouse which is the territory’s only bail hostel. Residents are placed there through the Isle of Man Prison and Probation Service whilst on bail subject to trial, or having left prison but not yet able to have their own accommodation. Friday 9 June – Friday Focus: Reconciliation in families (Ephesians 6:4) This passage invites husbands and wives to love and respect each other, laying down their lives for each other. Heavenly Father, in Jesus you commanded us to love you, and to love our neighbour as ourselves. May this love begin in our homes, bringing healing, understanding and hope where there is despair. Amen. (Father Simon Penhalagan, Sion Catholic Community for Evangelism) 13
Saturday 10 June Plans are progressing for the Army hall in Douglas to be demolished and rebuilt to deliver a building which will meet the needs of the Isle of Man now and into the future. Pray that the new building will be used as a mission tool for worship and for increased service amongst children and families, the elderly and those in transition. Sunday 11 June Churches Together on the Isle of Man has been reformed as Churches Alive in Man (CAIM) which is the Gaelic word for ‘encircling’ and the name given to the Celtic prayer for protection. Pray for all denominations who have signed the Island Churches’ Covenant for Mission to work together effectively.
Scripture Focus – Mark 4:15-20 Monday 12 June – Mark 4:15 In these selected verses Jesus is explaining to the crowds the meaning of the parable of the sower, starting with the seed that is scattered by the farmer that falls on the path. Although the word is sown, it is quickly taken away by Satan. Pray for those you know who have heard about Jesus but for one reason or another have not had the opportunity to pursue a relationship with him. Tuesday 13 June – Mark 4:16-17 The second scenario is of a seed that is sown in rocky places; as it hasn’t found root, when trouble or persecution comes it quickly falls away. Lord, we come before you to pray for people who once knew you and were filled with joy, but when the first challenge arose they could no longer carry on their journey with you. Bring them back, we pray. Amen. Wednesday 14 June – Mark 4:18-19 The third scenario is of the seed that is sown among thorns; whilst the word is heard, the desires of this world choke it up, making it unfruitful. Pause and reflect. Could this be ‘your seed’? What are the things that distract you from God’s presence? Ask God to show you, letting go of your desires and offering yourself back to him. Thursday 15 June – Mark 4:20 The final seed Jesus talks about is the one that is sown on good soil, thus growing healthily and producing even a hundred times what was sown. Imagine a harvest of people who bear such spiritual seeds. What a vision! Lord, I pray that my life may be one of ‘fertile soil’, a life that hears what you are saying, that joins in with what you are doing and that impacts those around me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 14
Friday 16 June – Friday Focus: What I have I give to you (Acts 3:1-10) Peter and John could not bypass need. They had been called by Jesus Christ and filled by his Spirit. Moved with compassion for the beggar, they gave what they had. They had Jesus. Wonderful Saviour, author of compassion, fill us with the language of mercy. Never let our love grow cold, and in the face of need may we always be so close to you that we can say: ‘What I have I give to you.’ Amen. (Fred Drummond, Evangelical Alliance)
Refugee Focus
Captain Nick Coke (Refugee Response Co-ordinator) Saturday 17 June ‘The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God’ (Leviticus 19:34 NIV). Pray for those who feel alienated or like outsiders in our communities. May we extend love to all people without discrimination. Amen. Sunday 18 June ‘An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him”’ (Matthew 2:13-14 NIV). Pray that we see the face of Jesus in all refugees and asylum seekers. May we extend to them the same dignity, the same respect, the same love and care we would to Christ himself. Amen. Monday 19 June ‘Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there’ (Genesis 11:31 NIV). Pray for those in our congregations and membership who were once refugees. Thank God for their presence. May their voices flourish and shape our mission and ministry. Amen. Tuesday 20 June ‘He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt’ (Deuteronomy 10:18-19 NIV). Pray that we can reflect in our own lives and actions the love God has for the marginalised. May we recognise the times when we ourselves have relied on others for refuge and found sanctuary in our heavenly Father. Amen. 15
Wednesday 21 June ‘Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow’ (Deuteronomy 27:19 NIV). Pray that we will speak up when those seeking sanctuary are denied justice. May we never allow fear, prejudice or self-preservation avert our eyes from discrimination. Amen. Thursday 22 June ‘Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it’ (Hebrews 13:2 NIV). Pray that we will notice and reach out to the strangers living amongst us. Pray that our halls and centres are spaces of welcome and sanctuary to all who seek refuge. Amen. Friday 23 June – Friday Focus: The Millennial Generation (Psalm 33:11) 18 to 35-year-olds have been dubbed the missing generation. They have left the church building and aren’t fitting into traditional structures. Pray for fresh outpouring of the grace of God on this vital generation that they may know God’s dream for this world and all he has purposed for them. (Kiera Phyo, Tearfund)
‘A mile with Jesus’ focus week
(Pauline Milner – SA Prayer Network Co-ordinator) www.amilewithjesus.com ‘A mile with Jesus’ is people literally prayer walking a mile with Jesus, covering their street, their route to work or the supermarket in prayer. If everyone did this would God change things? Why not do it and find out? If you can’t get out, you could look out of your window, pray over a map or simply imagine in your mind’s eye. Start by asking Jesus how he sees the places local to you, listen to what he is saying and pray as you are led. Saturday 24 June – Matthew 4:18–22 (Followers of Jesus) Lord Jesus, I pray for the salvation of my neighbours, those who don’t know you as their Lord and Saviour. May they (say their names if you know them) come to know you and become your followers just as simply as your first disciples responded to your call. Pour out your Spirit in my street and let the lives of my neighbours be transformed. Amen. Sunday 25 June – Matthew 5:14–16 (Be the light) Lord, help me to be your light-bringer to my neighbours. Help me to be bold in telling my neighbours that I’m a follower of Jesus and in living out your teaching in my daily life. Help me to be a person who is known as a good neighbour, an honest person, who doesn’t gossip or speak badly of others, someone my neighbours can turn to for help. Amen. 16
Monday 26 June – Matthew 6:9–13 (Your Kingdom come in my street) Our Father in Heaven, may your name be revered and honoured in my street. May your Kingdom come and your will done in my community, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give my neighbours and their families the food they need today and the means to pay their household bills. Forgive their sins and help them to forgive those who have wronged them. Help them not to give in to temptation and keep them from the evil one. Amen. Tuesday 27 July – Matthew 7:1–5 (Don’t judge) Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I have judged others. Help me not to judge my neighbours when I have no idea what they have experienced or are going through right now. Let me see my neighbours as you see them. Help me to be understanding and sympathetic towards them, exercising grace and mercy, just as you have to me. Amen. Wednesday 28 June – Matthew 19:13–14 (Children) Lord Jesus, today I pray for the families in my street/community with school-aged children. Bless every parent and help them to provide a loving home and help every child to reach their full potential. May there be opportunities in our local schools for the Christian gospel to be shared and for children to come to know you. Amen. Thursday 29 June – Matthew 20:20-28 (Love my neighbour) Lord, your word prompts me to pray. Give me a servant heart, willing to put my neighbour’s needs before my own. Let me be one who is willing to stand in the gap and pray regularly for my neighbours and my community, taking time for the people who live here. Above all, give me a heart, as you have commanded, to love my neighbours more and show them your love. Amen. Friday 30 June – Friday Focus: Pray for Five – our neighbours (Matthew 22:39) Loving your neighbour begins with sacrificing time to pray for them. Pray for your neighbours to have a life-transforming encounter with Jesus and to come to know him personally. Ask him to present opportunities for you to get to know your neighbours and to help them in times of need. (Rebekah Brettle, Neighbourhood Prayer Network)
July Family Ministries
Major Val Mylechreest (Director of Family Ministries) Saturday 1 July Today is the first full day of the Women and God conference (held at Swanwick) which concludes tomorrow. Pray that the women who gather together will learn 17
what being ‘authentic’ means to them personally and that they will have the opportunity to explore and grow in their faith. Pray also for inspiration for the speakers, that their words will be God-inspired and touch lives. Sunday 2 July Parent-and-toddler groups, BabySong, Messy Church, Early Years and so many other initiatives offer opportunities for relationships, helping parents and children to know that they are supported and valued. Pray for all the activities that take place throughout the territory every week seeking to reach out to families with young children. Monday 3 July Pray for opportunities to minister to men and women. Pray that local settings will be able to recognise that both genders express themselves and their relationship with God in different ways and, most importantly, be able to explore what this might look like in the 21st Century. Tuesday 4 July Pray that corps may be able to recognise the benefits of encouraging intergenerational ministry. Pray that diversity of age, gender, background and life experience can be embraced, used and celebrated so that the whole corps community may be able to grow together. Wednesday 5 July As the Family Ministries Unit seeks to support corps programmes, pray that they would be able to offer the resources and training that is needed. Pray that as a territory we will continue to find new ways of ministering with families. Thursday 6 July Pray for the Unit, as Major Val Mylechreest prepares to move on to a new appointment and as Major Catherine Wyles assumes her role of Director of Family Ministries at the end of the month. Pray also for the seven regional specialists working throughout the territory, seeking to encourage, equip and engage corps in local mission with families. Friday 7 July – Friday Focus: Becoming welcoming churches (Acts 2: 46-47) In Acts we are told the Church enjoyed the favour of all the people. What reputation does your church have – Austere? Unreal? Judgmental? Or is it seen as warm and welcoming to everyone in your community? Lord, fill our church with mercy. May it be a home for the prodigals, a sanctuary for the lonely, the angry and the outcast. Help us see people with your loving eyes. Amen. (Steve Botham, World Prayer Centre) 18
William Booth College
Lieutenant-Colonel Wendy Caffull (Assistant Principal and Personnel Officer) Saturday 8 July – Romans 12:12 Today is Commissioning Day for the cadets of the Joyful Intercessors. Following their two years of residential training, they are now ready to leave William Booth College, and as lieutenants go to their new appointments to commence their ministry as Salvation Army officers. Pray for the cadets of the Joyful Intercessors Session on this very significant day for them as they declare their faith and love for the Lord and their desire to be obedient to him. Sunday 9 July – Luke 10:27 The farewell meeting for the Joyful Intercessors and the Messengers of the Gospel Sessions takes place at William Booth College in London today. The Messengers of the Gospel will be going to corps and centres around the territory for their summer placements, where they will be able to put into practice much of their learning during the first year of residential training. Please pray for these cadets as they prepare their hearts and minds for their summer of ministry. Monday 10 July – Hebrews 12:1-3 Today at the William Booth College’s final internal worship meeting, the sessional flag of the Joyful Intercessors will be placed in a holder at the rear of the Assembly Hall, along with the flags of previous sessions which have gone before. This will signify the official end of the residential element of training for the new officers of the Joyful Intercessors Session. Pray for them and the Messengers of the Gospel Session as they share in special moments of worship for the last time as two sessions together. Tuesday 11 July – Luke 10:1-2 Final cleaning and preparation for the new lieutenants to move away from their current homes at the college will be happening today. Many will feel strange as they contemplate a new home and corps or centre that, as yet, they know very little about. Pray for the Lord to give his peace and a calmness in the hearts of all those who will be moving to very new surroundings and circumstances this week. Wednesday 12 July – Matthew 19:14 Today William Booth College will be full with removal vans arriving early to commence the moving process for all the cadets. Pray for the children who will be leaving WBC which has been their home for the last two years. Pray for them as they transition to new situations, new schools, new corps and new homes. 19
Thursday 13 July – Isaiah 43:19 As families leave WBC and head for their new homes and communities, please pray that they will know the Lord’s very real presence with them. Pray also for the people in the corps, centres and communities in which they will soon be ministering. Ask God to help the cadets and lieutenants to keep their eyes fixed and focused on him in everything they do in his name. Friday 14 July – Friday Focus: Let’s get talking (1 Peter 3:15) Are we prepared, alert and ready to talk about Jesus? Are we living in a way that stirs people to ask us for the reason for the hope that we have? Lord, thank you that out of your great love for us, you sent your son, Jesus, who in turn sends us. Help us look for opportunities today to share our faith, using our words to communicate the greatest love story ever known. Amen. (Phil Timson, HOPE Youth Director)
Integration Focus
Captain Jonny Smith (Intercultural Mission) Saturday 15 July As this nation is so racially diverse, and will continue to be even more so, pray that our calling to make disciples of all nations will become a passion and hunger within this territory. May we live out the old song, ‘Whosoever will may come’. Sunday 16 July Pray for every division around the territory as they are faced with the great opportunity of becoming far more diverse, and in doing so, celebrating the diversity in unity. Monday 17 July Pray that we will be willing to enter into other people’s cultures and customs, as much as we want and expect people to enter into ours. Tuesday 18 July Please help us, Lord, in those times where we have formulated an opinion of people who perhaps we have never met. May we lay down our preconceived ideas and accept people for who they are. Wednesday 19 July Lord, where we as The Salvation Army have got intercultural mission so wrong in so many corps and communities around this territory, we repent of this and say sorry to those we have impacted negatively. We acknowledge that we need to do things very differently as we move forward. Be our guide, Lord. 20
Thursday 20 July As our corps seek to resemble more and more the communities in which they are situated, help us to be courageous and to journey together as one incredibly diverse body. Amen. Friday 21 July – Friday Focus: Teach me your ways (Psalm 25:1,2,4) Walk into any bookshop and you will discover a wide range of books offering advice on how to be a better person. The Psalms provide us with some ancient and wellattested wisdom. We are invited to put our trust in God and ask him to be our teacher, for all of life. Lord, conscious of all the sources of advice that are available to me, help me this day to put my trust in you. Amen. (Paul Woolley, Bible Society)
Children and Youth
Major Helen Schofield (Territorial Youth and Children’s Secretary) Saturday 22 July Today sees the start of the Territorial Music School. As over 100 young people/ young adults gather from all around the territory, pray that they will encounter Jesus in a life-transforming way this week. Pray for the staff team, that they will be used in an amazing way for the Kingdom of God this week. Pray that there will be a ripple effect throughout the whole of the territory because of the impact of this time. Sunday 23 July Up and down the territory junior camps will be taking place during the summer holidays. Pray for protection on this vital ministry, and that through all the structural changes that have taken place, this ministry will not be adversely affected. Monday 24 July A number of our junior camps will be focusing on what it means to be ‘connected’ – connected to God, friends, neighbours, the people of God, the world. Pray that during all their time together they keep falling in love with Jesus, and that each will know that they are wonderfully made in the eyes of our God. Tuesday 25 July Holiday clubs are a great way for corps to connect with children within their communities, and many young people have come into a relationship with Jesus through this ministry. Pray for corps as they run these programmes, that they will reach out to children in their communities. Pray for creativity and wisdom to enable them to share the gospel in new and relevant ways, and pray for grace and energy for all involved. 21
Wednesday 26 July For many children and their parents, the summer holidays are difficult times. Many parents struggle to provide adequate childcare during these days and even a hot meal each day for their child – particularly when in term time they are reliant on free school meal provision. Pray for those families affected in this way. Pray for those corps who have set up programmes to support families by providing hot meals and also a holiday club programme. Thursday 27 July Throughout the territory there will be many summer schools that take place during the school holidays. A number of them are looking at what it means to live out their faith 24/7. Pray for all our young people and staff teams who attend these events. Pray that they each encounter Jesus again in a new and living way. Pray that there will be great times of celebration for all he has done and an amazing sense of anticipation for all that he is going to do in and through them. Friday 28 July – Friday Focus: Unity in prayer and mission (2 Corinthians 6:1-2) The apostle Paul refers to himself and his brothers and sisters in Christ as ‘coworkers’ with God. If the business of communicating the gospel of Jesus Christ is a task, then the team to accomplish that task is the Church, and if that team doesn’t pull together, then the job won’t get done. Pray for the Church across the British Isles, that we will work together with great effectiveness to complete the task of sharing Jesus with every man, woman and child in this land. (Lyndall Bywater, The Salvation Army)
Employment Plus
Major Malcolm Hampton (Mission Development Officer) Saturday 29 July – Luke 10:25-37 In Luke 10:25-37 the lawyer asked an important question: ‘Who is my Neighbour?’ The employment service of The Salvation Army follows in a long line of endeavours that serve suffering humanity, trying to lift people up and give worth to those who are marginalised in society. Pray for the work of Employment Plus UK. Sunday 30 July – Psalm 46:1-3 What do you do when the space and the world you inhabit disintegrates before your very eyes? The Psalmist describes events of cosmic proportions that we hope we would never have to experience. But for some people the disasters are closer to home, and the reality of their existence and happiness is threatened by the problems of poverty, mental illness, unemployment and the related deprivations that those situations bring. Pray for those who feel that their world is falling apart. 22
Monday 31 July – Psalm 46:4-7 For the occupants of the city of God there is hope because of the life-giving water that runs through it. This signified hope, as while there was water there was the possibility of life amid the impending disasters. Pray for those who bring the lifegiving water of hope to many that are in need of it especially those helping the unemployed through Employment Plus.
August Tuesday 1 August – Psalm 46:10-11 In a busy world it’s not easy to stop and evaluate who we are and where we are going. But there are times when that is exactly what God wants from us. It’s not about giving up the search for worth and purpose, but actually giving over that search to God and allowing him to journey with us. Stanley Ditmer wrote: ‘I’m in his hands, I’m in his hands. Whate’er the future holds, I’m in his hands’ (SASB 848). Pray that God will help us to stop and be still and allow that journey to begin. Wednesday 2 August – James 2:14-17 A real religion that works does something about people in need of comfort and provision, and more than that, in need of Christ. A religion that works makes a Christian a participant and not a spectator. It’s at the heart of our mission that we are activists against injustices in our society, not passive bystanders whilst the world goes on around us. At the end of each day we should ask ourselves, ‘What have I done today that nobody but a Christian would do?’ It’s a challenge – take time to pray about it. Thursday 3 August – Matthew 9:11-13 Work is an easily understood word. To work to provide for our loved ones is an easily understood ideal that gives a person both a sense of worth and dignity. As many of us enjoy some relaxation and holiday at this time of the year, let us remember those for whom a holiday is an impossible dream because of their circumstances. Pray for those who provide care and provision for deprived families. Friday 4 August – Friday Focus: Praying for our children (Mark 10:14-16) In the UK last year, more than 200,000 children and young people visited a creative prayer space in their school, and many of them tried praying for the first time in their lives. ‘It was fun,’ wrote one 10-year-old in the feedback book just before she left, ‘and I now see God everywhere I look. God has spoken to me.’ Lord, may the children we know, and don’t know, hear you speaking to them. May they know your deep love for them. Amen. (Phil Togwell, Prayerspaces in Schools) 23
Homelessness Services
Mitch Menagh (Territorial Director of Homelessness Services) Saturday 5 August – The shame of homelessness (Deuteronomy 15:7) Homelessness is increasing. Not just the thousands of visible rough sleepers, but over 250,000 people in the UK who are now without access to a proper home – half of whom are children. Pray for those with responsibility for local and national government policy in the area of homelessness and housing provision. May they be open-minded in their ideas and mindful of those who are impacted by their decisions. Sunday 6 August – Life in all its fullness (John 10:10) The Homelessness Services Unit provide around 3,000 units of supported accommodation for people experiencing homelessness. We call them ‘Lifehouses’, not ‘hostels’, because despite the complexity of people’s lives we want them to be places of transformation, hope and community. Chaplaincy remains an essential element of every Lifehouse. Pray for all the service managers and the 1,400 dedicated employees who are all part of this mission, so that through the support they give, Christ may be seen in their actions. Please pray for the chaplains that, as they build relationships, people will be encouraged to find Jesus for themselves. Monday 7 August – Seeking Mercy and Justice (Micah 6:8) In addition to residential accommodation, we also provide several day centres (including a bus) offering advice, support and practical assistance. The people attending are often highly vulnerable and may not be eligible for statutory assistance. Corps-based night shelters and day programmes are working in similar ways. Pray for people who are fleeing violence, have a lack of self-worth or mask out their pain through damaging behaviour. May we as a church always seek justice for the marginalised and show mercy towards the rejected. Tuesday 8 August – Love your neighbour (Mark 12:31) ‘Floating support’ is a term used to describe support given to individuals in their own homes. It is a growing area of work for The Salvation Army. Recently we have been designated the prime provider of these services in Cardiff. Floating support helps to end the cycle of homelessness, reduce isolation and build resilience. Pray for those living in isolation and for the safety of employees as they travel from home to home. Pray for opportunities for integration between local corps and the work of the floating support teams so everyone can play a part in providing a supportive community. 24
Wednesday 9 August – The year of the Lord’s favour (Isaiah 6:1) The Homelessness Services Unit has been responsible for setting up and operating a number of safe houses for victims for modern slavery/ human trafficking. Understanding how trauma impacts lives has led us to deliver a Christian approach to harm reduction and develop a wellbeing strategy to help bring emotional, physical and spiritual healing for both service users and staff. Pray for those who finally find themselves in one of our places of safety and refuge. Through our words and actions, may the Holy Spirit be free to bring freedom and release. Please pray that the wellbeing strategy will facilitate hope and a sense of purpose. Thursday 10 August – Do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:19) To ensure maximum impact, HSU needs to operate in a professional competitive marketplace. There are new services throughout the territory, and in some cases existing services have been expanded. Pray for the HSU regional managers as they seek to develop relationships with local authorities and partner agencies. Pray for discernment so that new contracts will be effective in changing lives and influencing others for the Kingdom. Friday 11 August – Friday Focus: Jesus’ sacrificial love (Matthew 27:51) As Jesus died on the cross, the thirty-foot curtain in the Temple, which separated the ordinary people from the very presence of God, was torn in two. It’s a beautiful picture of God the Father saying, ‘The way to me is now open.’ I pray, Lord, that not just today but every day the cross will be before us and that others will be aware of your presence in us more and more. (Andy Hawthorne, The Message Trust)
Scripture Focus – Ephesians 5:8-21 Saturday 12 August – Ephesians 5:8-10 Some people describe their conversion experience as a ‘light’ that suddenly came on, as if before that they were living in darkness. Lord, thank you because I once was blind but now I see. Help me to share the goodness, righteousness and truth of this light with others. Sunday 13 August – Ephesians 5:11-12 Have you ever seen or heard anything that you know is wrong, but kept quiet about it? Verse 11 encourages us to expose darkness, whether it be in our own lives or in the situations around us. Lord, give me the courage to shed a light on the darkness I am unaware of, inside of me and around me. Amen. 25
Monday 14 August – Ephesians 5:13-14 Loving Father, so many times I have ‘fallen asleep’, complacent in my relationship with you and stagnant in my journey of faith. I pray, with Paul, that you would ‘wake me up!’ today and that your light may shine on me. Tuesday 15 August – Ephesians 5:15-16 In these verses Paul urged the Ephesians to be wise as they lived amidst the darkness of their time. Lord, in the struggles and hardships of this present time, where the values of your Kingdom are turned upside down, help me to make the most of every opportunity I am given to live a life worthy of your name. Wednesday 16 August – Ephesians 5:17-18 Lord, forgive me for the times I am foolish and fail to understand your plans. Lead me not into temptation, but fill me with your Spirit, giving me the revelation needed to serve you each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Thursday 17 August – Ephesians 5:19-21 This section of the passage finishes with a call to worship and praise! Give thanks to God for everything you have. Praise him for being light and love. Trust that his greatness has the power to dispel any dark times you, or someone else, has been going through. Amen. Friday 18 August – Friday Focus: Pray for 5 – work colleagues (Ephesians 6:5-9,19) Our workplaces provide a unique opportunity to build relationships with nonbelievers. They see the difference our faith makes to how we work, the way we relate, our resilience under pressure, and our attitude to success or failure. Heavenly Father, thank you for our work and for those we meet through it. Help us to witness to you through the way we work and relate to our colleagues. We ask for your guidance as to when to speak, what to say, and when to stay silent. Amen. (Bev Shepherd, LICC PrayerWorks)
International Focus (The Whole World Mobilising) Laura Booth (Content Producer, IHQ)
The Whole World Mobilising is a global campaign to unite Salvationists all around the world (www.salvationarmy.org/mobilising). Mobilising means to get out of our corps, to reach out to our communities and to share the gospel with everyone. Saturday 19 August – Pray Jesus promises us in Matthew 18:19-20 (NIV) that ‘if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two 26
or three gather in my name, there am I with them.’ What is on your heart today? If you would like to be supported in prayer by your brothers and sisters in Christ, visit mobilising.salvationarmy.org/#!/participate/pray Sunday 20 August – Read Faith comes from hearing the message through the word of Christ, but it’s not always easy to spend time reading the Bible when the world constantly beckons us with distractions. Make it your prayer today to spend time every day in the word in order to hear his voice more clearly. Monday 21 August – Reach ‘Go out into all the world. Preach the good news to everyone’ (Mark 16:15, NIRV). To reach the people for the Kingdom, we need to accept our mission, mobilise and show the world his love. Let’s give thanks to God for what he is already doing in our communities through The Salvation Army, but let’s also prayerfully consider how we can continue to reach out with the love of God. Tuesday 22 August – Connect Lord, let us not be complacent, sitting back and watching as the world passes us by. Let us mobilise for you. Help us to reach all our friends, neighbours, strangers and loved ones who haven’t yet accepted you. Break down the barriers that are keeping them from knowing you and use us, however you will, to get your message across to them. Wednesday 23 August – Unite The Whole World Mobilising aims to bring a sense of unity around the Salvation Army world. If you visit the Mobilising website or app, you’ll be confronted with a map showing Salvationists around the world mobilising, reading the word, reaching out or praying. Focus your prayers on a country you’re unfamiliar with, and together let’s follow Jesus’ command and be a light for other people. Thursday 24 August – Mobilise ‘Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says’ (James 1:22 NIV). Now is the time for action! Consider how you can meet the needs of your community using your God-given gifts. Pray about it; then, as the Founder said, ‘Do something!’ Friday 25 August – Friday Focus: Blessing our communities (Numbers 6:22–27) God has given us the privilege and responsibility of blessing people, communities and countries in the name of Jesus. This is powerful when done as part of everyday 27
life. ‘I/we bless you (name your community/ street/town/village/city) in the name of Jesus, that the revelation of the gospel and the fruit of the Kingdom might fall upon you. I/we bless you in Jesus’ name that your eyes might be open to recognise the Father’s passionate love for you, and that you might be free to respond.’ Amen. (Roy Godwin, The Ffald y Brenin Trust Ltd)
UKI Prayer Centres Banbury and Buckingham (Captains Xander and Vanessa Coleman) Saturday 26 August Pray for energy and enthusiasm as Banbury prayer centre maintains its daily rhythms of prayer. Pray that there will be an increase in passion for God and his Kingdom, and that this overflows into the community, impacting people with the gospel in lifechanging ways. Pray for growth in numbers and depth. Sunday 27 August Pray for the connections being made as The Salvation Army in Buckingham reaches out to unchurched people in this growing community. Pray for a hunger in people’s lives as prayer is offered to them in their homes and on the streets. Pray for the coffee morning, parent-and-toddler group and Alpha courses to become gateways to discipleship.
Sanctuary 21, Sacriston Corps and The Care and Share Shop (Lieutenant Sarah Johnson) Monday 28 August Sanctuary 21 (Durham) is a house of prayer and a drop-in/café that seeks to meet people’s practical and spiritual needs on a daily basis. Please pray that more people will find God and that the Community Mission Facilitator, Darryn Hook, may continue to understand God’s guidance in the way he can help people. Tuesday 29 August Sanctuary 21 is part of the appointment in the old mining village of Sacriston. While the corps congregation is small, it offers a range of programmes for different ages and the charity shop provides many opportunities for conversation. Pray for wisdom for the new officer and leadership team to bring this ‘threefold location’ even closer together. 28
Ealing (Lieutenants Craig and Sarah Oliver) Wednesday 30 August Ealing Corps was re-established four years ago as a house of prayer named The Sanctuary. Pray for the new officers who have taken over the work there and for the people of the corps. Pray that they would all feel the power of God working in their lives as they strive to do his will and work in Ealing.
Pill (Lieutenants Nick and Shelley Ward) Thursday 31 August Pray for more opportunities to engage with people in our community in faith and in prayer, and for God’s guidance and inspiration for how the corps blesses others with God’s generous and all-embracing love.
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If you would like more information about the SA Prayer Network, please contact us. E-mail: saprayernetwork@salvationarmy.org.uk Phone: 020 7367 4539 Or log on to www.salvationarmy.org.uk/prayer-resources The Salvation Army, SA Prayer Network 101 Newington Causeway, London, SE1 6BN Registered charity number 214779, and in Scotland SC009359