of Chester Cycle of Prayer Sunday, 28 February to Saturday, 27 March 2021

Sunday, 28 February 2021 Second Sunday of Lent In the passage from Mark 8 notice two things about the cross of Jesus: first, Jesus speaks of it quite openly, in a way that includes not just the disciples, but the crowd and those who pass-by − this is a public call to discipleship. Those who would follow this way are asked to do something that is open and public. The three imperatives of discipleship are 1) deny yourself, 2) take up your cross, and 3) follow me, and they are public acts. Second, there is no confusion about what ‘cross’ means to those who are listening to Jesus. It has but one association in the Roman Empire − it was the way dissidents were executed. There’s no getting away from the political ramifications of it. Two thousand years of piety pushes the cross safely into religious experience, but when Jesus used the word he was talking about a political and military punishment. It was inflicted on slaves, violent criminals, and unruly elements in rebellious provinces − not least Palestine. It was inflicted on those who had no rights; those who had to be suppressed to maintain the empire; those who were expendable to safeguard law and order. Jesus asks his followers to face the consequences of daring to challenge the all- encompassing power of imperial Rome and not to sell-out to it. The self-denial is that required of the one standing accused in the courtroom making the choice for Jesus and knowing the likely consequences. That brilliant commentator, Ched Myers, from whom I get this exegesis, explains it this way, ‘The threat to punish by death is the bottom line of the power of the state; fear of this threat keeps the dominant order intact. By resisting this fear and pursuing kingdom practice even at the cost of death, the disciple contributes to shattering the powers’ reign of death in history.’ Pursuing kingdom practice shatters the power of death, overturns all those things that allows greedy, violent power to have its way. Pursuing kingdom practice allows us to engage in the struggle against all those things that stop the reign of God breaking into human experience and society. It simply asks us to resist always putting our self- interest first. Pursuing kingdom practice always means public, political, physical, social things − yes, and my soul and God, but NEVER just my soul and God. [Ched Myers, (1997), Binding the Strong Man. New York: Orbis Books] Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central de America

Monday, 1 March 2021

0901 Backford C: Steve Mansfield.

Mollington St Oswald's C of E School Armidale, The Anglican Church of Australia

Tuesday, 2 March 2021

0902 Bromborough C: Jenny Gillies. LM: Lynne Whittaker.

Arochukwu / Ohafia, The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

Wednesday, 3 March 2021

0903 Burton C: Cathy Helm. LM: Ann Rudd, Ruth Abbott, Basil Keys, John Morris-Best.

Burton Bishop Wilson C of E School

Aru, Province de L'Eglise Anglicane Du Congo

Thursday, 4 March 2021

0904 Capenhurst C: Steve Mansfield. LM: Jo Pemberton.

Capenhurst C of E School

Asaba, The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

Friday, 5 March 2021

0905 Eastham C: Beth Glover, Mark Turner. LM: Ray Bonnard, Andrew Bradley-Gibbons, Anne York, David Colenso, Dot Christiansen, Simone Llewellyn, Nikki Matthews. Please pray for us, that we may truly know how to; 'Sing the Lord's song in a strange land' and to work with God as he says to us; 'Behold, I will make all things new'.

Millfields C of E School

Asante-Mampong, The Church of the Province of West Africa

Saturday, 6 March 2021

0906 Ellesmere Port C: Gordon McGuinness, Gordon Welch, Gill Foster. LM: Julia McGuinness, Sue Johnson, Ricky Montgomery, Frank Mawdsley.

Ellesmere Port Christ Church C of E School

Saint Asaph, The

Sunday, 7 March 2021 Third Sunday of Lent Today the Diocese offers thanks for Bishop Keith’s ministry. We pray for Rosie and Keith’s move to their new home, for joy and fulfilment in their changed circumstances, and for fruitfulness in new ministry opportunities. Speaking at a service to celebrate ‘Open the Book’ in 2019, Bishop Keith described his own ‘Open the Book’ version of the parable of the two sons (often called the Parable of the Prodigal) in Luke’s Gospel, as part of the presentation he said, ‘Will the older brother allow himself to be brought back? Is he being led by the Father here; will he experience the love and forgiveness of Jesus; will he let the Holy Spirit come within him? We don’t know. We’re not told how the story ends, and we we’re not told because Jesus wants us to answer that the question for ourselves. Will we be led by the Father? Will we experience the love and forgiveness of Jesus? Will we be enfolded by the Holy Spirit?’ (From notes taken at the address). We give thanks for Bishop Keith’s constancy in putting before us Christ’s claim on lives. As Bishop Mark writes, ‘We have so much to give thanks for as we bless Keith and Rosie into this next stage of their life and ministry. Bishops are called to love and serve the people of God, to be diligent in prayer, to seek out the lost, to be gentle and merciful, and to ‘pass on entire the faith that is entrusted to us.’ Bishop Keith has been such a gift in this and so much more and although we are sorry to see him leave, we are deeply grateful for his and Rosie’s time with us.’ Province de L'Eglise Anglicane Du Congo

Monday, 8 March 2021

Bishop Keith Consecrated Bishop of in York Minster on this day in 2007. Pray for the fruits of that long ministry among us.

Athabasca, The Anglican Church of Canada

Tuesday, 9 March 2021

0907 Great Saughall C: Steve Mansfield. LM: Robert Brook.

Saughall All Saints C of E School

Athooch, The Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan

Wednesday, 10 March 2021

0908 Great Sutton C: Antony Dutton.

Atlanta, The Episcopal Church, USA

Thursday, 11 March 2021

0909 Hooton C: Keith Howard. LM: Peter Vaughan.

Little Sutton C of E School

Auckland, The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia

Friday, 12 March 2021

0910 Neston C: Alan Dawson, Judith Calvert. LM: Tony Cooke, Elizabeth Joyce, Lesley Irvin. As a vision crystalizes of the mission and ministry of this community of the Church: Dear Lord Jesus guide us in our next steps as we emerge from the rigours of the last year. Help, direct and strengthen your Church to do your will in this parish.

North West Australia, The Anglican Church of Australia

Saturday, 13 March 2021

0911 Shotwick C: Cathy Helm. LM: Ruth Abbott, Basil Keys, John Morris-Best.

Aweil, The Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan

Sunday, 14 March 2021 Fourth Sunday of Lent (Mothering Sunday) In addition to traditional prayer intentions prompted by Mothering Sunday, at this mid- point in Lent your prayers are also asked for the ongoing process of discernment towards the apppointment of two new suffragan bishops. Please pray for all those involved directly – for their insight, wisdom and clear-sightedness. And also for the communities of this diocese and geographical area – that the process and the appointments may serve God’s mission in its widest sense. Bishop Mark writes in the appointment pack, ‘The new bishops will be inspiring communicators, hospitable pastors, missionally focused, prayerful, imaginative, and humble disciples of Christ. They will need to be resilient, strategic, and collaborative as they join us at a time of considerable change in the diocese. They will also be much loved and regularly held in prayer.’ We pray together for individuals called by God to serve his Kingdom here. A prayer for the discernment process: Almighty God, who sent Jesus Christ to be the cornerstone of your Kingdom and calls us to follow him. Guide your Church, by the Holy Spirit, to show humility, love and mercy as we seek your Kingdom. We pray for those you are calling to be the next bishops of Stockport and Birkenhead and for those discerning that call. Lead and strengthen them to answer your call; in the name of Jesus Christ.

(With thanks to Andy Stinson)

Iglesia Anglicana de Chile

Monday, 15 March 2021

0912 Thornton Hough C: Vicky Barrett.

Awerial, The Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan

Tuesday, 16 March 2021

0913 Willaston C: Steven Bazely, Lyndon Bannon. Pray for our church to grow in our love for God through Lent; to find ways to love others during the lockdown and beyond; to commit to making and being disciples of Christ; and for the Revd Stephen Bazely and his family as they prepare to leave the church on Easter Sunday.

Willaston C of E School

Awgu / Aninri, The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

Wednesday, 17 March 2021

The Ellesmere Port C of E Academy

Awka, The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

Thursday, 18 March 2021

Stockport Deanery

Awori, The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

Friday, 19 March 2021

1801 Stockport with Brinnington C: Lynne Cullens, Jessica Piper, Marie Flint. LM: Brenda Baxendale, Rita Waters. We give thanks for the opportunities to reach out to our community during lockdown, and for the people in our parish who have generously given of their time and talent to make this possible. We pray for the future shape of our parish once we emerge from lockdown, and ask that God might reveal to us the things he wants us to do. And we pray for the schools in our parish during this demandingly difficult time − that they might know the peace and presence of Christ.

Brinnington St Paul's C of E School

Ayod, The Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan

Saturday, 20 March 2021

1802 Offerton C: Christine Rablen.

Badagry, The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

Sunday, 21 March 2021 Fifth Sunday of Lent (Passiontide begins) Notice how pre-occupied Jesus appears to be in our Gospel reading from John 12. Andrew and Philip come with a perfectly sensible request, but Jesus’ answer goes off in completely a different direction. His mind is full of his impending death − you might call him fixated − and who can blame him. Like any of us faced with great hurt and pain, his whole horizon is dominated by this thing, or so it first seems. And he says, ‘What am I to say, Father save me from this hour?’ Yes, he is tempted to the ‘if onlys.’ ‘If only’ I’d done it differently; ‘if only’ I had made a different choice; ‘if only’ circumstances had been different. He is tempted, but he doesn’t go that route. Instead, he faces the difference he makes. No in my dying, in my suffering, something else is going to be born, something that is of life, life in a richness that is beyond your dreams. Forget the ‘if onlys,’ instead take what comes and turn it, transfigure it, re- order it, make of it something. How can a cross be glorified? Yet it will be. Perhaps Jesus does answer Andrew and Philip’s request after all. ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ ‘When I am lifted up,’ says Jesus, ‘I will draw all people to myself.’ Then they will be able to see Jesus alright − Jesus reigns from the wooden beams others have determined shall be his end − but they are not. The terror it, the hurt of it, the failure of it − is turned. ‘Where I am, there will my servant be also.’ In the turning, in the taking of the crosses of this world and making them into thrones of love. That’s the seed that bears fruit, that’s the law written in our hearts, that’s the turning that makes of a troubled soul not my personal failure, but the chance of glory because God never leaves us to wallow in the mire of despondency. Salvation really does mean salvation − that all those blind, hurting dead ends of life can be turned, can be salvaged, can be redeemed. What must die is that old self that locks itself into a circle of failure, harm and hurt. What must be born is that seedling of the eternal self, that knows it is loved by God, always, and everywhere, and forever.

The

Monday, 22 March 2021

1803 Edgeley and Cheadle Heath C: David Brewster. LM: Heather Adams, David Brown.

Edgeley St Matthew's C of E School

The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands, The Church in the Province of the West Indies

Tuesday, 23 March 2021

1808 Stockport St Peter C: Vacant.

Bakuru, The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

Wednesday, 24 March 2021

1809 Stockport St Saviour C: Diane Cookson. LM: Madeleine Watts. Please pray for all as we struggle with the pressures of COVID-19 and the damage this virus has done to people and finance. As we give thanks for the NHS let us also pray for the ministry of Parish Nursing Uk Ministries and for Madeleine our Parish Nurse.

Ballarat, The Anglican Church of Australia

Thursday, 25 March 2021 The Annunciation of Our Lord to the BVM

1811 Stockport St George C: Elaine Chegwin Hall, Janine Arnott. LM: Peter Hall. Ask for God’s help in enabling us to continue exploring creative ways of engaging with all of our community particularly those without internet access.

Stockport St George's C of E School

Bangor, The Church in Wales

Friday, 26 March 2021

1812 Norbury Hazel Grove C: Josh Askwith, Val Hindmarsh. LM: Richard Crocker, Lynn Smith, Val Gilchrist, Alan Brown, Peter Cheslett.

Banks & Torres, The Anglican Church of Melanesia

Saturday, 27 March 2021

Chester Cathedral C: , Jane Brooke, Jeremy Dussek, Sarah Fenby. Pray for the Cathedral as it begins Holy Week with worship online and in person; for +Tim Stevens who will give reflections through the week on Covid and the Cross. Pray that everyone can reflect on their journey of bearing the Cross over the last year and for hope as we witness the transforming power of God in Jesus, giving us hope through love, death, and resurrection.

Barbados, The Church in the Province of the West Indies