Prayer Diary

October 2020 Foreword from Bishop Martin What a strange year this has been! As 2020 began no one could have predicted that the Covid-19 Coronavirus would sweep across our world with such devastating effect. At Do not worry about anything, a local, national and international level all but in everything by prayer and our lives have been affected. We may have supplication with thanksgiving let been very ill ourselves, or lost loved ones your requests be made known to or neighbours. As a diocese we are facing God. And the peace of God, which unprecedented financial challenges, as surpasses all understanding, will are so many businesses large and small. guard your hearts and your minds Everyone, in different ways is facing new in Christ Jesus. levels of uncertainty and insecurity with people in our poorer areas Philippians 4.6-7 and amongst our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities often the worst hit of all. At times like this we need to pray. Jesus said, ‘How blessed are those who know their need of God, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.’ In praying for others and for ourselves we bring our emptiness to God for him to fill with his love and promise. We bring our despair to God for him to fill with his boundless stores of hope. We bring our grief to God that all may know the peace that comes from God alone. In lockdown I needed a routine of daily prayer at home to bring me through, and millions of people in England began to connect with God through private or family prayer and through worship online or by phone in their homes. How can that connection continue? As one small part of the answer this prayer diary gives some structure to our prayers at home, and joins us together as one family in this Diocese of Worcester. I commend it to your use.

At the moment we will continue to produce the prayer diary monthly in electronic format. In this diary we’re praying for the deanery of Stourport. We try to pray for those with a licence from the Bishop by name, but please do remember all who minister and witness with them in each parish.

On Sundays we are offering a monthly prayer for you to pray for your baptism families and we also continue to pray for dioceses around the world through the Poorvoo prayer calendar (Sundays) and the Anglican Cycle of Prayer. These are all placed in a column, on the side edge of each page. Sunday 27 SEPTEMBER Trinity 16

Ordinations in a time of pandemic Do please pray for all those Nine candidates were ordained in three different services in the Cathedral in any kind of ministry, lay yesterday and four candidates will be ordained today in their parish churches. and ordained, at this time, John Fitzmaurice, Diocesan Director of and Vocation writes: and especially for those to be ordained. The list of “This year’s ordinations will be like no other! and are usually ordained candidates can be found on towards the end of June, but lockdown meant ordinations had to be postponed. the diocesan website. “For the candidates this has unsurprisingly been a really difficult time and their forbearance has been remarkable. Some have just wanted to get on with it and and are not too put out by the severe restrictions on the number who can attend; others Stourport Deanery are saddened that this great gift of God to them cannot be celebrated in grand style. Rural Dean: Ted Whittaker Either way they have committed themselves to a patient waiting, while getting on Lay Chair: Andrew Quinn with the tasks of ministry in this most extraordinary of times, and they can draw hope from the words of the writer of Leicester: Bishop Martyn Snow, with Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani the letter to the Philippians: (Loughborough) ‘I am confident of this, that the one Swansea and Brecon (Wales): who began a good work among you Archbishop John Davies will bring it to completion by the day Khartoum (Sudan): of Jesus Christ.’ [Philippians 1.6]” Bishop Ezekiel Kumir Kondo

Mon 28 Redditch Alexandra Hospital Ondo (Nigeria): M Pray for the whole hospital community, including patients and their families, as they Patna (): continue to face the challenges of Covid-19. Thanking God for the 1000 people who Bishop Philip Marandih work at the Alex. For the Chaplain, David Ryan and the chaplaincy volunteer team. Chandigarh (India): Bishop Younas Massey Tue 29 Safeguarding team : Vacant with T Please pray for all those involved in safeguarding matters throughout the Diocese. For Bishops (Barking), Hilary Higton, Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, her Assistant Delia Stokes, Safeguarding John Perumbalath (Bradwell) & Case Worker Sarah Booth, Administrator Liz Toone and for the independent Chair of (Colchester) the Safeguarding Panel, Geoff Taylor-Smith. For all Parish Safeguarding Officers. Pelotas (Brazil): Bishop Renato Da Cruz Raatz Wed 30 Diocese of Peru Chester: W Pray for all those affected by Covid-19; Peru is currently at the top of the worldwide Bishop-elect with list for deaths per capita. Pray also for sufficient income in the Anglican Church to Bishop Keith Sinclair (Birkenhead) cover clergy and social help needs. Pennsylvania (USA): Bishop Daniel Gutierrez Thur 1 OCTOBER Stourport Deanery Perth (Australia): Th Please pray that we are ready in our hearts and minds to engage positively with the Bishop Kay Goldsworthy re-imagining of ministry and organisation across the Diocese. Pray that we grow Chhattisgarh (India): in care and kindness to each other, and enjoy being God’s people in our various Bishop Robert Ali contexts. Rural Dean: Ted Whittaker; Lay Chair: Andrew Quinn Chicago (USA): Bishop Jeffrey Lee Fri 2 St Michael, Stourport & All Saints Wilden F Pray as we find our way forward in uncertain times and in the wake of significant Chichester: Bishop Martin Warner with loss - particularly the death of Headteacher Fran Fishwick and Associate Priest Paul Bishops Ruth Bushyager (Horsham) Brothwell - both much loved and greatly missed. For a greater sense of togetherness & Will Hazlewood (Lewes) as we grow and worship, finding new ways to reach out to our community with God’s Peru: Bishop Jorge Luis Aguilar love. Clergy; Carey Saleh, Readers: Sandra Baty, Phil Saleh, Richard Standing Peshawar (Pakistan): S Sat 3 Growing as Kingdom People Bishop Humphrey Peters Chotanagpur (India): As we come out of the second series of Open Conversations, pray that they have Bishop B. B. Baskey been informative, productive and inspiring to those who were able to attend and Koforidua (Ghana): that as many people as possible will be encouraged to play their part in the journey Bishop Felix Odei Annancy of growing healthy and sustainable churches across our diocese. Trinity 17 Sunday 4 OCTOBER

Lord, we give thanks for the diverse range of gifts and strengths Patterns for Kingdom Living you have blessed us with. We pray Are you trying to the discern the next step on your that you help us to identify how we faith journey? The Patterns for Kingdom Living can best use these gifts to live out our faith and serve others. Amen. resource has been developed to encourage and support you as you grow in faith. Stourport Deanery With two pathways to choose from, you can decide Rural Dean: Ted Whittaker how you would like to reflect on your Christian Lay Chair: Andrew Quinn practice and explore the God-given gifts with which we are all blessed. Praying for our Baptism families – Bishop John said, “Through following Patterns for Kingdom Living, I hope you will Loving God, we ask that you bless find yourself refreshed with a deeper appreciation of God’s love, recharged by fresh the parents of children waiting to be experience of his grace, and renewed in your appreciation of his good gifts. Then, I baptised with love and patience, so am sure, you will see some ways you can offer those gifts back to him in love and that they will always be able to reflect service and help God’s kingdom grow.” your love and care even when the days and nights have been long. Amen The short pathway simply involves a questionnaire and having a conversation with another person about your gifts and strengths and how you might use Liverpool: Bishop with them. Those who choose to follow the longer pathway will also reflect more Bishop (Warrington) Monmouth (Wales): deeply and more often on living a life of love, with God and with others with help Bishop Cherry Vann from a ‘Kingdom Companion’. Haderslev (Denmark): Explore our Patterns for Kingdom Living resources on the diocesan website. Bishop Marianne Christiansen Tanga (Tanzania): Mon 5 Areley Kings & Astley Bishop Maimbo Mndolwa Pray for our parishes as they prepare for an uncertain future. For St Bartholomew’s School, Head: Ian James; Astley CE Primary School, Head: Ali Reakes-Williams. For M Peterborough: our churchwardens and appointing new ones. We also hold before God the people who Bishop Donald Allister follow our worship on Facebook & YouTube. Clergy: Mark Turner; Reader: Sue Matthews with Bishop (Brixworth) Christ the King (South Africa): Tue 6 Shrawley & the Witleys Bishop William Mostert Thanking God for the faithfulness and enterprise of those keeping the Gospel alive T Phulbani (India): and for collaboration with neighbouring PCCs. Pray for wisdom, courage, perseverance, Bishop Bijay Nayak creativity, and an increasing appetite for God and love for each other. Clergy: Ted Christchurch (New Zealand): Whittaker, Robin Walter; Readers: Marjorie Workman, Christine Clarke Bishop Peter Carrell Kolhapur (India): Wed 7 Diocese of Morogoro Bishop Sandeep Suresh Vibhute We pray for all diocesan staff in Morogoro as they struggle with a financial crisis W Pittsburgh (USA): created by the pandemic. In particular, we remember all those who have been Bishop Dorsey W M McConnell charged with the building of Baraka House which will be an income generating Chubu (Japan): residential conference centre in Morogoro town. We pray that this bold initiative will Bishop Peter Ichiro Shibusawa still be able to go ahead notwithstanding the present financial crisis. Th Clogher (Ireland): Thur 8 Abberley Bishop John McDowell Thanking God for the faithfulness of our congregation. Pray for wisdom, courage, Polynesia: perseverance, creativity, and an increasing appetite for God and love for each other. Bishop Fereimi Cama Cochin (India): Continue to pray for our schools and communities, for those isolated and lonely. Bishop Baker Ninan Fenn Clergy: Ted Whittaker, Robin Walter; Readers: Marjorie Workman, Christine Clarke F Popondota (Papua New ): Fri 9 Teme Valley North Bishop Lindsley Ihove Give thanks for collaboration across our parishes and neighbouring PCCs and for Coimbatore (South India): the faithfulness and enterprise of those working to keep the Gospel alive. Please Bishop Timothy Ravinder pray for our schools and communities, for those isolated and lonely. Clergy: Ted S Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea): Whittaker, Robin Walter; Readers: Marjorie Workman, Christine Clarke Bishop Denny Bray Guka Sat 10 Teme Valley North Colombia (South America): Bishop Francisco Duque Thank God for the faithful Christians across all our communities. Please pray Kollam - Kottarakkara (India): for God’s wisdom in discerning the future. Clergy: Ted Whittaker, Robin Walter; Bishop Oommen George Readers: Marjorie Workman, Christine Clarke Sunday 11 OCTOBER Trinity 18

Prisons’ Sunday Prisons’ Sunday, on the 2nd Sunday in October, begins a week of prayer for all those affected by prisons. Each year, the Diocesan Criminal Justice Affairs Group (CJAG) leads a service in the Cathedral – this year, it will focus on the impact of Covid-19 on the criminal justice system. Please pray for all those in the criminal justice system and for Charmian Manship, from the CJAG said: “There are very real concerns that human the work of CJAG rights have been ignored in prisons during the pandemic. There is a huge backlog of court hearings with raised anxiety of victims, witnesses and defendants; prison visits have been suspended affecting family relationships and prisoners are only Stourport Deanery let out of their cells for an hour a day with all education, social contact and gym Rural Dean: Ted Whittaker facilities withdrawn. Most contact between probation and those on supervision has Lay Chair: Andrew Quinn been by phone; and there is little mental health support.” Truro: Bishop Philip Mounstephen The diocesan Criminal Justice Affairs Group with Hugh Nelson (St Germans) aims to offer a Christian perspective and Tönsberg (Norway): advises the Diocese on criminal justice Bishop Jan Otto Myrseth matters. Members have experience of Strängnäs (Sweden): working within the criminal justice system, Bishop Johan Dalman crown prosecution service, police, prisons, Kampala (Uganda): probation, youth justice, the parole board and Bishop Stephen Samuel Kaziimba defence lawyers as well as the Church. Mon 12 Teme Valley South Port Sudan (Sudan): M Bishop Abdu Elnur Kodi As we celebrate Harvest in new ways, both online and face to face, we pray for the rural Colombo (Ceylon): area of Eastham & , its churchwardens and trustees overseeing our communal Bishop Dhiloraj Ranjit Canagasabey buildings. Clergy: Julia Curtis, Robert Barlow, Sally Jones; Reader: Pete Thorp Kondoa (Tanzania): Bishop Given Gaula Tue 13 Teme Valley South Portsmouth: T Pray for Hanley Childe, Hanley Williams & Stanford, for our blessings group, started Bishop Christopher Foster a year ago, and for plans forming to hold a second Christmas Tree Festival at Colorado (USA): Stanford. Clergy: Julia Curtis, Robert Barlow, Sally Jones; Reader: Pete Thorp Bishop Robert O’Neill Kongor (South Sudan): Wed 14 The Evangelical Church in Central Germany Bishop Gabriel Thuch Agot Please pray for this year’s ordinands; we are grateful for God having called them Pretoria (South Africa): W into his service. Please also pray for those who celebrate their 40th anniversary of Bishop Allan John Kannemeyer this year, that decades of faithful work and sowing the Gospel may bear Concepcion (Chile): fruit in Gods vineyard. Bishop Enrique Lago Zugadi

Thur 15 Teme Valley South Connor (Ireland): Th Pray for the dispersed farming communities of Stoke Bliss & Kyre Wyard and their Bishop Alan Francis Abernethy Puerto Rico (Caribbean): single small congregation caring for two medieval church buildings. We give thanks Bishop Rafael Morales Maldonado for mutual care in difficult times. Clergy: Julia Curtis, Robert Barlow, Sally Jones; Connecticut (USA): Reader: Pete Thorp Bishop Ian Douglas Fri 16 DAC and Church Buildings team Cork, Cloyne & Ross (Ireland): F Pray for the diocesan Church Buildings Team – Mark Carter, Kate Andrew and Pat Bishop William Paul Colton (India): Evemy and for the work they do supporting parishes to ensure our churches are Bishop Sharad Yuvraj Gaikwad open to as many people as possible. Pray also for the volunteers on the Diocesan Advisory Committee for the care of church buildings. Qu’Appelle (Canada): S Bishop Robert Hardwick Sat 17 Growing as Kingdom People Costa Rica (Central America): Please pray for our consultation to reduce the number of deaneries in the Diocese Bishop Orlando Gomez Kontagora (Nigeria): from 13 to 6. Pray that a wide range of people will get involved to express their Bishop Jonah Ibrahim opinions and that the final decision will have a positive impact on mission and ministry in our parishes. The Feast of St Luke Sunday 18 OCTOBER

Pray for all those involved Black History Month in Black History Month and October is Black History Month and provides for all those who have been an opportunity to honour and celebrate the oppressed or discriminated too-often unheralded accomplishments of against simply because of the Black Britons in every area of endeavour colour of their skin. throughout our history. Our culture has been enriched and our society has been made stronger because of the people who travelled Stourport Deanery here to build new lives in the UK, as well as Rural Dean: Ted Whittaker the achievements and contributions of their descendants. Lay Chair: Andrew Quinn Stephen Edwards from is co-ordinating a city-wide Oxford: Bishop with programme of events working with the university, archives, city and county councils, Bishops Olivia Graham (Reading), museums, art gallery, Black Lives Matter Worcester as well as various individuals. Colin Fletcher (Dorchester) & Details of the events will be available on the Cathedral website. Bishop Wilson (Buckingham) Växjö (Sweden): Earlier this year, Bishop John and Dean Peter Atkinson ‘took the knee’ outside the Bishop Fredrik Modéus Cathedral to pray for all those affected by repression, discrimination and injustice The Episcopal Church (USA): and remind everyone that ‘Black Lives Matter. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry Mon 19 Those in fuel poverty M Coventry: Pray for all those who are struggling to make ends meet and as we go through Bishop Christopher Cocksworth Winter have to choose whether to turn on the heating or buy food. Give thanks with Bishop John Stroyan (Warwick) Quebec (Canada): for all the charitable organisations who help through offering a warm place to stay Bishop Bruce Myers during the day and providing food. Krishna-Godavari (India): Tue 20 Stourport Deanery Missioner Bishop George Cornelious Tantepudi For Vikki Day, Mission Developer for Stourport Deanery, as she continues to support T Raiwind (Pakistan): the work in the Deanery including leading Shrawley and Little Witley’s Café Church Bishop Azad Marshall and ministry to Great Witley CE Primary School. Also for her ongoing vocational Cuba (Caribbean): Bishop Griselda Delgado Del Carpio journey as she continues ordinand training. Kubwa (Nigeria): Wed 21 Economy and Daily Life Bishop Duke Akamisoko In One World Week (18th – 25th) pray for action in the world economy to build a W Rajasthan (India): more equal and peaceful world. Pray for local initiatives and how the 2020 OWW Bishop Darbara Singh theme, ‘It’s our world – let’s make it better’, might make a difference in your Cueibet (South Sudan): community. Bishop Elijah Muteny Awet Th Rayalaseema (South India): Thur 22 Retired clergy in Stourport Deanery Bishop B D Prasada Rao We give thanks for their many years of ministry before retirement and for the ministry Cuernavaca (Mexico): of prayer they are still able to offer from home, especially in these challenging times Bishop Enrique Treviño Cruz for our churches. Curitiba (Brazil): Bishop Naudal Alves Gomes Fri 23 Stewardship Officer F Recife (Brazil): Pray for the diocesan Stewardship Officer, Alison Maddocks, and give thanks for all Bishop João Cancio Peixoto her work supporting the parishes in their mission and individuals in their calling to Cuttack (India): be generous disciples. Bishop Surendra Kumar Nanda Sat 24 Glasshampton Monastery S Rejaf (South Sudan): Bishop Edward Oliver Mathew Tombe For Brother Nicholas, the Guardian, and all the brothers of the Society of Saint Cyangugu (Rwanda): Francis at Glasshampton Monastery, in their ministry of prayer and hospitality. Bishop Francis Karenera Kuching (South East Asia): Bishop Danald Jute If you have a story to feature on a Sunday in a future diary, please do get in touch! Large print copies of the diary are always available – email Sam Setchell, Communications Officer [email protected] , or contact the Diocesan Office reception on01905 20537 if you or someone you know would like one.

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