Prayer Diary Nuneaton Deanery Is Blessed with a Wide Variety of Parishes
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Nuneaton Deanery Prayer Diary Nuneaton Deanery is blessed with a wide variety of parishes. One thing which unites us is a commitment to transforming our January 2015 communities. Not too long ago we spent a Deanery Synod covering a map of the area with coloured post-it notes listing all the projects we were involved in – from food banks to toddler groups, street ‘Seek the Lord, while he may be found, pastoring to school assemblies. call upon him while he is near.’ Isaiah 55:6 Here is the story of just one of them, told by Peter Allan, Vicar of Ansley and Arley. Richard Hare—Area Dean R.S.V.P. “Ten years ago St.Michael’s, the district church of the ex-mining village of New Both the shepherds and the Magi responded to God’s Arley, had two excellent church groups – a parent and toddler group called invitation or their intimations of God’s call. They did Minimikes and a youth club, Megamikes, which included Christian teaching. something about it. The Magi persevered on their Minimikes inspired a visitor from the Big Lottery Fund to say “I find hope here” and journey following a star. They were seeking. The to urge the church to put in a bid to that fund for a community centre. This was shepherds hurried from their fields – probably up that opened by Bishop Christopher in 2009. Megamikes had a waiting list and welcomed steep hill in Bethlehem – to see what had happened. one new child at a time. For many local children going to something without their Without their responding to the promptings of God they mates, especially if it involved reading or writing, was a frightening prospect. Instead would never have encountered the glory of God in the they gathered outside, sometimes throwing stones through the windows during the Christ child. Having done so, their lives would be sessions. changed for ever; an altogether new dimension opened up to them. The Magi became, in the words of T.S Eliot, Church members remained committed to serving all our young people. When the ‘no longer at ease in the old dispensation, with an alien open youth club lost its premises we invited the young people to hold their club people, clutching their gods.’ The ending of one journey is the beginning of another. inside the church. Coventry Diocese gave a grant to help fund a full-time youth worker for Arley and adjoining parishes. It was not easy but we have stood by the In a culture which encourages a largely passive consumerism, are we in danger of young people and eight years later the club continues to meet in the community losing both our alertness to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and our responsiveness centre. to them? As Christians, we are not called to stay as we are, or to be spiritual couch potatoes. God invites us, beckons us into a continual seeking of Himself, or as St Through youth club and community centre, we have broken down the barriers Paul puts it ‘a reaching out for that which is ahead’. Philippians 3:13 between church and community. The message we have sought to get across is: “All are welcome, all are valued.” Being respected for our commitment to all proved vital As we begin 2015, let us pray for a deeper and truer seeking and reaching out for when we opened Messy Church in 2011. The programme includes a hot dinner, varied crafts and interactive worship. Numbers average 70. It is the best attended God. ‘When the people seek me with their whole heart, then I will be found by them.’ regular event at the Centre. We reach across the social spectrum in a way no secular Jeremiah 29:13. And whenever we truly seek God, we know that it is God in us, God agency can match. The worship is increasingly appreciated, but how can we offer the who has already found us. depth of Christian teaching given by Megamikes, 10 years ago? Now that is our next challenge!” Page 1 Page 2 Thu 8 Exhall. Clergy: Andrew Gandon. Readers: Hilary Cryer, John Owen, Jane Smith, Cycle of Prayer - January 2015 Christine Wilson. We pray for God's blessing upon the church members and With a focus on parishes and schools in Nuneaton Deanery the local community. We pray for the Bishop's Core and Extended Staff teams which meet today. Mancetter. Clergy: Anthony Tooby. Reader: Brenda Moss. We pray for God's Hartshill & Galley Common. Clergy: Heather Barnes, Michael Brandsma. Thu 1 blessing upon the church members and the local community. We ask that Fri 9 Readers: Nick Miles, Sally Young, Hilary Cryer. We thank God for the growing Naming and God will bless Matthew and his family as he takes his first steps in ministry. relationships being built within and between the parishes here as well as our Circumcision of We pray for those in need in our community that the church may respond work with the local schools. Please pray for wisdom and creativity so we can Jesus positively with help and support. serve and engage with local community more effectively. We pray for those who will return to work today after a Christmas break. We We pray for Bishop John and all those who will gather in worship at St Fri 2 ask for God's protection for all those who commute, for safety in travel. Sat 10 Gregory's, Tredington today for the Farming Community Network plough *Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzus, Bishops, Teachers of the Faith service. *Seraphim, Monk of Sarov, Spiritual Guide, 1833 *William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1645 *Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah, Bishop in South India, Evangelist, 1945 Chilvers Coton with Astley. Clergy: Frank Seldon, Jonathan Fryer. Reader: Creator God as we celebrate Plough Sunday today, we pray for farmers and Sat 3 Rupert Allen. We thank God for our vibrant and growing Messy Church, and Sun 11 all those who look after your creation. We particularly pray that the crops the many links we have with our local communities. Please pray for growth in planted will yield a good harvest and provide enough food for all. We pray for First Sunday of our small groups, both spiritually and numerically, and for grant funding for those being confirmed by Bishop Christopher at St Peter's, Kineton, today. repairs at Astley. Epiphany *Mary Slessor, Missionary in West Africa, 1915 Ansley and Arley. Clergy: Peter Allan. Readers: Gwyneth Hickman, Donald We pray for encouragement for all those who work in the cathedral and Sun 4 Parr, Mandy Watts. We thank God for our six very different congregations Mon 12 diocesan offices, and give thanks for all their work and ministry. increasingly rising to the challenge of supporting their communities as *Aelred of Hexham, Abbot of Rievaulx, 1167 Second Sunday government-funded activities diminish. Please pray that 2015 will be a year *Benedict Biscop, Abbot of Wearmouth, Scholar, 689 of Christmas when healing brings wholeness and hope conquers fear. Attleborough. Clergy: Clive Jones. We pray for God's blessing upon the We pray for the Diocesan Mission Fund Committee which meets today. Mon 5 church members and the local community. We pray for all children, teachers Tue 13 *Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, Teacher of the Faith, 367 and staff who will be returning to school this week after the Christmas break. *Kentigern (Mungo), Missionary Bishop in Strathclyde and Cumbria, 603 We pray that this epiphany season would be a time when new things of God *George Fox, Founder of the Society of Friends (the Quakers), 1691 are revealed to all who work and learn in schools. Wolvey with Burton Hastings, Copston Magna and Withybrook. Readers: We pray for all those who are exploring their vocation and for those who Tue 6 Wed 14 David Hopkins, Yvonne Pitt, Ken Sleeman. We give thanks for all those who seek to accompany and guide them. We pray for the ordinands from the have taken on extra responsibilities during the interregnum. Please pray for diocese who will meet with Bishop Christopher and Bishop John for supper the whole benefice as it seeks to embrace the eight qualities of Healthy The Epiphany tonight. Growing Churches, to ensure that the right minister is appointed. Bulkington. Clergy: Paul Messam. We pray for God's blessing upon the church Nuneaton, Weddington and Caldecote. Clergy: Kelly Betteridge, Martin Butt. Wed 7 members and the local community. Thu 15 Readers: John Hitchcock, Sally Hince, Marie Paterson, Terry Lenton. We thank We pray for the institution service of Josh Maynard as the new vicar of St God for Messy Church, new families, links with schools and community James', Styvechale today; for Bishop Christopher and all those involved in partnerships. Please pray for focus on discipleship, small groups, work on leading and welcoming Josh and his family. 8EQ, new opportunities with the housing developments nearby. Page 3 Page 4 All Saints Primary School and Nursery. Headteacher: Sally Kaminski-Gaze. We thank God for the ministry of curates in this diocese. We pray for them as Fri 16 Sat 24 All Saints Infant School and Nursery. Headteacher: Tina Keeling. they gather this weekend at Launde Abbey for the curates' conference. We Abbey Infants School. Headteacher: Sharon Thorpe. We pray for God's pray for Naomi Nixon and her work in training and developing clergy in this blessing upon all the children, teachers, staff, governors and communities. diocese. *Francis de Sales, Bishop of Geneva, Teacher of the Faith, 1622 We thank God for the work and ministry of Fresh Expressions of church.