Monday 30th November
Hymn: Christ in me (SofF 2400)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, you are the hope of the world, the only One who gives meaning and purpose and fulfilment to our lives, and this not only now but for the future. Thank you that your promises are true, that they have stood the test of time; that they are as real and as certain as at Creation when you brought order out of chaos and light out of darkness. Today we claim those promises of light and hope for ourselves and our own lives, knowing that in your love you will fulfil every one of them in us and for us.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 29th November
Hymn: Into the darkness of this world (StF 173/SofF 821)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you came into the darkness of our world with the light of life, a light that nothing has ever been able to extinguish. We ask you to shed that light again into the darkness of today, into the lives of all those suffering as a result of the pandemic, and into all those places where there is conflict and distrust. Come again, Lord Jesus, in your Holy Spirit, to bring healing, peace and hope, and in your great love reach out to all who are hurting today.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 28th November
Hymn: I lift my hands (SofF 223)
Prayer:
Generous God, you have entrusted us with so much! With this wonderful world in all its beauty and variety. With life itself, and the gifts and abilities to make something worthwhile of it, not only for ourselves but for the benefit of others. And all of it surrounded and upheld by your love, and sustained by your life-giving Holy Spirit. As we approach Advent and look forward to the coming of Jesus, our King in a manger, we offer you our praise, our worship and ourselves.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 27th November
Hymn: Sometimes it takes a storm
Prayer:
We can become so self-sufficient, Lord, and when this happens we lose sight of how much we need you in our lives. It’s often when things go wrong, when we find ourselves struggling, out of our depth, trying to find some semblance of security, that we turn to you and discover that you have been there all the time, loving us, holding us, and wanting to be part of our lives. Help us to learn from these experiences, Lord, and to really grow in our faith and in our relationship with you, so that you become the constant companion in our lives, the sharer in all we are and do.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 26th November
Hymn: All that I am
Prayer:
Lord God, when we offer all we are, and all the gifts and abilities we have, to you for you to use, we find our true purpose and fulfilment in life. For as you work in and through us by your Holy Spirit, everything takes on new meaning, and we discover a sense of peace and wholeness which enables us to take whatever comes our way in our stride, knowing that we can rely on your strength, your faithfulness and your love to see us through. Thank you, Lord!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 25th November
Hymn: Your love never fails (SofF2461)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, however many mistakes we make, however many times we make the wrong choices, you are always there, seeking us, loving us, and bringing us back to the place where we belong – in your presence, where alone we can find life in all its fullness. Thank you, Lord, that nothing can or ever will be able to separate us from your love, which never fails us, and will never let us go.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 24th November
Hymn: Still, my soul, be still (SofF2530)
Prayer:
Loving God, amid all the uncertainties that surround us both now and in the future, you are the One security and sure foundation upon which we can build our lives. Because of this, Lord, we can be still and we can hold on in hope, trusting your promises that you will give us all the strength and courage we need to face whatever challenges come our way.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 23rd November
Hymn: Jesus lover of my soul (It’s all about you) (SofF 873/CMP 997)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we offer you our praise and worship, for it’s only in you that we find true joy, only in you that we discover wholeness and harmony. For though you know our weakness, our sinfulness and our stubbornness you still love us completely, not ignoring our faults, but out of your grace and goodness accepting us as we are, offering us your forgiveness and assuring us of your faithfulness. It’s in that hope and confidence, Lord, that we turn to you again and again, knowing that you will never turn us away. Thank you, Jesus!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 22nd November
Hymn: Jesus where’re thy people meet (H&P 549)
Prayer:
It’s not the same, Lord, not meeting in our churches like we used to before this pandemic – we miss the togetherness, the singing, the fellowship, the sharing round your Table. Yet out of it all, perhaps we are learning something new – that we can praise and worship you in our sitting rooms as in the Sanctuary. So help us, Lord Jesus, to look for you in unexpected places, for then we will discover afresh that there are no limits to your presence, and that you are alive, living and loving, wherever we are.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 21st November
Hymn: Keep me in your will
Prayer:
Lord God, you know the plans you have for each one of us, and they are always for our good, always to bring out the best in us, plans that are tailor-made for our lives. Sometimes, Lord, we get in the way of your plans, sometimes drifting away from your will, and other times deliberately seeking our own way, but always we discover that we no longer know your peace, or experience that fulfilment you long for us to have. So draw us ever closer into your love and purpose, Lord, so that we grow into the people you created us to be.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 20th November
Hymn: Keep the banner flying high
Prayer:
It’s when we keep you at the centre of our lives, Lord Jesus, that we discover all the resources we need for living our daily lives. For you are the source of our strength, the One who remains faithful when we go through times of difficulty, the One who gives us purpose and in whom we find hope. Help us to grow in our faith, Lord, held in your love and guided by your Holy Spirit, so that all we are and do may be to your praise and glory.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 19th November
Hymn: I belong to you
Prayer:
It’s when we put our roots deep down into you, Lord, as we entrust our whole selves to your keeping, that we receive that amazing sense of belonging, of security, and of serenity. For in the embrace of your love, Lord, we discover all we need to live life to the full, guided and empowered by your Holy Spirit. Thank you for the joy of being included in your family, and of knowing and being known by you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 18th November
Hymn: Yes and amen
Prayer:
Loving Lord God, in a world where promises are often viewed with suspicion and even disbelief, it’s so good to know that you always keep your word, that you never let us down. We know this not only from what we see in Jesus, but also through the experience of your faithfulness in our own lives. As we travel through these changing and, for many, frightening times, this gives us a security to cling to and to build our lives upon, and the courage to keep looking ahead with hope, knowing all is in your hands.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 17th November
Hymn: There is a hope (SofF 2558)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, while you don’t take us out of the world, and we have to live out our faith in the chances and challenges of daily life, you do promise that in the midst of it all you will be with us and strengthen us. It is this, Lord, that gives us the reassurance and the hope we need, knowing that whatever we are going through, even when we perhaps reach the point of despair, that nothing can, and nothing will ever, separate us from your love. Thank you, Lord!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 16th November
Hymn: Somebody’s praying for me
Prayer:
Sometimes, well, if we’re honest, quite often, we under-estimate the power of prayer, and yet, Lord Jesus, we hear of the many times in your life on earth when you prayed, and how you still continue to pray for us. And maybe, Lord, we have been aware of others praying for us in our time of need, or simply day by day holding us before you, and the difference this has made. And so, Lord, in this time of pandemic, when many are anxious, and many are putting their lives at risk, we commit ourselves to pray, confident that you always hear our prayers, and, in your love, always work through them for good.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 15th November
Hymn: Lord, I come before your throne of grace (StF 58/SofF 894)
Prayer:
Every day belongs to you, Lord, but it is on this day, set apart for centuries for praise and worship, that we especially remember all you are to us. It’s so easy in these difficult and challenging times to dwell on the negatives, forgetting your goodness, your love, and your promise never to leave us or let us go. When in our imagination we make you too small, Lord, remind us of your greatness and your glory, but above all, of your faithfulness, which never lets us down. And help us, we pray, to be faithful to you!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 14th November
Hymn: Dance again
Prayer:
We live in a world where dark and dangerous things happen, Lord. We can’t get away from it in the news, in our neighbourhoods, and sometimes in our own lives. Bereavement, loss in all its forms and the problems life throws at us can get us down, and threaten to overwhelm us. But you, Lord God, are faithful. You don’t promise us an easy path, but you do promise that we don’t walk it alone, for you are with us every step of the way. And it is in your strength, not our own, and in the embrace of your love and the power of your Holy Spirit, that we will win through – that we will ‘dance again’!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 13th November
Hymn: This is amazing grace
Prayer:
Lord God, in Creation you brought order out of chaos, in Jesus you brought light and life out of darkness and death, and when we put you in control of our lives, you can do the same for us. For through your Holy Spirit you live in us, stilling the raging of our thoughts and fears, assuring us of your love and forgiveness, and offering us the hope and promise of new life, life in all its fullness, through our trust in you. This is, truly, amazing grace!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 12th November
Hymn: You will be my song
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when we get anxious or afraid, when we feel overwhelmed by all that is going on in the world, we choose to believe that you are here, not looking in from the outside but in the midst of it all, your heart moved with compassion, assuring us of your love, and offering us your peace. And so in spite of everything that would seek to get in the way and drag us down, we offer you our praise and our songs of worship, for you are our strength, you are the one who gives a sure focus and foundation for our lives, and we place our hope and our trust in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 11th November
Hymn: Canyons
Prayer:
How vast is your love for us, Lord God! It is so far beyond our imagining and understanding, and there is no way we can find words to express it. The nearest we can come is to look at Jesus, for in him we see that there are no boundaries to your loving, no heights or depths to which you have not been, and will not go, to reach out to us. Thank you for your Holy Spirit who continually pours your love into our hearts, filling us up to the brim so that there is no room for fear or lingering doubt, and for the hope and assurance this gives to our lives.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 10th November
Hymn: I will say
Prayer:
Often it seems, Lord, that faith is a lot about holding on to you, knowing that you are holding on to us. In times of struggle, and particularly when the future is uncertain and unclear, we may not be aware of your presence, but because of past experience we know that you are there, still faithful, still loving us, and still working for our good. So however dark life may appear to be, however lonely may seem the path we are treading, however challenging the times in which we are living, we put our trust in you, for you are everything to us.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 9th November
Hymn: Unfailing love (SofF 2173)
Prayer:
When things around us are shifting and unstable we turn to you, our unchanging God, and find in you all the strength and security we need. While our human resources have often let us down, you have never failed us. You give us a firm foundation upon which to build our lives, and your love for us never falters. And so, Lord, trusting in your promises, we put our lives in your hands, asking that you guide us and grow in us a deeper faith, so that we may be a source of your light and hope to those around us.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 8th November
Hymn: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation (StF 88/H&P 16)
Prayer:
You are Almighty God, sovereign over Creation, ever-living and ever-loving, King in our lives, and we praise and worship you. Yet, mighty as you are, you are interested in our individual lives, showing your care and concern for us not only in and through Jesus, but also by the way you guide and encourage us daily through your Holy Spirit. It is because of this, Lord, that we know we can always turn to you, that you always hear us, and are always present with us, to comfort, to sustain, and to give us the help and hope we need. And so we put our trust in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 7th November
Hymn: Goodness of God
Prayer:
Generations past speak of your goodness, Lord, but we ourselves know this to be true because we have experienced it in our own lives. For so often you have brought us through times of distress and difficulty, and you have been faithful to us even when we have ignored your guidance, seeking us, forgiving us, loving us and setting us back on our feet. And in your strength, Lord, and in the power of your Holy Spirit, we can face the future with confidence, knowing that nothing will ever be able to separate us from your love and care. Thank you, Lord!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 6th November
Hymn: You still reign and you’re still God
Prayer:
Lord God, we don’t know what the future holds, and we have to keep living in the present moment with all its restrictions and frustrations. But in all of this, the one thing we can be certain of is that you are still God, all-powerful, all-loving, and always present. And because of this, Lord, we can have peace deep within us and hope in our hearts, knowing there is nothing to fear for all our tomorrows are held safe in your hands.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 5th November
Hymn: God will take care of you
Prayer:
In these uncertain times there is so much that causes us fear and anxiety, and as the days get shorter we can so easily find ourselves being drawn into a web of despair and hopelessness. But you, Lord Jesus, have experienced these depths of darkness, and you both walk beside us and, through your Holy Spirit, you give us the resilience to keep going and to keep trusting. And held in your love, Lord, we know that you will not only give us the strength we need, but the assurance which comes from your Resurrection promise of light and hope and new life.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 4th November
Hymn: I will stand on the promises
Prayer:
Lord God, you have never let us down. We have often not understood the ways you have led us, and sometimes, like now, Lord, we have found ourselves struggling with the challenges before us, but you have always been faithful, and you have always brought us through stronger in our faith and even more certain of your love and care. And so, Lord, we again affirm the security and reliability of your promises, and put our hope and trust in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 3rd November
Hymn: God will make a way (SofF 1779)
Prayer:
As we face the prospect of another lockdown it’s hard to see a clear way forward, Lord, hard to be convinced that this will make the difference that politicians promise us. And so we cry out to you, our loving and faithful God, for your help, your guidance and your strength in the coming days and weeks, knowing that you not only hear us, but that you are always with us. So keep us trusting, Lord, for we put our hope and our confidence in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 2nd November
Hymn: You’re the Word of God the Father (Across the lands) SofF 1669
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, there is no time when you haven’t been present. You were there at the very beginning of Creation, and you will be there at the end of time. And here we are, experiencing in our brief span of years that same amazing love and grace and power in our lives, through the indwelling of your Holy Spirit. For in every season of our life you are with us, forgiving us when we go astray, strengthening us in times of struggle and insecurity, and, through your death and glorious Resurrection, opening for us the way to Eternal Life with you. For all of this, and so much more, we give you our grateful thanks and praise.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 1st November
Hymn: Sing of the Lord’s goodness (StF 65)
Prayer:
Lord God, as we come to worship you today, the day on which we celebrate Jesus rising from the dead, the day when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, we praise you for the new life we have received. Thank you for the difference it makes to us, knowing that you are with us in every part of our lives, whatever we are going through, and for the strength, the courage, the purpose and the hope we have in you. For your love surrounding us and for your peace filling us, we offer ourselves and our lives to you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
