Wednesday 30th June
Hymn: Lift high the name of Jesus
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, how can we keep the good news of all you have done for us to ourselves? For you gave your life to free us from the power of guilt and sin, and to offer us the freedom of eternal life, life that begins now and continues after death, life in all its fullness, life eternally in your presence. There is nothing that we can do to earn your grace and goodness, or merit it in any way – it is your gift to all who put their trust in you, a gift given in love and made perfect through sacrifice. So, Lord, we turn to you today, asking not only that you deepen our faith, but that you give us the courage to lift your name high and share all we have received with those around us.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 29th June
Hymn: Speak, Lord, in the stillness (MP 608)
Prayer:
We live in such a noisy world, Lord, and though we know you are with us in the rush and tumble of daily life, it is often when we find those moments of stillness that we are able to hear you most clearly and feel your presence. Sometimes we shy away from quietness, Lord, because we are quite comfortable where we are, and we would rather you didn’t call us or challenge us to change, but we know that your will and your ways are always the best for us, and always fashioned out of love. So help, us, Lord, to make those times to be still, to listen, and to wait for your word of grace, for only in you and through you can we find true peace and fulfilment.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 28th June
Hymn: Teach me, Lord to wait
Prayer:
We live in such a fast-moving world, Lord, and often it’s so hard to slow down, to be patient and to let things take their course. And if we’re not careful we can allow all this to impinge on our faith-life too, wanting quick answers to our prayers, instant guidance for our questions, and fast solutions to our problems. But this isn’t how you usually act, Lord God, not that miracles don’t still happen because we know that they can and do, for your power is always at work in the world! But often you work quietly and unseen, weaving your goodness and love into our lives in ways that we frequently don’t realise until we look back and see how we, and the situations around us, have changed for the better. So teach us to wait, and to have greater trust, Lord, knowing that in your faithfulness you will never let us down.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 27th June
Hymn: All praise to our redeeming Lord (StF 608/H&P 753//MP 19)
Prayer:
It has always been your plan, Lord Jesus, that your people should be together, worshipping together, working together, and witnessing together to all you are and all you mean to us. But it is so much more than this, Lord, because you promise that when we are gathered together you are there with us, guiding and enabling us by your Holy Spirit, and making our fellowship so much richer as we receive and share your love and your peace, and find strength and support from one another and from you. Forgive us, Lord, for the lack of unity among your people, and for times when we have been unwilling to listen to one another and find common ground. As we hopefully move forward out of pandemic and once more gather more freely, help us to appreciate our togetherness more and to value the unity we share in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 26th June
Hymn: He giveth more grace
Prayer:
Our lives are full of uncertainty, Lord Jesus, whether it’s not knowing when the Covid variant will change and when there will be greater freedom from restrictions, or, indeed, what the future will hold, on a personal or a global level. What we can be certain about though, Lord, is that you will be with us through it all, sharing and revelling in our joys and achievements, and supporting and encouraging us when we face disappointment, hardship or suffering. For your grace is sufficient for our every need, and, amazingly, it never runs out – you just keep on loving and keep on giving! And so we thank you, Lord, that we can never exhaust the resources and the strength you pour into our lives, and for the confidence we find in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 25th June
Hymn: My heart is filled with thankfulness (SofF 1972)
Prayer:
Lord God, when we think of all you have done for us in Jesus, our hearts do indeed overflow in thankfulness and praise. For with Jesus in our lives we know a strength beyond our own strength, a peace that calms our anxious thoughts, and a confidence that enables us to face our fears. And with your Holy Spirit to walk beside us and guide us so we know we are not alone, and that we are constantly surrounded by a love that will not let us go. So, Lord, because your promises are sure, we are content to put our whole trust in you and our lives in your hands, knowing that in all things you are always working for our good.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 24th June
Hymn: The love of God comes close (StF 654/SofF 2552)
Prayer:
It’s often when we have used up our own resources, reached rock bottom, Lord God, that we realise how much we need you and how much you love us. We are sometimes too independent, Lord, not realising that this can often be a matter of pride, of thinking we can manage on our own, wanting to be self-sufficient, but you made us to live in fellowship with you, and it’s only when we allow you fill that God-shaped space in our lives that we discover what true peace and real joy is all about. And it’s as we learn to do this Lord, and open our hearts and lives to you, that we become more aware of the needs of those around us, able to reach out in welcome and to share the love that we have found in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 23rd June
Hymn: Brother, sister, let me serve you (StF 611/SofF 54)
Prayer:
It’s when we work together that we discover that we can do and be so much more than we could achieve on our own. For not only do we bring our individual gifts, Lord Jesus, gifts that you have given us to be shared and to complement each other, but we find the support of being part of a loving community and receive the strength and the encouragement to do greater things for you. But even more than this, Lord, we learn the joy that comes from your example as we not only serve others but discover the humility that comes from allowing others to serve us. So we thank you, Lord, for our church family, and ask you to help us play our part in giving and receiving, as we grow together in our love for one another and for you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 22nd June
Hymn: Though the day is long
Prayer:
Times of waiting can be anxious, whether it’s a problem hanging over our heads, or for the results of tests or a worry about the future, and the days and particularly the nights can seem very long and empty. Yet, whatever we are going through, we know, Jesus, that you are always with us, for the darkness and the light are both the same for you. You see us in our need and you are right beside us, offering us your comfort, your strength and your peace, and surrounding us with your love. When we are feeling insecure or uncertain, and the way ahead is unclear, you remind us that you are ‘the way, the truth and the life’ and we can look to you for the guidance we are seeking and know that with you we have nothing to fear. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the hope and the assurance your presence gives.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 21st June
Hymn: Yesterday, today and forever (SofF 1754)
Prayer:
The world around us is constantly changing, Lord, and sometimes it’s hard to keep up with it – it can be confusing, challenging and often frightening, with news of wars, of climate change, of the thirst for power, and sometimes when we think about the future it’s hard to find hope, or feel any sense of security. We live in a fragile world, but one which you created, Lord, and which you still hold in your hands, for you are our unchanging God, whose love and mercy and compassion has remained the same for all time and for all people – and for us now. And strengthen our trust in you, Lord, in all you have done for us in Jesus and continue to be for us through your Holy Spirit, for then we will discover in you the firm foundation we need for our lives.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 20th June
Hymn: For the beauty of the earth (StF 102/ H&P 333/SofF 112/MP 152)
Prayer:
Lord God, we have so much to praise and thank you for! We live in a beautiful world, where all nature speaks to us of your goodness and of your love for us, and in the glory of summer, with the energy of growth all around us, there is so much to fill us with joy and gladness. This is your gift to us, and yet, as with so many gifts, often we take it all for granted and forget that we are meant to be stewards of your grace, taking care of your world so that its life, its loveliness and its resources can be enjoyed not only by our generation, but those to come. So wake us up, Lord, to the need to value all you have entrusted to our care, both in your creation and those around us, our families, friends and those in our community, for they are all your gifts for us to cherish.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 19th June
Hymn: Go light your world
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we have received so much from you, not only a new relationship with God through the forgiveness of our sins, but new life, an amazing life full of joy and hope and light through the gift of your Holy Spirit, who gives us the strength to live our everyday lives with a new energy and purpose. But there are many, Lord, who need to discover this for themselves, whose lives are overshadowed by the struggle to keep going, relying on their own resources to get through the challenges they have to face. So help us, Lord, to bring your light, the light of your love, into these dark places, to those who are hurting, feeling lost, or alone in their grief or fear, not in our own strength, but through your power working in and through us, to your praise and glory.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 18th June
Hymn: You never let go (SofF 1753)
Prayer:
Almighty God, your promises never fail, and you never let go of us. Whatever we are facing now, whatever anxieties we have for ourselves or our loved ones, we know you will be with us, reassuring us, holding us and breathing into us your peace. It is this that has kept us going in times past, and because you are a faithful God, we know that we can totally put our trust in you both now and for the future, and through your great love for us we do not need to fear. And all of this, Lord, enables us to look forward with hope, for you know the plans you have for us, and they are always for our wellbeing, always for our good. Thank you, Lord!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 17th June
Hymn: Empty handed
Prayer:
Perhaps it’s our human nature that makes us want to fill up our lives, and yet it means that sometimes we leave little space for you, Lord! Often we don’t notice this or realise what we’re doing because it’s not just the ordinary, everyday stuff for ourselves, our friends, our families – a lot of it is for you, Jesus, for the church, for your Kingdom! We make our plans for the future, for our Worship, for our activities, our outreach, and there’s nothing really wrong with them – it’s just that we haven’t always sought your guidance, or considered whether you might be leading us down a different and better path. So help us to listen more, Lord, and to come to you with empty hands so that you might fill them with all you want us to do and be, and all of it to your praise and glory.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 16th June
Hymn: Blessed be your name (StF 41/SofF 1193)
Prayer:
Lord God, it’s not difficult to bless and thank and praise you when things are going well for us, when life is straightforward and fairly trouble-free. But when things go wrong, when we are confused or fearful, when we are tired and anxious or grieving, then, Lord, what do we do? So often we try to rely on our own resources, we try to fix the problems ourselves, or sometimes bury ourselves in despair and allow the situation to overwhelm us. If only we would look up we would see you there, know you’re supporting us, feel your love surrounding us, be aware of your Holy Spirit guiding us. So help us, Lord, to look to you whatever we are facing, in joy as well as in difficult times, for then we will always know your blessing bringing peace into our souls.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 15th June
Hymn: My Jesus my Saviour (StF 363/SofF 935/CMP 1003)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are everything to us, you fulfil our every need. In your life on earth you gave us an example to follow, an example of compassion, of self-giving and caring; you showed us how to live in fellowship with God, and you made this possible for us through your death on the Cross and in your glorious Resurrection. And it is through you, through your Holy Spirit living in us, that we are given the strength we need to face and to overcome whatever difficulties life puts in our path, to live joyfully and with hope in our hearts. And all of this surrounded and infilled by love, your love, Lord, which is unbounded and which never fails. Thank you that we can rely on you in all things, in all places and in all circumstances!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 14th June
Hymn: God moves in a mysterious way (StF 104/H&P 65 /MP 193)
Prayer:
Lord God, we do not understand all the ways you are at work in the world or even in our own lives, but we know that your wisdom vastly exceeds our human wisdom, and that whatever happens, you will always be seeking the best for us, always working for our good. We can be sure of this, Lord, because you always keep your promises and you have shown us in the beauty of the world around us, and supremely in Jesus, that all your ways are love. We do not know what decisions will be made today about our future, how the Covid virus will progress, what restrictions will be lifted or left in place, but we do know that you will be with us and that because of this we can safely put our trust in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 13th June
Hymn: God is here! As we his people (StF 25/H&P 653)
Prayer:
We are all worshipping you in different ways today, Lord God. Some of us are on our own at home, some connecting through laptops or phones or ipads, joining together digitally and glad to see familiar faces. And some of us are in our church buildings, and though silent, separated and masked, so happy to be together in a physical way, able to see those symbols of our faith around us which speak to us so powerfully of your love and of your part in all the stages of our lives. But whichever it is, Lord, of one thing we can be certain – that you are present with us, your people, wherever and however we are, and in and through this we find our strength to face whatever the coming days will bring, confident that your purposes will never fail.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 12th June
Hymn: I will wait for you (Psalm 130)
Prayer:
For some of us, Lord, it’s been a difficult week! Things have not gone as well as we hoped, we’ve been overwhelmed by all we’ve had to get done, and in our haste we have made decisions that weren’t the best, and maybe in it all we have said and done things that have hurt rather than helped other people, and we long to put these right. How good it is to know that when we turn to you we can find forgiveness and a new lease of life, the chance to put it all behind us and start again. But we also know, Lord Jesus, that all of this came at a tremendous cost, your life laid down, your death on the Cross, and we can never thank you enough for this. As you help us pick up the pieces of ourselves and our lives, now made whole, help us to never take this for granted, and to share the love you have shown us with all those with whom we come in contact.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 11th June
Hymn: Just a closer walk with thee
Prayer:
We can never get close enough to you, Lord Jesus, for you are the One who gives us the strength and purpose to live out our faith in our everyday world. We know we can put our trust in you because you have walked our earth and faced the sort of challenges we face, the let downs, the disappointments, the distractions and the difficulties, as well as the joys and the sense of achievement when problems have been overcome. It is getting these balances right in our daily living that often leaves us feeling confused and sometimes fearful, not always knowing which way to turn, on what we can rely, whether that be on our own instincts or sense of direction or the advice of others. And that is where you come in, Lord, because we know that we can always rely on you, and that your Holy Spirit will give us the guidance and the resources we need just when we need them. Thank you, Lord!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 10th June
Hymn: Leaning on the everlasting arms
Prayer:
Dear Lord God, what a joy and what a security to know that you are always there for us, and that your everlasting arms are always upholding us. We know that this has always been so, but there have been times in our lives when we have forgotten this and tried to struggle along on our own, kept our problems and difficulties to ourselves, perhaps feeling there was no-one able to help us or share our pain. Remind us constantly, Lord, that in your love and grace you offer to shoulder our burdens and invite us to lean on you. Help us to put our trust more firmly in you, for in you alone can we find the resources we need for daily living, and only through your Holy Spirit living in us can we discover true happiness, and a peace of mind that stills our racing thoughts and calms our fears.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 9th June
Hymn: Be not afraid
Prayer:
There have been so many new things to learn over the last year, Lord. We have had to deal with different and often confusing ways of living and acting, sometimes with conflicting information, and it’s been difficult to cope with the loss of freedoms and the physical separation from friends and family. And even now, with restrictions easing and the prospect of a more hopeful future, the way ahead is far from clear, and it seems that we will have to live cautiously for some time. So it’s immensely comforting, Lord Jesus, to know that in all of this you go before us, and that because you are ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’, there is nothing we will have to face, no path we have to tread, where you have not already been. And best of all, your promise that there is nothing that can or ever will be able to separate us from your love.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 8th June
Hymn: Lord of all hopefulness (StF 526/H&P 552/SofF 902/CMP 882)
Prayer:
We thank you, Lord God, that you are with us at all times, in all places, and in every part of our lives. Nothing is outside your interest or your care and concern for us. Whether at work, in our daily routines, in our leisure times, with family or friends or on our own your love surrounds us. And it is this knowledge that gives us a framework for our lives, a security that whatever we are dealing with from the past, however we are feeling today and whatever anxieties or fears or uncertainties we are facing about our future, we can be sure of your guidance and your strength sustaining us. So today, Lord, as we seek to live our faith, please fill our hearts with your peace.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 7th June
Hymn: Holy Spirit, living breath of God (SofF 1850)
Prayer:
Lord God, it is only when your Holy Spirit lives within us that we can become all you long for us to be. For it is through his transforming presence that we begin to bear those fruits, those attitudes and personalities and characteristics, that show that we belong to you, and our lives bear the hallmark of all we have seen in Jesus. So we ask, Lord, that you will breathe your breath of new life into us and into your church, that we may know your guidance in these confusing times, and be strengthened and equipped to serve you in ways which are relevant, as we seek to reach out into our communities with your message of hope and love.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 6th June
Hymn: Just as I am (StF 556/H&P 697/SofF 316/MP 396)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we do not have to wait until we are good enough to come to you and ask you into our hearts and lives, for you accept us just as we are, with all our doubts, our fears and our faults. This is what makes our relationship so different from any other, because we don’t have to fulfil human expectations, we don’t have to conform to a set of rules or even to a certain standard of behaviour. Rather you meet us where we are and then gently, by your Holy and Life-giving Spirit, you transform us into the people you created us to be. And all of this out of love, not the strength of our love for you, but the overflowing love with which you welcome and bless us.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 5th June
Hymn: Thou whose almighty word (StF 106/H&P 29/SofF 557/MP 699)
Prayer:
What a difference light makes, Lord God! It takes away our fear, makes the unknown knowable, and helps us to keep safe on paths where we might otherwise stumble. Surely it is not surprising that light had pre-eminence in Creation, and that you then sent your Son, Jesus Christ, as Light for the world, Light to guide us back to you, and to show us by word and deed, in death and Resurrection, how much you love us and want to be part of our lives. And it is as your Holy Spirit dwells within us that your light begins to shine out from our lives, so that, through our living, we may bring light to places of darkness, disorder and despair. Help us to be truly your people, revealing your light and your love in your world!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 4th June
Hymn: With all I am (SofF 1897)
Prayer:
When we give ourselves to you in worship and praise, Lord, we can do so with absolute confidence, because you are the one who holds everything together, and holds us gently and lovingly in the palm of your hand. You have always been faithful to us, and therefore we gladly put our trust in you, asking that you guide us in our daily lives and draw us ever closer to yourself. Strengthen our faith, Lord, for those times when life is hard and it’s not easy to see the way ahead. Thank you that we can be sure of your presence at all times, and for your promise that we can never stray beyond your loving care.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 3rd June
Hymn: My everything
Prayer:
We’ve all been there, Lord – those times of darkness when we didn’t know where to turn, those times when we had to make hard choices and desperately needed guidance. And then there have been those bereavements, and there have been many of these over the past year, loss of loved ones, of employment, of opportunities, of freedoms, all different, but all taking their toll. But somehow we are finding a way through, and it’s because of you, Lord, for you have been a sure anchor, helping us to hold onto hope, there for us to turn to for comfort, for a sense of peace, a light in a dark place. And if all we have been through has taught us one thing, Lord, it is that while we cannot rely on outward circumstances, we can always trust you, our loving, faithful God.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 2nd June
Hymn: Lovingkindness
Prayer:
You have been there for us, Lord God, at every season of our lives. Because of your constant faithfulness we know we can always depend upon you, your strength and your guidance, and that you will see us through whatever difficulties we have to face. And because of your constant and unchanging love, we can be sure that you are always seeking the best for us, and are able to bring good out of seemingly hopeless situations. As we go through this period of change and uncertainty, help us to put our trust in you ever more deeply, for it is only in your lovingkindness that we can find our true security and stability.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 1st June
Hymn: Come let us sing to the One (StF 2/SofF 1740)
Prayer:
We worship you. Lord God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit for all you have done to bring us into a living, loving relationship with you, ways which fill us with wonder and praise. We know that without you our lives would be so much poorer, for we would not be as aware of the beauty surrounding us in the world, or of the love with which you enfold us, of the guidance and strength which we receive in our daily lives. Indeed, because of you we become and are able to discover more than we could ever imagine, together with a peace, a joy and a hope that enables us to keep going whatever challenges we face, knowing that you are always with us. Thank you, Lord, that nothing can ever separate us from your loving care.
Amen
Liz Stuart
