During this time of uncertainty and the need for social distance we hope that you will find comfort and strength in these resources.
Daily Prayer & Hymn Suggestion
Monday 27th June
Hymn: One day at a time
Prayer:
Monday again, Lord, and looking at my diary it’s another busy week, and I’m not sure how all my plans are going to work out, how I’m going to fit everything in, there’s so much to do – in fact I’m already feeling exhausted at the thought of it all! What if something goes wrong, if there’s another train strike, if the car breaks down, if that appointment is cancelled again – how am I going to manage? Are you telling me, Jesus, to calm down, to not get so worked up, to stop panicking? Well, it’s all right for you – when you were on earth you had the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen you … and so do I? Yes, you’re right, Lord, so help me to remember this, to let you manage my diary, to place this week in your loving hands, and to just take one day at a time.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 26th June
Hymn: Come to us, creative Spirit (StF 726/H&P 377)
Prayer:
Dear Lord God, on this Conference Sunday we pray for all those who will be being ordained as Ministers in the Methodist Church, who have offered themselves to serve you in this way and to care for your people, maybe in places and in communities that will take them far from their familiar surroundings, and into situations outside their comfort zone. May this special day stay with them in times when they are faced with challenges they feel are beyond them, not only in the promises they have made, but in the certainty of your calling, your faithfulness and your love. And we pray for the people and the places to which they will go, particularly in the early days of their Ministry, that they may offer generous welcome and belonging. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 25th June
Hymn: God on the mountain
Prayer:
When life is going well, Lord God, and we feel good in ourselves and confident in our relationship with you, it can come as a bit of a shock to suddenly find ourselves going through difficult times, times of grief, of suffering, of insecurity, and sometimes we wonder where you are in all of this. Why is this happening, what has gone wrong, maybe, what have we done to deserve it? And although we know that our faith doesn’t act as an insurance policy against the troubles that daily life can bring, we can’t help feeling that somehow you have abandoned us and left us to cope on our own. But this is not so, Lord, for you promise to be with us at all times, in all circumstances, in all places, and so today please remind us in some small way of how much you love us, and through this find your peace.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 24th June
Hymn: How great thou art! (StF 82/SofF 425/MP 506)
Prayer:
On this Midsummer day, we thank you, generous God, for the wonder of the world around us, from the intricacy of a spider’s web to the soaring mountains, from babbling streams to the rolling waves of oceans, from the myriad shades of green to the vibrant colours of flowers, from the joyful songs of birds to the silence of the stars at night. All this, Lord, reminds us of your greatness, your faithfulness and your provision for us, but it is your love in sending Jesus that amazes us most! Help us to respond by not taking any of it for granted, but by taking care of the earth’s resources, by doing what we can to ensure they are fairly shared across the world, and, in and through this, showing your love for all people everywhere.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 23rd June
Hymn: You give rest to the weary (StF 657/SofF 2171)
Prayer:
The pace of life can be exhausting, Lord God, and sometimes we can feel overwhelmed by all the tasks we have to do, by the expectations of others, or simply by the agenda we set ourselves – but this was never what you intended, Lord. For you showed us in Jesus how to live a life of dependence on you, trusting in your guidance, following your will, and empowered by your Holy Spirit, and Jesus invites us to do the same – to come to Him and ‘find rest for our souls’, to allow Him to carry our burdens, and to receive a peace such as the world cannot give. So right now we turn to you, Lord, and put into your loving care all that is on our hearts and minds, and we quietly wait on you to give us the strength we need for today.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 22nd June
Hymn: Befriended (SofF 1188)
Prayer:
When we choose our friends it is often those with whom we share a common interest and lifestyle, people we have maybe grown up with or come to know through work or leisure activities, but you, Lord Jesus, have chosen us to be your friends, and that’s so amazing! For you are so far above us and beyond us in every way, Lord, and though you lived a human life, it was a life of self-giving, of service, of sacrifice, very different from the way we often muddle through our lives. But this is the wonderful truth that we discover when we put our trust in you, Lord, that in your friendship and with your help, we can become so much more the person we are created to be. So thank you for befriending us, Jesus, and, in your love, please walk alongside us today, and help us to be worthy of the trust you have placed in us!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 21st June
Hymn: I will offer up my life (StF 445/SofF 851/CMP 990)
Prayer:
When we think of all you are to us, Lord God, in your faithfulness, your goodness and your love; when we remember all you have done for us, in creating this wonderful world for us to live in, and especially, in and through Jesus, offering us the forgiveness of our sins and the gift of new life. When we discover the joy and freedom of living in the power of your Holy and liberating Spirit, then, Lord, not only are we moved to thanksgiving and to worship, but to offer you the whole of ourselves, the time, the gifts and abilities with which you have so generously entrusted us. So lead us, Lord, to those people and into those places where we can serve you best, and all of it to your praise and glory.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 20th June
Hymn: To be in your presence, to sit at your feet (StF 530/SofF 1067/CMP 951)
Prayer:
In all the busyness of everyday life, Lord Jesus, we need to have that still centre where we can find refreshment and rest. In times of grieving or loneliness, we long for someone to turn to, for companionship and support. When we are troubled or anxious, fearful of the future, we look for something that will give us security, someone to speak words of hope and reassurance. And in all these circumstances, Lord, whatever we are going through, we can be certain of finding all we need in you, for you are always with us, in your Holy Spirit a constant source of strength and guidance, of comfort and of love. At the beginning of a new week, with all the unknown it will bring, we take time to sit at your feet, and offer ourselves and all that lies ahead to you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 19th June
Hymn: O Lord, our Lord, throughout the earth (StF 112)
Prayer:
Lord God, we see your greatness displayed in the glory of the world around us; we learn of your authority and your faithfulness in the retuning of the seasons, and in the cycle of life we recognise your power over all created things, and we are filled with wonder and moved to worship. And yet, Lord, this is only part of the story, because overarching it all, and written large over all you have made, is your love, a love for us as part of your creation, but, even more than this, a love for each one of us as individuals. A love that seeks out a personal relationship with us where we can develop the gifts you have given us, and grow more into the likeness of Jesus Christ. As we worship today, wherever and however we are, we lift our voices in adoration and praise!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 18th June
Hymn: Let your living water flow over my soul (SofF 334)
Prayer:
Most, if not all of us, have parts that need healing, Lord Jesus. For some it may be insecurities from the past that have never been resolved and still affect our lives. For others it may be wounds that have been deep buried, hidden beneath layers of pretending that they no longer matter, but the scars are still there, and the memories occasionally come back to haunt us. And then for some there is a need for physical healing, and the constant living with pain, with disability and with anxiety, all of it making the daily tasks of life that much harder. In all of these, Lord, you offer us a different sort of wholeness – a peace that goes beyond healing. A peace that can deal with the hurts of the past and enables us to live in the present with patience, sure of the enfolding of your love. Grant us your peace today, Lord, we pray.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 17th June
Hymn: Strength will rise (StF 89/SofF 2034)
Prayer:
We’re not good at waiting, Lord – we get impatient, frustrated, sometimes angry. We live in an impatient world, where everything is becoming ever more instant and we’ve come to expect it, even of you, Lord. Yet you often ask us to wait, for you view time from a very different perspective to us. Sometimes it has taken centuries for your promises to be fulfilled, because the time had to be right, because you wanted everything to be in place. Even your disciples had to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit before they could go out to spread the Gospel! And maybe that’s just it, Lord – we need to be ready, we need to be empowered too. So help us to wait patiently, prayerfully, for then your promises will be fulfilled in us, in your time, in your way, in your strength.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 16th June
Hymn: We’ll walk the land (SofF 583/MP 743)
Prayer:
Because you love us so much, because we have received so much from you, because you call us to follow you, Lord Jesus, and have gifted and equipped us to continue your work in the world, we are ready to be sent out to serve you through our churches and in our communities and, indeed, wherever you would send us. All we ask, Lord, that is that you will so kindle, and keep rekindling, the fire of our love for you that it will be seen in our lives; that you will so fill us with your Holy Spirit that this new life and power will bubble out of us. And that you will give us the courage to speak of you in ways that will warm hearts and change lives, for we trust in your promise, Lord, that in every situation and in every place you will go ahead of us.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 15th June
Hymn: God will make a way (SofF 1799)
Prayer:
Sometimes, Lord God, there’s so much going on in our lives that we simply can’t see the way ahead. We try to sort out priorities, to put things in some semblance of order, and then, just when we think we’re beginning to get on top of it all, to see a way through, something else falls into our laps and we’re back to square one! It’s times like this, Lord, that we find ourselves having to rely even more ever on your help and guidance, for you are always there for us, and, when we turn to you, you never let us down. So today, Lord, whatever is causing us heartache, or stress, or difficulty, whatever is blocking our path, we ask you to clear the way for us, and that we may find new peace and hope in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 14th June
Hymn: The Lord is my salvation
Prayer:
Lord God, when we begin to get to know you, we discover that ‘salvation’ is not just a word on a page, not something just to say in a creed, not even simply belonging to the language of church, but a living, breathing experience. For we discover that it involves being set free from all that would separate us from you, both in this life and the next, indeed that takes away from us the whole burden of our unworthiness and the guilt of our sinfulness. And that this freedom enables us to live life to the full, with new vision and new purpose, empowered and enabled by your Holy Spirit living within us. But best of all, Lord, to know your love surrounding us, infilling us, healing our brokenness, and giving us all the resources we need to face each new day. Thank you, Lord, for our salvation, and all it means to us!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 13th June
Hymn: By faith we see the hand of God (SofF2240)
Prayer:
Some people put it down to co-incidence, Lord, when they find themselves in the right place at the right time to take up an opportunity. Some call it good luck when their plans work out the way they hope they will. Some call it fate when they discover that, had they taken a different path in life they may well have found themselves in the same unfortunate circumstances as those they grew up with. But those who put their trust in you, Lord God, who rely on your faithfulness and look to you for guidance, know that you are at work in every part of their lives, and always for their good. This doesn’t mean that hard times, sorrow and grief will not have their day, but that you, Lord, will see us through – for we are putting our faith in you, today, tomorrow, and for the future.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 12th June
Hymn: Sing of a God in majestic divinity (StF 13)
Prayer:
On this Trinity Sunday, Lord God, we are filled with wonder at your wisdom, your creativity and your love, shown in all the ways you have reached out to us and enabled us to get to know you. We see your power in the immensity and beauty of the sky at night, the myriad constellations and shining light of the stars. We see your compassion and care for humanity in your coming in Jesus, making that choice to come as one of us, to suffer and die our death that we might receive eternal life. And as if this were not enough, to know your presence with us at all times through your Holy Spirit, enabling and gifting each one of us and drawing us closer to you. All this is beyond our understanding, Lord, and so today we offer you what we can – our love and our worship.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 11th June
Hymn: Goodness of God
Prayer:
It’s often only when we look back, Lord, and see the path we have travelled, and the way our faith has developed over the years, that we realise how far we’ve come, and how you have been part of it all. For in all the changes in our lives, in all the ups and downs, and particularly in the troubling and confusing times, you have sustained and strengthened us, often putting people alongside us who have helped us to hold on, to see a way forward, and have put the smile back on our faces. We know that, although there have been times when we have turned aside from you, you have never ceased to love us and watch over us, and so today, Lord, we want to say thank you for your goodness and your faithfulness. We love you, Lord!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 10th June
Hymn: Think of a world without any flowers (StF 92/H&P 572)
Prayer:
As we revel in the loveliness of summer, Lord God, the scents, the sights, the sounds that tantalize our senses and lift our spirits, we realise that, though we grumble about the rain and the cold winds, there is so much we need to be thankful for. And yet, Lord, with global warming and the consequent change in our climate already making their mark, with ice-caps melting, sea levels rising and unseasonal weather affecting harvests, we cannot be complacent, for without taking action we are in danger of losing so much of what we take for granted. So we pray, Lord, that you will guide us and help us to take responsibility for our own actions, and in playing our part in caring for and preserving all with which you have entrusted us in your amazing creation.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 9th June
Hymn: All over the world the Spirit is moving (SofF 12/MP 18)
Prayer:
Lord God, in this Pentecost season we praise and thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, released into the world, creating your church and infilling each one of us. We thank you for the new energy, the new power and hope this gives us; for the reassurance that, whatever is going on in the world, you are at work, and in the end evil and suffering will be overcome and peace will reign. That even though in the Western world the church seems to have less authority, making less impact on society, nevertheless we have your assurance that because it is built on the rock foundation of Jesus Christ, the church will never fail. So Lord, as your people, help us to look to the future with confidence, trusting in your promises, and seeking always to live to your glory.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 8th June
Hymn: Holy Overshadowing
Prayer:
Halfway through the week, Lord, and things are not turning out quite as we expected. Plans we made are just not working out, jobs we intended to do still not begun – we’re beginning to feel overwhelmed by it all, and it’s easy to get disheartened. Did you ever feel like this, Lord Jesus, when people were pressing in on you on every side? So much to do and so little time to do it! But you knew that you were not alone, that the Holy Spirit was alongside you, giving you the resources you needed – and, when we remember, promises to be alongside us too. And so we take a moment now to be quiet with you, to rest in your love, to find peace in your presence, and, through this, the strength and the encouragement to carry on with our day. Thank you, Lord!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 7th June
Hymn: Holy Spirit, gift bestower (StF 383)
Prayer:
Lord God, when your Holy Spirit invades our lives nothing can ever be the same. We discover new things about you, about ourselves, new truths, new gifts, that change the way we think and speak and act, and which help us grow into the people that you created us to be, and long for us to become. So today, Lord, in your love for us, take away any lingering fears and doubts, and help us to be willing to move out of our comfortable rut, out of our well-trod ways, and allow your Holy Spirit to breathe new life, new energy and purpose into us. And then fire us up and send us out to live as Jesus people in your world.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 6th June
Hymn: Holy Spirit, living breath of God (SofF 1850)
Prayer:
We know, Lord God, that without the power of your Holy Spirit living within us, all we are, all we say and all we do will never achieve all we hope for, and all that you want to do in us and through us. So we ask again today, Lord, that you will breathe that new life into us once more, for we are aware of the influence of the world around us, and how easily we become side-tracked into following the ways of the world rather than your ways, and allow your power to leak out of us. We ask you to forgive us, Lord, and to speak your words of grace and mercy into our hearts, that we may know ourselves truly yours, and begin to be changed into the likeness of Jesus.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 5th June
Hymn: Holy Spirit, we welcome you (StF 385/SofF 188/MP 241)
Prayer:
On this Day of Pentecost we are waiting, Lord Jesus, waiting for the coming of your promised gift of the Holy Spirit. We are waiting with open hearts and minds, not quite knowing what to expect but willing to be amazed and surprised, needing to be empowered, wanting to experience the same joy those first disciples received. So come to us today, Lord, with your life-giving Spirit; take away all that separates from you, and fill us so full with new energy and power that we cannot keep the good news of your love and forgiveness and new life to ourselves – and then send us out into our neighbourhoods to share all we have discovered with those around us!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 4th June
Hymn: Summer suns are glowing (H&P 361)
Prayer:
In the glory of summer, in the full-throated song of birds, in the colour and exuberance of nature and the beauty of the world around us we are overwhelmed, Lord God, by your generosity and our hearts are filled with love and praise. For in your provision for us and in your love for us you have blessed us in ways that go well beyond anything we can imagine or ever deserve. As we approach Pentecost, we thank you for the new life and hope we have received through Jesus and through your promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Help us never to take any of this for granted, Lord, but to always seek to use all your gifts to your praise and glory.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 3rd June
Hymn: Irresistible (SofF 1297)
Prayer:
Lord God, we thank you for your faithfulness to us. In a shifting, volatile and unreliable world, where there is so much to make us feel insecure, and sometimes fearful about the future, you are the one anchor that keeps us steady, the one sure foundation upon which we can build our lives, and the One whose love for us never falters. Whatever else happens, Lord, whatever else changes, whatever else shakes our world or our lives, we can be certain that you are always with us, and that we can begin each day knowing that you have gone ahead of us into every situation we will face, and for this, and for so much more, we thank you, Lord!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 2nd June
Hymn: It is God who holds the nations (StF 705/H&P 404)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when you came to earth you made it clear that you had come not to be served but to serve, even to the extent of giving your life so that we might enter into a deeper and everlasting relationship with God, through the presence of the Holy Spirit living in us. Today we look back on the way our Queen has followed that example in a life of service to her people, giving her all in her commitment to her role as Head of State in ways that have often been costly, involving personal suffering and sacrifice. Help us, Lord, to play our part in self-giving service to one another and to you, depending on you for all the resources we need.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 1st June
Hymn: Lord, the light of your love is shining (StF 59/SofF 362/MP 445)
Prayer:
It would be so easy, Lord Jesus, to allow ourselves to be dragged down and totally overwhelmed by all the problems we see in the world around us, and the challenges we face in our own lives, were it not that deep within the light of your love still burns brightly with an unquenchable flame. For nothing has or will ever be able overcome your light, Lord, a light that shines ever brighter as the darkness deepens, but which darkness has and never will be able to extinguish. Lord, when trouble seeks to overshadow our lives and smother that light in us, we ask that you rekindle the flame, and remind us that nothing can ever separate us from your presence and your love.
Amen
Liz Stuart
