Dear Friends,
Two letters in one week! These are different times. I am wanting to write to you both to thank you for all your support and tell you about our exciting plans for Sunday.
This may be the first letter that some of you have had as we have been working hard to stop some of our emails from going into spam. If you didn’t get my first letter this week, you can find it on our website. We have been posting videos, blogs, and audio files also on our website of differing lengths which we hope are helpful particularly for those who are isolating.
Dear Friends,
Two letters in one week! These are different times. I am wanting to write to you both to thank you for all your support and tell you about our exciting plans for Sunday.
This may be the first letter that some of you have had as we have been working hard to stop some of our emails from going into spam. If you didn’t get my first letter this week, you can find it on our website. We have been posting videos, blogs, and audio files also on this website of differing lengths which we hope are helpful particularly for those who are isolating.
Thank You
We have been really touched by the positive feedback that we have had from so many of you. All the staff have gone above and beyond in the last few days in trying to ensure that we are able to communicate with people and that the food bank remains open. Your encouragement and appreciation of their efforts has lightened their load. We have had a wonderful response in helping with the food bank, and we have had plenty of financial donations, however if you are able to shop for us that remains our biggest need. We have also been thrilled to have many folks offering to shop for others. We anticipate that this need will increase in the coming weeks, so if you are not yet been allocated someone to shop for, please don’t worry we will be in touch. If you would still like to volunteer to shop for others, we would still like to add you to our list, contact Georgina.
We have also had a super response from those volunteering to come down to the church to pray or meet someone. Subject to Government advice, we hope to bring you details of this on Monday or Tuesday.
Plans for this Sunday
And so, onto Sunday… I would like to call the church to join together in prayer at three times on Sunday. At 8.30am, 10.30am and 6.30pm I will live stream for 20 minutes sharing news and with the help of one or two others enabling all of us to pray together. Whatever you plan for Sunday, if you are able to find a screen to look at, could you log onto our website at one or all of these times. Each slot will be slightly different so you might want to do all three, but if you can only do one that is absolutely fine. We want to try and encourage us to all be together at these times to pray for our nation, our health service, our community and to call on God together in unison. For those technically minded (and don’t worry if you’re not), we shall also be doing something interactive so if you can have a smart phone to hand as well – even better. But, please don’t let that put you off watching our website at these times.
Christians across the country having been calling the Church to a National Day of Prayer on Sunday, we feel it is important, to join with this, and as our nation has before seek God’s help. You can find more about this online .
Calling Out to God
I am reminded of the experience and response of the early Church in Acts 4, faced with persecution, the loss of income and a place to meet, they saw good news in the release from prison of Peter and John . We read …
When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. …. Now, Lord, consider the threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them.
May we see God stretch out His hand, may no one be in need among us and may God’s grace be powerfully at work in us.
This Week’s Prayer Needs
Around this time, we would normally send out our newssheet with prayer requests. We have a few for this week, please remember in your prayers those who have particularly asked us to pray.
Sunday
Pray for Christians to unite in prayer for our nation and the world
Pray for Rachel, with long term health concerns
Monday
Pray for all who are self isolating
Pray for John who has heart failure, please pray for better health
Tuesday
Pray for all those on the frontline of care, the health service
Pray for Steven, Johns brother who is terminally ill
Wednesday
Pray for all who are feeling unwell, fearful or alone
Thursday
Pray for all those whose jobs are uncertain or have already been laid off work.
Pray for Carole who has breast cancer, with neutropenic sepsis and currently has no white blood cells.
Friday
Pray for the Government and all who have important decisions to make for our nations
Saturday
Pray for the church that we can be a witness and a support
Pray for those seeking help from our food bank
Doubtless you are going to hear from me in various forms over the next few weeks, so can I thank you in advance for your patience and hope you will join us on Sunday.
Yours in Christ
Donald
Thank You
We have been really touched by the positive feedback that we have had from so many of you. All the staff have gone above and beyond in the last few days in trying to ensure that we are able to communicate with people and that the food bank remains open. Your encouragement and appreciation of their efforts has lightened their load. We have had a wonderful response in helping with the food bank, and we have had plenty of financial donations, however if you are able to shop for us that remains our biggest need. We have also been thrilled to have many folks offering to shop for others. We anticipate that this need will increase in the coming weeks, so if you are not yet been allocated someone to shop for, please don’t worry we will be in touch. If you would still like to volunteer to shop for others, we would still like to add you to our list, contact Georgina. georgie@scbc.org.uk
We have also had a super response from those volunteering to come down to the church to pray or meet someone. Subject to Government advice, we hope to bring you details of this on Monday or Tuesday.
Plans for this Sunday
And so, onto Sunday… I would like to call the church to join together in prayer at three times on Sunday. At 8.30am, 10.30am and 6.30pm I will live stream for 20 minutes sharing news and with the help of one or two others enabling all of us to pray together. Whatever you plan for Sunday, if you are able to find a screen to look at, could you log onto our website at one or all of these times. Each slot will be slightly different so you might want to do all three, but if you can only do one that is absolutely fine. We want to try and encourage us to all be together at these times to pray for our nation, our health service, our community and to call on God together in unison. For those technically minded (and don’t worry if you’re not), we shall also be doing something interactive so if you can have a smart phone to hand as well – even better. But, please don’t let that put you off watching our website at these times.
Christians across the country having been calling the Church to a National Day of Prayer on Sunday, we feel it is important, to join with this, and as our nation has before seek God’s help. You can find more about this online https://www.cte.org.uk/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=569010
Calling Out to God
I am reminded of the experience and response of the early Church in Acts 4, faced with persecution, the loss of income and a place to meet, they saw good news in the release from prison of Peter and John . We read …
When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. …. Now, Lord, consider the threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them.
May we see God stretch out His hand, may no one be in need among us and may God’s grace be powerfully at work in us.
This Week’s Prayer Needs
Around this time, we would normally send out our newssheet with prayer requests. We have a few for this week, please remember in your prayers those who have particularly asked us to pray.
Sunday
- Pray for Christians to unite in prayer for our nation and the world
- Pray for Rachel, with long term health concerns
Monday
- Pray for all who are self isolating
- Pray for John who has heart failure, please pray for better health
Tuesday
- Pray for all those on the front-line of care, the health service
- Pray for Steven, Johns brother who is terminally ill
Wednesday
- Pray for all who are feeling unwell, fearful or alone
Thursday
- Pray for all those whose jobs are uncertain or have already been laid off work.
- Pray for Carole who has breast cancer, with neutropenic sepsis and currently has no white blood cells.
Friday
- Pray for the Government and all who have important decisions to make for our nations
Saturday
- Pray for the church that we can be a witness and a support
- Pray for those seeking help from our food bank
Doubtless you are going to hear from me in various forms over the next few weeks, so can I thank you in advance for your patience and hope you will join us on Sunday.
Yours in Christ
Donald
