Today is the second day of the suspension of public worship in the Church of England. No-one knows for how long it will last – but this does not mean we stop caring or praying for one another.

Each day I intend to publish the proverb from our Lent Prayers, a short reflection, and prayers for the people on our Lent prayer calendar. If you would like to receive these by email, please click here.

Opening

Speak these words out loud:

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.’

Psalm 91.1-2 (NIV)

Today’s Proverb

Read this through three or four times, slowly. Pause in-between, maybe write it out by hand – savour the words, let them speak deeply to you.

A perverse person stirs up conflict,
    and a gossip separates close friends.

Proverbs 16.28 (NIV)

Perhaps a better known proverb (though it’s not in the Bible) begins, ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones…’

But words do hurt. What we say does matter.

No-one likes a stirrer – people who cause trouble and escalate problems. But how often do we spot other people stirring – and then gossip about them with our friends, as if we’d never act like that?

We call gossip ‘juicy’ because, let’s be honest, we like doing it. But words matter – whether the person we’re talking about can hear them, or not.

So how do you use your words? To gossip, to stir, to cause trouble?

Or to encourage, build up, and love?

Prayers

Our daily prayer sheet includes the names of everyone for whom we have a signed church family directory form.

Today we are praying for
Irene Davies, Alan & Joyce Page, and Rita Harris

Father, please bless them with your peace, and a deep awareness of your presence with them, every day and in every way.

Please pray for our leaders and healthcare workers, and all those working to keep us safe, well, and fed. Please pray that people would unselfishly put others before themselves, and buy only what they need.

Church Family Prayer

Come Holy Spirit,
and make us one in heart and action,
so that we can serve God faithfully:
abounding in love,
maturing in holiness,
and seeking out the lost.
Help us grow as disciples of Jesus –
in commitment, in depth, and in number –
that we may be a blessing to Amington;
to the glory and praise of God the Father. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Prayer

Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labour in vain.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus
the only way to the Father.

Psalm 127.1, Hebrews 12.2 & John 14.6

May Christ our Saviour give us peace.
Amen.