Our church building may be closed, but God’s eyes are open and his ears are attentive to our prayers (2 Chronicles 7.15).

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Opening

Speak these words out loud:

Let us build with care,
building on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

from 1 Corinthians 3.10-11

Today’s Proverb

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

Proverbs 15.30

Who doesn’t love to get good news? Especially when times are tough; it’s felt like good news is an endangered species this year.

One of the hardest things for me during the months of lockdown and social distancing has been not being able to see the people who make me laugh – I mean really laugh! You know the sort… where you almost can’t breathe and your tummy muscles start to ache…!

I’ve been challenged before about how I choose the company I keep: do I make time and space for people who make me smile, who make me laugh, who make me forget the daily struggle and simply enjoy being in their company?

The first step is identifying who those people are – and actually who they aren’t. Some people wipe the smile right off our face… we can’t avoid such people entirely (not should we try), but for our own soul (and sanity), we need to make sure we spend at least as much time with people who make us smile, as with people who don’t.

Is this something you ever think about?

Prayers

Pray for Five – pray for your five friends / family from Thy Kingdom Come.

Our daily prayer sheet includes the names of everyone for whom we have a signed church family directory form – and local parishes and senior church leaders. Today we are praying for:

Bibbey Family (Craig, Jonathan, Shaunnagha)

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

We also pray for: Home Groups (meeting virtually)

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.

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

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

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.