Thy kingdom Come – A Call to Prayer in the week leading up to Pentecost 2016 (8-15 May)
It isn’t that often that I get a letter from an Archbishop! In fact, last week, I got a letter from two! It was an invitation sent jointly from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York encouraging us to set aside time in the week from 8 to 15 May to pray. The letter included these words:
“We long to see a wave of prayer across our land, throughout the Church of England and many other Churches…
At the heart of our prayers will be the words that Jesus Christ himself taught us – ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.’ It is impossible to overstate the life-transforming power of the Lord’s Prayer. It is a prayer that is reassuring enough to be on the lips of the dying and yet dangerous enough to be banned in cinemas. It is famous enough to be spoken each day by billions in hundreds of languages and yet intimate enough to draw us ever closer into friendship with Jesus Christ. It is simple enough to be memorised by small children and yet profound enough to sustain a whole lifetime of prayer. When we pray it with sincerity and with joy, there is no imagining the new ways in which God can use us to his glory…”
So how will we respond and take up this invitation?
Well, in one of several ways I hope.
- We are producing a special booklet (available in church from 1 May) to use in your home or workplace during that week, and beyond… Do call in and pick one up – they’re free!
- Join us for Morning Prayer at 9.30 am or Evening Prayer at 5.00 pm in St Mary’s Church (Mon 9 – Fri 13 May) as we pray for the needs and people of our village and nation.
- Call into church and complete a prayer card (anonymously if you wish) if you would like someone or something prayed for during that week.
- Email me: with your prayer requests. (form below)
- Join us for a Prayer Meeting in St Mary’s from 8 – 10 pm on Thursday 12 May as we pray together for the churches here in Redbourn, for our world and for each other.
I know with great certainty that prayer must be at the heart of all we do. I hope you will join me in praying during this week: ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done…’
Will
St Mary's Church, Redbourn 