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Isaiah 43:19 New International Version
‘See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland’.

Gracious God, as we come to the end of the 3rd week of January, we reflect upon the start of the new year. Maybe resolutions made have already been abandoned. Maybe things aren’t going quite as we’d hoped or planned. But we give thanks that You are a God that longs to renew, refresh, revitalise our relationship with You. You are a God that journeys with us, at all times and in all places. You are a God who believes in us for who we are and for who we can become. You are a God who cares. And so, we come before You and renew our trust in You. Give us the energy, the courage and the inspiration to continue our journey with You. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

A reflection by Margaret Langdon

God is always waiting to start
He loves to do something new
He looks at me, right into my heart
And decides what he will do

He’s begun before I know it
He’s cleaning out the clutter
I don’t notice it at first
But that really doesn’t matter

Through the wilderness of my life
He makes a clear direction
And in my wasteland water flows
Making landscapes of perfection

So even though I may not see
Anything new to measure
God knows how to make things right
And new things give him pleasure

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2 Corinthians 13:11          New International Version
‘Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you’.

Gracious God, as we reach the middle of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we remember that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to show us how to bring unity within, and between communities. We acknowledge that Jesus calls us to respond in humility, to denounce injustice and oppression. We are encouraged that He calls us to bring about transformation and change, and to work for peace and reconciliation. Lord God, we thank You that Jesus brought hope into our world and gives us the courage, the strength and the guidance to radiate that hope into all corners of society. Help us to bring the light of hope to those living in the darkness of political unrest, social poverty, and structural discrimination. God of love, we give thanks that You are a faithful God and we are Your people. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Psalm 33:20-22           New International Version
We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Gracious God, at the end of a week when issues of trust and integrity dominate our news headlines, we turn to you and give thanks that You are the one in whom we can place our trust. You invite us to take quiet moments and spend them in Your presence. You assure us that You are the One who wants to heal us and restore us with your love and your grace. You promise us that you are always there to guide us as we journey forward, even when the road ahead is rocky and difficult to navigate. You pour out Your Holy Spirit to anoint, enable and equip us to follow You and be the people You would have us be. And so, as the week draws to a close, we rest assured that there is nothing, in all eternity, that can separate us from Your love, and we take a moment of quiet to reflect, give thanks, and place our Trust in You. Amen.

‘And I will trust in You alone,
And I will trust in You alone,
For Your endless mercy follows me,
Your goodness will lead me home’.
(Stuart Townend Copyright © 1996 Thankyou Music)

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Jeremiah 31:33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people’.

Gracious God, as many Church communities will renew their Covenant with You this January, we take a moment to reflect upon the relationship we have with You. A relationship offered freely to us, no strings attached, no hidden agendas. A relationship that seeks to build us up, support, equip and encourage us, whatever the circumstances. A relationship where wrongs are forgiven and reconciliation is readily available. A relationship that is constantly renewed and refreshed. A relationship rooted and sustained in hope and in love. Lord God, at the start of a new year, we give thanks for Your unfailing love for us. Help us to cherish the relationship you offer to us. Help us to nurture and protect our covenant with You in the days to come. In the name of Jesus, Your Son we pray, Amen.

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Matthew 2: 10-12
“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”

Gracious God, as we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany we reflect upon the journey of the Magi, the wise men, who had waited and watched for many years for the birth of the child who would bring light into our world. We recall how they gave him precious gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, gifts fit for a King. And we gaze upon the star that lit the sky, piercing through the darkness and radiating light. In the coming days, help us to keep our hearts and our minds focussed on the light of Jesus. Help us to be reassured of His presence in our world, of His love that has the power to shine in the dark places of our world today. Lord God, this Epiphany may you reveal to us Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. Amen.

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Isaiah 9:2
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned”.

Gracious God of wonder and mystery, we wait in anticipation and expectation to celebrate the coming of Your Son, Jesus, into our world, Emmanuel, God with us. On the eve of this Holy Night, help us to remember that on that starry night, over 2,000 years ago, a miracle occurred. True love came into our world in the form of a baby boy, a baby who grew to be a man who witnessed to  Your grace, Your love for us, so that we might experience the wonder of Your presence with us. And so, Lord God, we thank you for the night in which love shone down. This Christmas time, amidst the uncertainty and insecurity of everything going on around us, help us to  believe and trust in the miracle of Your coming into our world. Help us to believe and trust in the miracle of Your love at work in our world today through the power of Your Holy Spirit. May that love continue to shine in a world in need of hope today, hope being the assurance of your presence in every situation, however difficult it may be. In the name of the child born to be our friend, our Saviour, and our King, this Christmas Eve we pray, Amen.

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Romans 15:13 ESV
‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope’.

Gracious God, as we move into the week before Christmas, we take a moment to pause and turn to You in prayer. At a time when the expectations are that we will be joyful, there are so many different issues that make it difficult for people to feel any sense of joy. For a second year we approach Christmas dealing with the additional anxieties and concerns of the pandemic. Our lives continue to be tinged with uncertainty and insecurities. And yet Your Word, as found in the bible, tells us that joy in its deepest sense is about assurance, the assurance of knowing You are with us at all times, the assurance that nothing can separate us from Your love, the assurance that You sent Your Son to bring light into our world to show us how to love, and to assure us that we are truly loved by You. And so, as Christmas approaches, give us the confidence to feel that assurance, give us the strength to allow that assurance to support and sustain us, and give us the energy and the inspiration to share the message of that assurance within our communities. May we be united in Your love. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

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Romans 15:13 ESV
‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope’.

Gracious God, as we lit the Advent candle of Joy in our Churches to mark the 3rd week of Advent, and we look at these knitted stockings, boxed ready to be delivered to schools and care homes, we give thanks for all those bringing joy into the lives of others, in what is still a dark time for many. For those continuing to ensure the roll out of the vaccination programme, we give thanks. For every angel and inn keeper in school nativities being prepared in nursery and schools up and down the country, we give thanks. For those knitting and crafting gifts for our hospitals and care homes, we give thanks. For those unseen acts of kindness, the phone call, the message, the listening ear, we give thanks.Lord God, we know that You are a God who understands His people, who empathises with our concerns and anxieties as Covid continues to affect our daily living in so many different ways. And so, as we give thanks for the beams of light that radiate in our communities, help us to feel the assurance of Your presence with us, help us to have the faith to continue to put our trust in You, and may we continue to focus on the coming into the world of the Christ Child, our bringer of light and joy. In His name we pray, Amen.

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Matthew 25:35-40    New International Version
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Gracious God, as Human Rights Day is marked internationally today, as initiated by the United Nations, we acknowledge that sadly, we live in a world where not all people are treated equally and fairly, where not everyone is afforded the freedom to live without oppression, where not everyone has the opportunity for an education or the right to work. Amidst the pandemic, we have witnessed inequalities relating to the vaccination programme and healthcare. We have seen the plight of those desperately seeking a safe place to call home. We have witnessed the suffering of those experiencing human trafficking and slavery. Lord God, in sending Your Son into the world, You made Your values very clear; those of equality, justice, compassion and freedom for all. And so we pray that as communities we seek to fulfil Your values. Although we may not be in a position to change things on the world stage, give us the courage and the confidence to do what we can for those around us in our local communities. As a Church, help us to stand up and preach the truth of Your Son Jesus Christ so that His presence may be felt in the lives of all people. May the power of Your Holy Spirit sweep across our world, for in the power of Your name we pray, Amen.

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John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”.

Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, we take a moment to come before you and quieten and calm our thoughts this day. Help us to remember that You are the One in whom we can put our trust, You are the One who will walk with us, to help us deal with the matters of the day ahead. Please give us peace of mind and a sense of Your very being, assured of Your presence with us and Your love for us.
We lift before You anyone we are concerned about this day and place them into the safety and security of Your hands. In Your name we pray, Amen.

In a moment of silence we turn our thoughts to God and we take our strength from Him with a reflection from Margaret Langdon.

Support me Lord
Take my burden Lord
Renew my energy Lord
Extend my resilience Lord
Nurture my abilities Lord
Grant me wisdom Lord
Teach me patience Lord
Heal my wounds Lord
Give me strength!

Saving me  Lord
Teaching me Lord
Reviving me Lord
Encouraging me Lord
Naming me Lord
Giving to me Lord
Trusting me Lord
Healing me Lord
You are my strength