Pray Continually (June 2014)

June 2014

Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

This month we will focus on some of the many activities and programs the church uses to reach and serve our local community and further afield – our corporate mission. A key, over-arching prayer could be:

‘What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.  I know your deeds.  See I have set before you an open door that no one can shut.’  (Revelation 3:7-8)

Fast days for June:  This month why not choose particular days suitable for your schedule to fast for personal areas of life, or in the lives of those around you?

June

1: As churches gather together pray that in everything Jesus might be heralded as good and great, as he truly is.  And we might be equipped and motivated to serve others for Jesus’ honour.  ‘For what we preach is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as servants for Jesus’ sake.’  (1 Corinthians 4:5)

2: Pray for how we operate our mid-week Bistro, serving the Technology Park.  We seek to be an ‘above expected experience’ giving people a taste of what Jesus is like over their lunch time.  ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good…’ (Psalm 34:8)

3: Pray for our Lifegroups as they support Christians living for Jesus on their frontlines of home, work, and leisure.  Pray ‘that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.’  (Philippians 1:9-11)

4: Pray for our Tuesday Group parent-toddler group serving the community and building relationships to explain Jesus through.  ‘And Jesus took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.’ (Mark 10:16)

5: Pray for the big new development of Marston Grange, slightly further along the Beaconside Road and our responsibility to serve and reach that community for Jesus.  ‘It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known…’  (Romans 15:20)

6: Pray for our Sunday morning gathering at 10.30 – for the worship, teaching and friendships to show what Jesus is like clearly, courageously and compassionately.  ‘And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another…’ (Hebrews 10:24-25)

7: Pray for our deacons & elders who lead the church and act as legal trustees.  ‘Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.  Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honourably in every way.’  (Hebrews 13:17-18)

8: As churches gather together pray that we might ‘renounce secret and shameful ways…not use deception, nor distort the word of God’ but we might ‘set forth the truth plainly.’  (1Corinthians 4:1-2)

9: Pray for the Beacon Friendship Group, working with older and retired people. ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ (Romans 10:13)

10: Pray for our local Staffordshire University campus, not least the challenges of the site being relocated to Stoke.

11: Pray for the Chaplaincy we are able to formally offer to the University, Police HQ and MOD Stafford.

12: Pray for our Sunday evening service, for wisdom during the period Sandon Road is closed for the re-development and for the opportunity to re-imagine how we can effectively serve and reach people through this more traditional and informal setting. 

13: Pray for the re-development process at Sandon Road involving the various agencies and organisations.  That the process and the final product might speak clearly of Jesus.

14: Pray for energy and creativity in mission that could be catalysed from the re-development of the Sandon Road buildings.  Pray for the financial provision for the phase 2 build we would love to see happen in 2015/2016.

15: As churches gather together pray ‘God, who said ‘let light shine into darkness’…shine in our hearts to gives us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Christ.’ (1Corinthians 4:6)

16: Pray for Staffordshire Police HQ, next door to us on the Technology Park.

17: Pray for the significant military expansion we are right at the heart of.

18: Pray for the first thoughts toward a families-friendly new service at Sandon Road that would suit the myriad of mid-week users involved in the life of the building.  Pray ‘that God may open a door for our message, so we may proclaim the mystery of Christ…’ (Colossians 3:3)

19: Pray for our conferencing business at the Beacon Int Centre as we seek to provide a service to people that excels and gives a positive and true impression of Jesus. 

20: Pray for the Beacon Strategy Group of leaders who are responsible for helping us be good stewards of our Beacon building.  Pray they may ‘do it diligently.’  (Romans 12:8)

21: Pray for our Chinese Church congregation meeting each Thursday evening at the Beacon. Pray using this description of a church gathering: ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you are called to peace.  And be thankful.  Let the message of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom…’  (Colossians 3:15-16)

22: As churches gather together pray ‘May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else…’  (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

23: Pray for local schools as we seek to serve them well.  Pray for the half-termly Messy Church After-School Activity Clubs and other activities we provide.

24: Pray for our pre-school that runs throughout the week at Sandon Road.  For children (44 attend), staff (8 plus some volunteers & trainees), and parents.

25: Pray for our good use of the extra floor we recently acquired at the Beacon Int Centre.  Pray we might use our buildings in a way that is true to the gospel and honours Jesus.

26: Pray for Mid-Week Connect, meeting most Wednesday lunchtimes and serving the Technology Park.  ‘I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.’ (Ephesians 3:16-19)

27: Pray for our growing staff team, and especially for those at the Beacon Int Centre and pre-school we are able to provide a first experience of paid employment or facilitate them in beginning to gain confidence in new careers.

28: Pray for Brigades & the Brigade Band meeting Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at Sandon Road.  For leaders, young people and parents.

29: As churches gather together pray, ‘continually asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing good fruit in every good work…’ (Colossians 1:10)

30: Pray for our finances as we seek to be good and wise stewards with the resources God has made us responsible for.

Could you help compile next month’s - what do you think should be a priority for praying together as a church?  Let Alex know for next month: pastoralexharris@gmail.com