How will we walk with God this Lent, rejoice in his promises and deepen our hope in him?
Find encouragement and strength in stories of hope that span over 3000 years of history - showing us that God remains with us at all times. We will be using the Embrace book, Hope in Hard Places. Sign up sheets are at the back of the church, but please note that the Thursday evening group is full. If you have any questions, please contact Catherine via the church office on 01491 875651.
Piano Recital at St Mary’s In celebration of JS Bach's 340th birthday Christopher Burrows, virtuoso organist and pianist, will be giving a piano recital in St Mary's on Sunday March 23rd at 4pm. The programme will comprise short works composed by the Birthday Composer himself. This will include toccatas, preludes and selections from the
Goldberg variations and the Art of Fugue. Tickets £10 full, £9 concessions on the door only and please bring cash not cards! Tea and cakes will be provided by the Friends of St Mary’s in the Morrell Rooms after the concert. Any enquiries please text to 0776 233 9853.
This week we are asked to pray:
Prayers for the week from "Roots on the Web" Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you. Give us each day our daily bread. Lord, as we pause to pray, we ponder for a moment the meaning of wilderness… For some it will be a time of pain and travail. For others it will be a time of oasis and calm in a busy world. For others it will be a space for development and change. Lord, whatever shape our wilderness is taking in this season of our lives, help us to know your presence throughout the journey. Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you. Give us each day our daily bread. Lord, we first consider the wilderness as a place of pain and difficulty; a desert place where nothing seems to be growing and life is hard. We pray for those in that season right now. We particularly remember those who are sick, especially… We remember those who are sad because someone they love has died …. We pray for those who are just finding life tough for whatever reason. For each person we name out loud or in our hearts, we ask for your comfort and courage as they tread this difficult path. Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you. Give us each day our daily bread. Lord, we pray also for situations in the news this week that feel stale and dry. Those places which are no longer in the news but where poverty and hunger has been a reality for many, many years. Lord, we so often feel helpless in the face of these global problems. But Jesus showed us a way to trust you. Help us to follow his example. Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you. Give us each day our daily bread. We also pray for those who are trying to find you but keep getting pulled in other directions and are tempted away from following your path. We pray for those struggling with addiction; those who are in and out of prison; those who are homeless and feel they have no future. Lord, draw close to them, we pray, and give them wells of living water. Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you. Give us each day our daily bread. Lord, we bring to you situations in our world that need the oasis of calm and peace: Continuing war in Ukraine, Gaza, the DRC. Wars of words between world leaders… And we remember those in our community who need to find peace in a busy world: we pray for teachers… for students… new parents… commuters… doctors and nurses in a busy hospital… all those we know (and maybe ourselves) who need this season to be a welcome time of rest. Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you. Give us each day our daily bread. Lord, we rejoice with those who are finding the wilderness a place of growth and joy right now. We pause to think of anything new we have learnt from you this week. What signs of new growth have we seen around us?: flowers/blossom/lambs? And what have we seen in our locality or on the news that has demonstrated new hope and the potential for flourishing? Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you. Give us each day our daily bread. Amen.