Wednesday 30 November 2016

NBA Prayers for 4th December (Advent 2)

PRAYER REFLECTION and EXERCISE

from Revd. Roy Searle, one of the leaders of Northumbria Community, Baptist Hub Tutor at Cranmer Hall, Durham and one of the newly appointed Baptist Union National Coordinators for Pioneering and Fresh Expressions.   

 

·            Each Sunday in Advent focuses on one of the following themes: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. These words remind us of the gifts Jesus brings to the world. As we ponder and give thanks to God for these gifts let our hearts and minds in prayer imagine what these things might mean for those whom we know and love:

our families and friends….. 

our neighbours….. 

those we work with and others who we spend time with socially…. 

the fellowship we belong to….

the North East…

a divided Britain…. 

an increasingly fragmented Europe….. 

a torn and turbulent world

 

Name people and places from each of these areas and spend a few minutes holding them in prayer before God.

 

·            As we remember God's Good News being announced to the shepherds, those who were outside of any religious circles, we pray that the Good News of the Gospel will reach the lives of the vast majority of people outside of any church circle, this Christmas and throughout the coming year. Giving thanks for the newly established training of people for Baptist ministry at Cranmer Hall, St John's College, Durham, we pray particularly for our Baptist students: Dave Etherington at Ushaw Moor, Adam Gray at Whitley Bay, John Cooper at Morpeth and Chris and Caroline Friend at Alnwick. Pray that God will raise up more men and women who will be pioneers and missional leaders here in the North East. The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few.

 

·            As the compassion of God is revealed in Jesus, let us pray that in all that we are and all that we do as individuals, churches, and as an Association and Union, we will reflect God's compassion and bring some transforming hope, peace, joy and love to the world.

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