Prayer Vigil for Peace: Thurs 30th Nov

prayer vigilBegins at 8:30am with a one hour online guided meditation, until 7:30pm

To participate, simply send an email with your name and chosen time-slot to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please repond by Sunday 26th November.

As we move towards Advent and Christmas, our minds might turn once again towards the coming of the Prince of Peace and the day when there might actually be "peace on earth and good will to all peoples".

We pray for God’s peace to be established in our world and for current conflicts to cease, and invite you to participate in a special Chaplaincywide 12 hour prayer vigil for peace, on St Andrew’s Day (30th November) as a day on which to pray diligently for peace and to seek God’s will for how we can participate on spreading God’s love and compassion through this region.

During this prayer vigil, we hope that there will be someone, or several people, praying at all times. The day will start at 8h30 in the morning with a one hour guided meditation on Zoom. There will be another guided meditation at 12 noon and a third, to end the day, at 7h30 in the evening. Between these times, so from 9h30 and 12 noon and from 1 to 7.30pm, we will be asking as many of you as possible to commit to spending some time, individually or in groups, praying wherever they might happen to be – at home, with friends or even privately on Zoom if that’s what works best for you. We will divide this time up into 30 minutes time slots and would really like to be able to put at least one name against each time during the day. If at any particular time we have many people praying, then so much the better.

This really is something that everyone can do, it doesn’t require any technical or theological know-how. We will even be providing guidance and suggestions to help with your prayer – should you want it. All we are asking is that you spend some time listening for God and placing before him your hopes and wishes for the peace and security of our world.

It is amazingly simple to get involved. Simply send an email with your name and chosen time-slot to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please repond by Sunday 26th November.

Prayer has always been the life-blood of the Christian church and is, I hope, an integral part of our individual discipleship. As we move into the season of Advent on the following Sunday, 3rd December, this strikes me as a wonderful way to mark the end of one church year and to allow God to lead us forward into the season where we prepare to meet with Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

For further information, advice and to sign up, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Prayer Mate - download this useful app

prayer mate'PrayerMate' is a useful app to help you pray consistently for the people and causes you care about. Develop a discipline of prayer as PrayerMate helps you organise your prayer life, know what to pray for, and actually pray. Click here to find out more.

Links to Prayer Diaries

This diaries are compiled to help us pray together for one another and our common concerns.

Click here to view the October 2023 Chaplaincy of Aquitaine Prayer Diary

Click here to view the Diocese of Europe Prayer Diary

Click here to visit the World Council of Churches Prayer Cycle

 

ICS news and prayer update

icsICS ministry is to people who speak English, partnering with new and long-established congregations around the world, with the mission to see people encounter new life in Christ. Guided by the Bible, with values of integrity and excellence, ICS seeks partnership in ministering at the frontiers.

View the latest ICS Prayer Update video here (August 2023).

ics prayer

 

We give thanks for the work done around the world by those involved in the mission and ministry of the ICS, and pray for specific intentions featured in this quarterly Prayer Diary.

 

Prayers for Peace in our world

prayers for ukraineAlmighty God, we pray fervently for Your peace to descend upon Ukraine and Russia and upon so many other parts of the world. May war give way to peace; may hatred turn into reconciliation; may greed turn into generous sharing; closed doors be opened! Hold back, we pray, further destruction, grant hope in the hearts of Ukrainians and Russians alike. Be with Your faithful servants who, in spite of combat, offer comfort and Your presence on both sides of the borders. Grant safety to the fleeing; generosity to those who receive them. Help us to persist in prayers for peace and reconciliation; to stand firm and to resist evil in all its manifestations.

 

Prayers for the environment, God's creation

blessed earthCreator God, captivate our passion for caring stewardship of nature, humanity and our planet in dire need of saving. Grant longterm vision in the hearts, minds and projects of those who look after environments of countries, big business, large organisations, churches, governments and our homes. Move us to seek Your will in our actions to bear in mind Your Creational love of everybody and everything. We pray for all who suffer the violence, damage, injury and loss of continued natural catastrophes; the loss of life and property as dust and dessert sand overcome whole cities, vegetation and forestry as well as homes and businesses burns, flooding, tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanos, crops are destroyed and conditions become unliveable. For unseasonal weather conditions bring more destructive and deprivation. We pray for the needs of farmers, fishermen, miners and foresters, their workers and their families in difficult times.

 

Thanksgiving

Heavenly Father, we give thanks for answered prayer, for the patience to await Your answer, to accept what You give us according to Your good plan for us. Grant us renewed hope, receive our thanksgiving for improvement, for more mental and/or physical comfort, for those who have received recovery and healing. Gracious Lord, we thank You for improved circumstances, deliverance from impossible situations, encouragement for those faced with longterm challenge and uncertainty.

We offer thanks for all who care for others; grant them courage, patience and health. We lift to You all who tend the suffering and provide for their needs in hospitals, at home and in homes and institutions. We thank You that many have had their treatments, appointments, procedures and operations rescheduled and thus suffer less anxiety and will receive prompt treatment and support. We are grateful for those who offer their talents, time, prayers, blessings and financial support to help others.

 

prayer

Healing

Divine Physician, heal and save us. Pierce our afflictions. In particular, we pray for many who have had their treatments, appointments, procedures and operations postponed and suffer from the anxiety of waiting. We lift to You those trapped in pain, loneliness, dependency and hopelessness. Grant the spirit of hope and peace in the hearts of families, counsellors, social workers, nurses and carers of those who suffer. O Lord, the pandemic continues to spread, have pity on the world.

 

Lord, thank you for guiding us

Almighty God, we thank You for the help You have given us so that we can stand before You, rejoicing in the certainty of faith. We thank You for guiding and leading our lives and for letting us see a goal ahead. Be with us in times of silence and hardship when we seem to be alone. Keep us strong and steadfast through all the turmoil of life. Help us to remain unshaken, united in faith, for You walk with us holding us by the hand.

Merciful Father, grant us to be more gracious, more merciful, more loving and more forgiving as we follow the example of Your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Grant us the presence of the Holy Spirit to share Your peace with all around us and to trust in You alone, author and perfecter of our faith.

Lord, our God, we lift to You our supplications with thanksgiving for blessings and opportunities of joy and fellowship. O Lord Jesus, we pray for harmony and unity in Your church, for peace amongst Christians in this period of Lent. May our churches remain sanctuaries of peace, love and comfort in safety as we enjoy public worship.

 

Prayers for the world

prayers for the worldO Counsellor God, grant the leaders of the world wisdom and understanding, humility and honesty, courage and justice better to serve their peoples. Heal our nations and bring about reconciliation in communities and within families.  We join in prayer for the nations of the world; standing together against the pandemic, uniting in prayer for all who care for others, who assist others, who work for others and who offer hope for a better future. We pray in particular for poor countries across the globe.

Lighten the burdens and suffering of those under dictators and those exposed to corruption and violence. We ask for Your gracious intervention in our inner cities and underprivileged areas where gang warfare, illicit trading, cohesion and crime are rife to the detriment of families and communities. Bless all who offer alternatives.

 

Prayers for medical research, hospitals

Lord of mercy, we thank You that medical research continues to seek better vaccines and improved treatments for Covid and it variants. We pray for protection, strength and blessings for all in the medical field, all hospital and emergency personnel and their families. We bring to You the vulnerable, the elderly, the handicapped, the mentally ill, the isolated and the afraid; may they be surrounded by compassion and patience. We pray especially for those who have ill and suffering loved ones or elderly parents faraway and who cannot bring them the comfort of their presence, love and care. Grant them peace and patience in their distress.

 

Prayers for poor, the suffering

Lord of compassion, we lift to You the poor, the excluded, the destitute and the victims of other epidemics, like Ebola as well as the serious worldwide economic disaster. Grant patience to adhere to restrictions and to continue to protect ourselves and others. We pray especially for children and young people and their families.

O Lord of mercy, grant justice and opportunity to all victims of crime and exploitation, may we combat and conquer prejudice and inequality. We pray for those in the grip of war, terror and famine. We thank You for those seeking to bring relief and offer hope, like the charities supported by Chap-Aid. Bless the peacemakers. Grant peace to our embattled world, we pray.

 

Rest in Peace

Gracious God, as we remember before You the millions who have died the world over due to the pandemic, surround us and all who mourn with Your everlasting compassion. Be gentle with us in our grief; protect us and all the bereaved from despair and give all of us the grace to persevere and to face the future with hope and trust in Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord. Grant those in sorrow Your Peace and Solace. Amen.

 

power of prayer

Pastoral Care available to those in need

Pastoral Care is an important aspect of our mission. We have a vibrant Prayer Chain which features the names of those who have asked for our prayers. (contact Nellie Salvi on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). We also publish a monthly Prayer Diary featuring prayer for the different sectors and events taking place around the Chaplaincy. Depending on the situation, we may be able to provide some types of support as part of our Christian healing ministry. Please contact the Chaplaincy Administrator if you would like to know more about support which might be available (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

 

A prayer for meetings

Dear Father, We thank you for everyone gathered here now. Thank you that you know each of us by name and have caused us to walk with You. We say that we are dependant on You and our trust is in You completely. As we surrender ourselves in adoration we ask that You would come by Your Holy Spirit and inspire our hearts today. Come fill our lives with Your love, fill our conversations with Your grace and truth, fill this meeting with Your presence. We ask this for Your glory and praise. Amen.