POINTERS FOR PRAYER and THANKSGIVING
January 2020
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January 2020
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Happy New Year!
or for our Ethiopian friends
መልካም አዲስ አመት
(Melkam Addis Amet)
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or for our Ethiopian friends
መልካም አዲስ አመት
(Melkam Addis Amet)
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1 Happy New Year! Pray for Christian chaplains on duty today that they may be able to assure prisoners, who may be feeling hopeless, of the real and living hope made possible by Jesus.
2 Pray for those who struggle with the very idea of a “happy” new year. This can even include people being released from prison which should be a happy event - especially if they have no money, no job prospects and nowhere to live. 3 Pray for front line prison staff that they may be alert to risks and be able to prevent serious incidents such as those which have been taking place in the UK during 2019. 4 Pray for those prisoners in overcrowded UK prisons locked in cells for up to 23 hours a day with no purposeful activity. This can fuel unrest and is most certainly not good preparation for release. 5 Sunday. Pray that prisoners who may be feeling hopeless will be able to attend a service, hear and receive the message of hope made possible by Jesus and, at the start of this year, begin a new hope filled life. Pray also that chaplains may be able to spend time with prisoners unable to join with others for corporate worship. 6. For the families of prisoners, so often suffering on account of their loved one's behaviour. 7. For the Ethiopian chaplain coordinators supported through this Trust. More sponsors needed. 8. For prisons where vacancies or reduced staffing levels can put pressure on chaplains that they would still be able to provide an effective holistic Christian ministry amongst both staff and prisoners. 9. For prisoners who hold extremist religious or racist views, that they would come to a more reasoned understanding and true faith born out of love. 10. For strengthening of links with others who care about prisoners and ex prisoners that together some of the complex needs may be able to be addressed and the cycle of re-offending broken. 11. For those who seek to help prisoners with housing issues and arrange for accommodation on release. 12. Sunday. For prisoners who are feeling down and low, that they would find life and light in the chapel of their prison this day. 13 Pray for Christians in prison on account of their faith and for all those in countries and situations where they do not have the freedom to gather for worship 14 Alpha in Prisons, Christianity Explored and other courses and initiatives to share the good news of Jesus with prisoners 15 Pray for team members as they share with church groups etc. something of the opportunities and challenges of prisons ministry 16 Pray for prisoners who are seeking something to bring meaning into their lives that they would be able to find it in Jesus |
17 Emmaus Bible School and others providing Bible Study opportunities for those in prisons in the UK and Ethiopia
18. For the children and families in Ethiopia who are supported by the REFUGE project. Thank God for their sponsors and the willingness of those outside the prisons who support these children. 19. Sunday. Praise the Lord and give thanks for all the volunteers who help to support chapel services by providing music, teaching and pastoral skills. 20 For Twinkle of Hope - a prison specific project supporting the care of children in prison with their mums. All the children in the Ethiopian prisons where this project is in place are covered by it. 21 For prisoner "listeners" in UK who help to support prisoners in distress and the Samaritans who train and support them. 22 Give thanks for all those former prisoners who having come to faith in the Lord Jesus are now serving the Lord in a variety of ways. 23 With many changes in the national chaplaincy leadership responsible for prisons in England and Wales, pray that the Christian chaplains working at the sharp end will be encouraged and fully supported in their work. 24 Pray for Governing Governors of prisons as they struggle with the effects of budget cuts while still trying to keep their establishments safe and deliver programmes that could help to reduce offending behaviour. 25 Pray that the now widely recognised effects of low staffing levels and overcrowding in UK prisons may be adequately addressed. 26 Sunday. Pray for Community Chaplains/Resettlement co-ordinators and mentoring schemes now being developed to help ex-offenders live more ordered lives. 27 Continue to pray for newly released prisoners who, although they are free, may have no money, nowhere to live and have difficulty finding work on account of their criminal record. 28 Give thanks for churches ready to welcome ex-offenders on release from prison with all the different needs and associated risks. 29 Pray for those prisons where there are vacancies for Christian chaplains that these posts will be filled and that the ministry of those in post may not be adversely affected by the additional work load. 30 Pray for prison health care departments attending to many different needs including problems caused by addiction and poor lifestyle choices. 31 For those who are in prison on remand awaiting trial especially for any who may be falsely accused. ______________________________________________________ THE LORD SETS PRISONERS FREE Psalm 146:7 |
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