POINTERS for PRAYER and THANKSGIVING
November 2019
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DAILY PRAYER POINTERS
November 2019
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DAILY PRAYER POINTERS
1 Give thanks for the work of Bible Society, the Gideons and others and for the benefit to prisoners from receiving their own copy of the Scriptures
2 Pray for the victims of crime and for victim awareness courses such as Sycamore Tree being run in some prisons to help prisoners address their offending behaviour. 3 SUNDAY Pray that prisoners who wish to join in worship today may not be hindered by lack of staff or any other cause. 4 Pray for the Twinkle of Hope project supporting young children who are in prison with their prisoner mothers in Ethiopia. 5 Pray for the Refuge child sponsorship project in Ethiopia supporting children in the community who have a parent in prison. 6 Pray that construction work on the new dormitory being built for the women and children in Sheno prison will be able to progress smoothly. 7 Pray for Ethiopian Prison Chaplain Co-ordinators ministering in prisons throughout the country as they share the gospel, provide Bible study opportunities, lead worship, involve local churches and also act as eyes and ears in identifying and helping to prioritise needs. 8 Pray for women in mother and baby units in UK prisons facing separation from their child when it is not deemed to need its mum 9 Pray for prisoners and their families many of whom are struggling to stay together in difficult and trying circumstances. 10 SUNDAY Remembrance Sunday. Today is a time when we remember all those who have given their lives in the cause of freedom. Pray that their sacrifice may not have been in vain and that those currently in positions of leadership may make every effort to find peaceful, non life threatening ways of conflict resolution. 11 Pray for prisoners released on licence that as their lives are monitored by Probation Officers etc that they will be helped to learn responsible decision making. This can be hard when moving from an institutional environment where all decisions are taken by others. 12 Pray for prisoners being released after serving long sentences that they will be able to cope with all the changes that have taken place in society while they have been in custody. 13 Pray for prisoners about to be released who have nowhere to live, no money, no job prospects and who feel they have no hope. 14 Pray for Community Chaplains, Resettlement co-ordinators and mentoring schemes aiming to help ex-offenders live more ordered lives. These have a vital role in reducing re-offending. 15 Pray and give thanks for churches ready to welcome ex-offenders on release from prison with all their different needs and associated risks. |
16 Pray and give thanks for those committed to supporting former prisoners who have come to know the Lord. It can sometimes be a struggle to gain the necessary permissions for new, safe, drug free accommodation etc.
17 SUNDAY Pray for those who have come to faith during their time in prison and who are looking forward to being part of a “real church” on release. 18 Pray for chaplains as they share news with and provide pastoral care for prisoners who have been bereaved. 19 Give thanks for those prisons where chaplains are running bereavement courses. Pray that these may be helpful to those who are trying to cope with loss. 20 Pray for children affected by the imprisonment of a parent especially when this means long term separation due to a long sentence. Visiting is great but at the end of the visit it can be very difficult for a child to understand why dad or mum can't come home with them. 21 . Pray for the JFA-PFE staff in the office in Addis Ababa that as we explore some of the finer details of the work and needs - both practical and spiritual - which we have been privileged to share with them for over 20, years we may be assured of acting in the will of the Lord.. 22 Pray for those prisons where there are vacancies in the chaplaincy team, especially that the ministry of those in post may not be adversely affected by the additional work load. 23 Pray for the families of prisoners who have to travel long distances to visit them. Some have to give up a day’s work in order to make the visit and this can be very hard to organise. 24 SUNDAY Prisoners may attend chapel services for a variety of reasons - not always associated with worship. Pray they may hear and respond to the good news that Jesus has made it possible for them to be forgiven and know a new freedom – even while in prison. 25 Pray for the families of prisoners who have died in custody – whether by suicide, through violence, illness, accident or old age. 26 Pray for Governing Governors of prisons as they struggle with the effects of budget cuts while still trying to keep their establishments safe and also deliver programmes that could help to reduce offending behaviour. 27 Pray for former police, judges, prison officers etc. who are now serving prison sentences and can be very vulnerable. 28 Pray for young offenders that they will learn another way while they are still young. 29 Pray for wisdom for our Trustees as they meet today that they will know the will of the Lord. In these changing times with all kinds of regulations to comply with there are many things on the agenda that require decisions. Some of these risk becoming distractions from the main focus of the work. 30 Pray for the large number of prisoners in Britain's often overcrowded prisons who have serious mental health problems that their needs may be both better understood and then effectively addressed |
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TRUSTEES' REVIEW & PLANNING MEETING
The next meeting of the Trustees is scheduled for Friday 29th November. Please pray for the Trustees as they spend time reviewing the work and prayerfully looking forward to the coming year.
As well as what might be described as routine business relating to all the on-going work like day to day admin, opportunities to share good news in places where bad news may be the norm here in the UK there is all that is happening in Ethiopia including support for the nationwide chaplaincy team, Twinkle of Hope and Refuge child care etc.
In addition to reviewing all of that there are the construction projects in Bahir Dar (Chapel), Sheno (Dormitory for women prisoners) and Addis Alem (Sewage treatment) where progress with the construction needs to be monitored. Funding is transferred in instalments. This is also the time when we begin to consider possible future projects prior to more detailed planning in the New Year. Possible projects could include such things as basic health care provision in a remote prison, extending the Twinkle of Hope child care to more prisons and more!
All, of course, depend on funding being available and this might just be an opportunity to remind you all that every penny donated for the work in Ethiopia goes to Ethiopia without deduction for admin or anything else in the UK. All transfers are allocated for specific purpose and this is carefully monitored.
Please get in touch if you would like more information.
Thank you for praying.
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TRUSTEES' REVIEW & PLANNING MEETING
The next meeting of the Trustees is scheduled for Friday 29th November. Please pray for the Trustees as they spend time reviewing the work and prayerfully looking forward to the coming year.
As well as what might be described as routine business relating to all the on-going work like day to day admin, opportunities to share good news in places where bad news may be the norm here in the UK there is all that is happening in Ethiopia including support for the nationwide chaplaincy team, Twinkle of Hope and Refuge child care etc.
In addition to reviewing all of that there are the construction projects in Bahir Dar (Chapel), Sheno (Dormitory for women prisoners) and Addis Alem (Sewage treatment) where progress with the construction needs to be monitored. Funding is transferred in instalments. This is also the time when we begin to consider possible future projects prior to more detailed planning in the New Year. Possible projects could include such things as basic health care provision in a remote prison, extending the Twinkle of Hope child care to more prisons and more!
All, of course, depend on funding being available and this might just be an opportunity to remind you all that every penny donated for the work in Ethiopia goes to Ethiopia without deduction for admin or anything else in the UK. All transfers are allocated for specific purpose and this is carefully monitored.
Please get in touch if you would like more information.
Thank you for praying.
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