APRIL PRAYER CALENDAR 2021 Week 5

AYR ST COLUMBA PARISH CHURCH

Thursday 29 April

As the situation in India – and now also Bangladesh – deteriorates even further and is causing so much distress, please continue to pray for the people there affected by Covid-19, for their relatives and for the doctors and other medical staff struggling to deal with it at various levels. Pray that vaccines, ventilators and other supplies will be shared by the countries able to offer them.

Friday 30 April

Today sees the first of the walks organised by our Worship, Mission and Outreach committee, convened by our elder, Helen Greig. It leaves from the car park at Prestwick sea front’s soft play area at 10.30 a.m. Pray that this initiative, designed to help those who have been struggling for want of contacts with others during the lockdown, will be well supported and be of help to all who participate, renewing energy and wellbeing from being out in the open air and stimulating new and old friendships. Pray that the weather will be fair. (For further details see p6 in the latest issue of Columba News).

Saturday 1 May

Now is the month of maying…!” As the fifth month of this year begins give thanks for the further relaxation of the regulations in this past week and that people can begin to meet up more with others, patronise the shops again and generally be out and about more in the “new normal” Pray that while they do this, everyone will exercise caution and common sense in the interests of all.

Sunday 2 May

A special cause for thanksgiving today is that our churches can now be open to more people who wish to come to in- person services, supporting our worship leaders and musicians and enjoying being in one another’s company, even although singing together is still not permitted. Please pray for our Moderator, Martin Fair, who has been able to carry out one of his Presbytery visits in Perth, although mostly online, this week. Please continue to pray for the important work of our Sunday Kids team with our own children and young people.

Monday 3 May

This is a Bank Holiday in England and so more tourists may be around over this week-end. Again pray that they will be sensible and cautious about our different restrictions and give thanks that for those in our tourist, hospitality and leisure industries business can properly start again, helping them on the long road to recovering their livelihoods.

Tuesday 4 May

Our Presbytery of Ayr meets again this evening by Zoom. Pray for all who will participate, including our own elder, George Park, and the current Moderator, David Prentice-Hyers of Troon Old. Pray for those in the Presbytery charged with working on the new arrangements which will have to be put in place when the six SW Scotland Presbyteries unite, probably in September 2022. Such changes will inevitably impact on most of the congregations in Scotland where already the number of vacancies vastly outnumbers the supply of ministers and where there are too many costly buildings, some of which will have to be declared redundant and sold. In the secular age through which we are moving, this is no longer sustainable or realistic.

Pray for sensible and wise decision making in difficult situations and for all church members to be understanding and supportive of these decisions even if they are disappointed by some of them. Pray that we will all work together for the greater long term good, with kindness and sympathy, remembering that the main function of the church is to preach the gospel, drawing people closer to Jesus Christ and training and building up people in the faith and that, in this enterprise, buildings are only a means to an end. Pray that all will remember what really matters.

Wednesday 5 May

As another General Election in Scotland draws near, pray that in the exercise of their hard won vote, people will choose those with integrity, honesty and clear sighted ability, rather than self-interest, to serve as MSPs in the next Scottish Parliament. Give thanks for public spirited people who are willing to undertake the responsibility of government and present themselves as candidates for this awesome, important calling and pray that they and we may all be guided aright in our choices.