Prayer pointers was last updated in time for Sunday 20th July.
This page offers prayer suggestions for personal use and for intercessions relating to the Benefice in our Sunday services. Don't feel obliged to use all of it!
Please pass on prayer requests to Stephen, via email. Please do not request prayers for the health or wellbeing of named individuals in this public space.
Giving thanks for the last week
We give thanks for the further Year 6 leavers' activities in which we have been involved this last week. We give thanks for PCCs in Bolton, Bampton, Clifton, Askham and Crosby Ravensworth this last week - all of which were active, missional and a delight to visit. Stephen prays with thanks for all those who give their time to direct, manage, encourage and support our congregations in this way.
The week to come
We pray for Shap PCC as it meets next week. School term has ended, and with it the round of collective worship, JAM, lunch and after-school clubs, governing body meetings, trips and youth groups that we offer. Pray for rest for large team involved in these ministries, particularly for Ruth, and for the opportunity to plan new things for next term. Ruth is planning a couple of holiday activities for the holiday so please pray for success.
Wednesday 10am
Pray for the congregation of our Benefice service of Holy Communion, which takes place every Wednesday, 10am, in Morland. They pray for you also. Give thanks for this faithful, lively and welcoming congregation, whicfh gives such support to our ministries. Consider prayerfully whether you might be able to join us from time to time.
Good Neighbours
Give thanks for the appointment of a coordinator for the Good Neighbours project. Pray for the success of this project as those involved in coordinating it meet for the first time this week.
Growing Younger
Give thanks for the gathering of youth work volunteers at the Vicarage on 17th July. Help us to draw together as a team, that our work individually and collectively may become more and more fruitful.
Pray for the holiday meetings of our youth groups that our young people have requested, that this new venture might be a success.
Give thanks for the 10 families who have currently booked baptisms with us for this year. As Ruth develops new systems for the administration of baptisms, we pray for all the visits she will make to baptism families, that they may be fruitful, and the start of a journey of exploration in faith, however tentative. Ask God to bless the worship during which families will be welcomed into the church. Pray that we will find new and innovative ways to use this ministry to grow faith in those who come to us for this special ministry.
Online presence
We give thanks for the use we are able to make of online communications and social media. Help us Lord to prosper this work and reach out beyond our congregations. In this most hazardous of human activities, keep us on a straight and narrow path. May our corner of the internet always be one that glorifies you.
Diocesan Development Plans
Pray for the working group emerging within Deanery Synod to direct the expenditure of our Rural Pilot grant.
About prayer pointers ThePrayer pointers page was a suggestion made at one of our Saturday morning training sessions on 15th February 2025. Talking about leading interecessions, we identified the importance of praying, as a benefice, for all the different needs and activities of our communities, churches, PCCs and congregations. In order to do this effectively, we need to know what each other are doing.