Prayer notes from Friday 18th September

 

 

Consider Psalm 118:1-14 This is a long and complex psalm applied in the New Testament to Jesus (note especially verses 22-23).  After a corporate display of praise (vv. 1-4), a single speaker takes centre stage who first testifies to a great deliverance he has had thanks to the LORD (vv. 5-14).

Note the climax in verse 14 to this section - the declaration that the LORD is

• His strength – his upholder when his own resources had failed.

• His song – the one entitled to his praise because of his enduring love.

• His salvation – the one who rescued him from all his enemies. 

 

 

• This week further recordings will take place on Wednesday for Zoom-evening services.  Remember Jim C. who spends a lot of time ensuring that the material he films is suitable for public presentation. Remember too Angus and Graham as they have to lead services where there is no congregation present.

 

• Jim has also prepared material for Gillian and Marie to use with Pennyburn Primary School. This will be an ongoing activity – so pray for suitable and varied material.

 

• Give thanks that arrangements worked well as the Kilwinning congregation resumed public worship in The Playz last Sunday. Continue to pray for Fab M. as he leads the services.

 

• Gillian is hoping to iron out a few technical issues so that she can offer CAP’s Kick Start programme to adults in Kilwinning.

 

• Pray that as funds are made available for countries recovering from Covid-19 outbreaks, these may be distributed effectively towards the most needy, and that scammers may not be able to take advantage of the situation (as it is feared they are already doing).

 

• Remember the attempts to fill the vacancy of Chief Executive Officer for the Free Church. Uphold Rod M. who is doing this work on an interim basis.

 

• The Barnabas Fund asks us to remember Christians in west and central Africa where they are being subject to increased violence and persecution. Recently numbers have been killed in places as diverse as Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sometimes these problems are aggravated by Covid-19 and by price increases.

 

North Uist Free Church      Minister: Calum M Smith

 

‘Covering the Islands of Berneray to the North, North Uist and then Grimsay to the South the population of the 3 is around 1500. The Church has met in Carinish, in a former Inn that was renovated for Church use in 2008. Since lockdown we have not met in the church but have continued to use online means to put out a weekly service.

Prayer Points:

1. As with many others we need prayer for the best way and time to reopen our church premises. Our numbers will be restricted due to social distancing and we are looking at installing the necessary equipment to do a live stream. Pray that things would go smoothly with this.

2. As the school have recently returned, pray for the young people of our islands that they will be safe and enjoy getting back to seeing their friends. Pray for connections between the church and the schools that we will be able to continue to provide assemblies for them using online means. Also pray for our Sunday School children and teachers as we meet online each week and look at ways to meet during services if they resume.’

 

 

Lochgilphead Minister: Vacant        Interim Moderator: Rodger Crooks

 

‘Lochgilphead is a small congregation in mid-Argyll that is keen to be a witness to Jesus in its community. But she has been without a minister for several years.

Prayer Points:

1. Pray for the congregation as she takes her first tenuous steps to restarting services after lockdown.

2. Pray for the congregation as she works with the Presbytery of Glasgow and Argyll to ascertain the direction of future gospel witness in mid-Argyll.’

 

 

Please note: The annual congregational meeting will be held by Zoom on Thursday 1st October 2020 at 2 pm instead of the prayer-meeting to receive the reports from the Treasurer and others and to consider the congregational accounts for Ayr for the year 2019.