As part of our celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Church building, we committed to 300 Days of Prayer, saying special prayers every day from 22 February 2023 (Ash Wednesday) to 18 December 2023. We are hope that you were able to join us in prayer from your home at any time during the day. In addition to our weekly Sunday service, prayers were led in church each Tuesday at 3:15pm and Thursday at 8:45am. If you have something or someone for whom you would like prayers to be offered, we are always happy to include this in our prayers. Please let us know by speaking to us or using the Contact Form.

 

The third 100 days

We focused on the future.

Monday Loving God, we pray for all those new born, or newly arrived in this village that they may thrive and grow here and come to regard this place as home. We pray, too, for the advancement of the Keepers in Kingswood, for those who volunteer, and for those who benefit now and in the future from all that it has to offer. We thank you for George Stephens whose life of love and service was the initial inspiration for this project and we thank you for his family who have carried this vision forward. Amen

Tuesday Heavenly Father, as we give thanks for all the community facilities and activities which we have to enjoy, we ask that we may never take them for granted or fail to acknowledge those who give their time and talents to keep them going. Help us to be appreciative of the services and opportunities we have in Kingswood and to support them in whatever way we can so that they will continue to be available for years to come. Amen

Wednesday Father of all, we ask your blessing on all those children who have this term begun a new stage in their education journey. Be with those who are starting school and with their parents as they adjust to the changes this will bring. Draw close to those who are transferring from the Primary to the Secondary phase, especially those who will find challenge in adjusting to their new surroundings and to the expectations of those around them. We pray for those in Government who will influence future policy decisions and we ask that all those in authority and power may be committed to providing the best experience for the adults of the future. Amen

Thursday God of Compassion, we lift before you all those who are fearful for their future. We remember those who are in poor mental or physical health, awaiting medical intervention, or approaching the end of their days on earth. We pray for those who are uncertain about their ability to keep warm as winter approaches, those whose financial position causes them anxiety and for those who are striving to move closer to family or friends. Give us hearts to support them and strength to share the assurance of your abiding love, now and in all the days to come. Amen

Friday Creator God, we pray for the future of the Earth in the face of the damage we have caused it by our thoughtlessness and greed. Help us all to accept our responsibilities and to embrace more sustainable ways of living our daily lives. May we do all in our power to preserve the beauty of this planet for our children and all who will come after us. Amen

Saturday God of Peace, we pray that there will soon be an end to the war in the Ukraine and that the peacemakers will triumph in all places of conflict and aggression. Fill our hearts with a passion for peace and justice that befits us as servants of the Prince of Peace. Amen

Sunday Eternal God, as St Mary’s continues to celebrate this special year, we pray for its future as a place where your people may gather to learn more about you and to grow in your service. We pray for David Russell and for Susanne as they enjoy a new phase in their lives and we ask that you will guide us here as we seek to find a new rector for this benefice. Strengthen and bless Rick, Tricia and our PCC in the demanding days ahead and be with us all, now and in the time to come, as we seek to follow you in all we do. Amen

 

The second 100 days

We focused on the present.

Monday Heavenly Father, we lift before you our friends and families, and all those who live and work in this village. We thank you for all they contribute to our lives. Be close to those who are troubled by ill health or other concerns and make us ready to offer a listening ear or practical support. Help us to radiate your love to all we meet each day. Amen

Tuesday Lord God, we thank you for all the facilities this village has to offer: for the village hall and playing fields, for the shop, the pub and the allotments. We pray for those who work in these places, and for those who give their time voluntarily to provide the activities, and to maintain the places, that we as a community can share. Amen

Wednesday Loving God, we ask your blessing on all the children who live in Kingswood or attend its school or playgroup. As they grow in stature, may they also grow in grace and come to know your love and power in their lives. Bless those who teach and care for them and grant them wisdom, patience and good humour in all their dealings. Amen

Thursday Creator God, in these Summer months, we thank you for the crops that are grown and harvested in the fields around this village. We pray for those who work the land, or help in any way, to provide the food for our tables. We lift before you all those involved in initiatives to support the hungry and those who eat alone here and in the wider community. Amen

Friday Eternal God, we pray for the world you created and for the planet on which we live. Help us to do all we can to reduce our negative impact and to commit ourselves to living in a more mindful and sustainable way. Amen

Saturday God of Peace, we pray for all the places of conflict, warfare and oppression around the world at this time. Speak to the hearts of men and women in power that they may learn the ways of justice and reconciliation, and seek out the paths of peace. Amen

Sunday Heavenly Father, as we continue to celebrate the 300 years in which St Mary’s has stood as a testament to the faith of our forebears, may we strive at all times to make your love known today. Bless the work of the Mission Weekend that its impact may be real and enduring, and a cause for rejoicing now and in the years to come. Amen

 

The first 100 days

We focused on the past.

Monday Eternal Father, we give you thanks for all those we have loved and whose lives have shaped our own. We lift before you those whose year’s mind falls at this time and ask that you will be with those who still remember them and mark their anniversaries. We ask these things in the name of your son whose life was our example and whose death our salvation. Amen

Tuesday Loving God, as we live our lives in this place, we remember with gratitude those who have helped to make this village such so special; those who built the chapel and the school rooms; those who worked to establish the village hall and playing fields and those too numerous to number who have helped create the community spirit that is a part of Kingswood life. Amen

Wednesday Heavenly Father, we give thanks for all those who have trained or taught at the Village school in years gone by and for the influence they have had on the children in their care. We thank you for lives well lived and the love of learning they inspired and we remember all who have been instrumental in establishing the principle of free education for all in our land. Amen

Thursday Lord God, we thank you for those who have tended and worked the land around Kingswood and helped to provide food for their own families and the families of others. We thank you for crops that grow, and animals that graze, on soil rich in history, and rejoice in you our Creator and Sustainer. Amen

Friday Father of all, we remember before you those families who have roots and ties to this place, wherever they may be living now. Like our own, those lives will have encompassed joys and heartbreak, times of hardship and moments of great rejoicing, and we thank you for your constant care for us and your unchanging love. Amen

Saturday God of Grace, we lift before you those who have gone from this village over the years to fight for their country, and the families they left behind. We remember those who willingly put themselves at risk for the good of others and pray that their service and sacrifice may not have been in vain. Amen

Sunday Father God, we praise you for the three centuries in which our church building has stood as a place of worship, of solace and of inspiration. We give thanks for all who have met here for fellowship over the years, for those who have served as ministers and for all who have tended to the upkeep of this place. As we celebrate its past, we pray for its future, and for the renewal of faith in this place. Amen