During the Coronavirus crisis we are adapting to continue to support, serve and encourage, in ways other than physically meeting together. One of these is our daily 3Ps – a way to take a bit of time at home to Pause, Ponder and Pray. We recommend 12noon, but whatever suits is fine. We will be posting the 3Ps in place of Midweek Musings each day.
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Hi Everyone,
Today is a rest day for me so my plan is to try and focus on all the things that bring joy. I've got a sewing project I want to complete and another one to cut out. I'm also planning to do a bit of piano practice (I'm not that great at it but I enjoy learning). No doubt there will be a bourd game or two along the way as well. Whatever you are doing today, make sure that you take some time out to do something that brings you joy. With love Jess Pause Take a moment now to recognise that you are in the presence of God. It might help to slow your breathing. Take a few deep breaths in and out. Let’s proclaim together: We are in the presence of God who knows our needs, hears our cries, feels our pain, and heals our wounds. We say together our family prayer: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen. Ponder Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. This comes after Paul’s explanation that we should all exercise our gifts with love.
Pray Father God, thank you that you are not only loving but you are the definition of love. Help me to live in a way that displays your love for the world. Amen Pray for those who feel unloved by others or by God. On our church list today we pray for: Helen Tyrese and TJ Yeboah, Doreen Mellish Let’s finish by praying this blessing: May the Lord bless us and watch over us, the Lord make his face shine upon us and be gracious to us, the Lord look kindly on us and give us peace Amen Hi Everyone,
I've been thinking this morning about choice. I was a bit frustrated yesterday because I felt that a choice was taken away from me. Reflecting on it this morning, I have realised that my reaction is just another part of my priviledge. Like the apostle Paul I have had times in life where I have had more tham enough and times when I could barely scrape enough together to feed myself (see Philippians 4:12). The difference for me is that I have always had choice. Even now, if it all went wrong and I lost everything, I have people who would take me in and take care of me until I was back on my feet again - this gives me choices. I am well educated and have a variety of skills which gives me choices. Whilst I have experienced some discrimination because of my gender, for the most part I am untouched by discrimination - this gives me choices. The ability to choose is a priviledge. For me, the choice I have lost is temporary and inconvienient but not disasterous or life limiting. Too many people live in a world where they are robbed of choice from birth and where they do not have the resources, opportunities or support to lift themselves out of their circumstances. That lack of choice leaves people in poverty, open to abuse and ultimately lowers life expectancy. This is why what we do in Positive Steps is so important, it's why voting is so important, it's why speaking up about injustice is so important and it's why using our choices wisely is important Today I am going to be channelling my small frustration at one of my choices being limited into praying for those whose choices are always limited. Why not add those people to your prayers today as we pause, ponder and pray. With love Jess Pause Take a moment now to recognise that you are in the presence of God. It might help to slow your breathing. Take a few deep breaths in and out. Let’s pray together: Give us the joy of your saving help and sustain us with your life-giving Spirit. We say together our family prayer: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen. Ponder Today’s reading is John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Jesus says this after he has predicted his death and has explained who he really is.
Pray Father God, I want to follow you in every part of my life. Help me to find true freedom in you. Amen Say a prayer today for those who are trapped in destructive cycles. On our church list today we pray for: Matthew Wilson Sharon Finn Let’s finish by praying this blessing: May the almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless us and keep us. Amen. Hi Everyone,
One of the unexpected side effects of lockdown is learning to be cheeky. It is interesting that during this time, almost everybody has had to learn to be flexible and innovative. Suddenly we are all problem solving where previously we had said that things were not possible or had restrictive rules around them. Today's cheekiness has been around trying to persuade one of my former college tutors, who now teaches in Kuala Lumpur, to consider allowing me to join his MA course remotely. I'm not sure he will say yes but in a world that sometimes feels quite restritive at the moment it has also become a world of possibility where asking for flexibility is acceptable. It might feel like many doors are closed but it is exciting to consider the doors that are being opened pariticularly for those who have formerly been excluded due to circumstances or disability. I long to return to some of the things we have lost but, as lockdown eases a little, I am keen to hang on to the things we have gained. May your day be filled with possibility today. With love Jess Pause Take a moment now to recognise that you are in the presence of God. It might help to slow your breathing. Take a few deep breaths in and out. Let’s pray together: Draw us into your love Christ Jesus and deliver us from fear. We say together our family prayer: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen. Ponder Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 9:24 -27 Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we, an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified. This is part of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. He is talking about becoming all things to all people in order to communicate the gospel.
Pray Father God, thank you that in Christ we have good news to proclaim. Help us to have enthusiasm for sharing the gospel. Amen Say a prayer today for all key workers. On our church list today we pray for: Jenny Evan, Nate, Abby and Erin Ferneyhough Lila, Luis Alex and Richard Tome Let’s finish by praying this blessing: May God give us his comfort and his peace, his light and his joy, now and forever. Amen Hi Everyone, I'm back! To be fair I didn't actually go anywhere but it was good to take a break and to get off the treadmill that it feels like I have been on since March. Having a rest meant time to reevaluate and to start today with renewed purpose. This morning, after dropping the kids off at school, I went for a walk around the parish. It was an opportunity to pray and to see who I bumped into (although I wasn't expecting to bump into too many people before 9am). What I discovered on my meander around the area was that there is a lot of beauty in Brunswick; far more than I had ever noticed from travelling around by car. Life lived at a fast pace means that we only ever notice the big and obvious things. Time taken to slow down the pace means that we can see much more. Brunswick, on face value, is part of the urban sprawl of the city and mainly made up of concrete. But take a moment to look a little closer and the beauty of God's creation is evident all around us. I've added some pictures from this morning's adventure to the bottom of this post. Whatever you are doing today, may you discover God in unexpected places. With love Jess Pause Take a moment now to recognise that you are in the presence of God. It might help to slow your breathing. Take a few deep breaths in and out. Let’s pray together: The Lord is with us. Let us praise his name together. We say together our family prayer: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen. Ponder Today’s reading is Ephesians 1:16-19 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. This is part of the letter that Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus while he was in Prison in Rome. This forms part of his prayer in his introduction.
Pray Father God, thank you for the gift of your church. Help me to love the church in the way that you love us. Amen Say a prayer today for the world wide church. On our church list today we pray for: Simon, Jess, Luke and Emma Davis Let’s finish by praying this prayer: In darkness and in light, In trouble and in joy, Help us, heavenly Father, to trust your love, to serve your purpose, and to praise your name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen |
Pause, Ponder,
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