Please come and pray for the life of our parishes. The prayer breakfast will take place in the Canterbury Room at St Thomas’. Coffee and croissants from 8:15am, followed by prayer for the life of our churches. Finished by 9.30am. Please do join us.
Upcoming service dates The funeral of Michael Anderson will take place on Monday 14th July at 2:30pm. A service of thanksgiving for the life of Sebastian Hawkey will be on Tuesday 15th July at noon. A service of thanksgiving for the life of Briony Cooke will take place on Monday 21st July at 2pm. All of these services are at St Thomas’.
Bryan Almond is St Thomas’ Organist Emeritus as well as holding the post of Organist and Assistant Director of Music at St Mary’s Church, Primrose Hill, London. Enjoy an hour of music, hearing the many varied different colours of the organ as Bryan plays pieces by a variety of composers including Gibbons, Bach, Briggs and Willan on the organ at St Thomas’. The recital is free with a retiring collection towards the ongoing Music Outreach at St Thomas’ Church.
Piano Concert, “Take a Peaceful Moment”, at St Mary’s Very sadly Janet Pound is unable to play at this concert on Sunday July 20th at 4pm however we have been very fortunate in that virtuoso pianist Rachel Neiger from Oxford has volunteered to step up and play instead.
This will be a recital of peaceful piano pieces including works by Beethoven, Schumann, Elgar and Satie along with poetry about peace. Tickets are £10 full, £9 concessions on the door only and please bring cash not cards! Tea and cakes will be provided by the Friends of St Mary’s in the Morrell Room after the concert. Any enquiries please text to 0776 233 9853.
This week we are asked to pray for:
Prayers for the week Thank you to Simon for this week’s prayers. Father God, help us to still our hearts and centre ourselves on your saving grace. As the Psalmist says, we thank you that we are held in the palm of your hand, loved and protected individually by your saving Grace. As we come before you, against a backdrop of so much pain and suffering in the world, we are compelled to pray for those in mortal danger and distress. We remember and ask for your protection over the people in Gaza and Ukraine, as the conflicts appear to be intensifying, with ever more damage and casualties. May you give the stakeholders and leaders involved wisdom and patience that we may quickly see an end to the fighting, and a pathway towards peace and rebuilding after the devastation and loss of recent years. In this time of heightened anxiety and uncertainty on the international stage, we pray for the calmer voices of diplomacy to prevail; that we might see a return to peace and stability in the global economy as well as areas of conflict. Here at home, we lift before you our monarch - King Charles. We pray for his health and continued recovery from illness, as well as blessing for his family. Be close to the Ministers that lead his government, especially as they face difficult policy choices ahead. Inspire those in positions of influence and responsibility as decisions are made. In our Benefice, we ask that you would bless the leaders at our churches - Gavin our Bishop, Ben and the entire ministry team. May we both support them practically and, in our prayers, as they lead the devotional life of the Benefice and especially as they prepare for a change of rhythm over the summertime. We pray for our congregations, for health and wellbeing and for the depth of our spiritual journey together. Thank you for the joy of the summer months, and we remember parents and families together again for the long break. May it be a refreshment for us all, and we ask your blessing as we relax and recharge. Finally, Lord, thank you that you are with us in times of grief and distress. Please comfort their families and friends and any others who are ill or in suffering at this time. We commend ourselves, and all for whom we pray, to the mercy and protection of God our Lord and Father. Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.