The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have called us as a Church of England to make this month of November a month of prayer for our nation.
Some of us might want to do this because we have more time on our hands. Others might choose to pray because they know that bringing our worries to God helps lighten our load.
All of us will hopefully choose to pray because we are called to love the people amongst whom we live – not just our friends and family – and because we know that by doing so, we are actively making a difference. Yes, we are called to show love in practical ways wherever we can, but prayer is not a second best.
So let me encourage you to join me in accepting this call. The set prayers are available here (or as larger print here), and take just 2 or 3 minutes to pray. Of course, you can pray much longer, including specific people and situations in your prayers, but if you are not used to praying, I think that this is a great start.
The suggestion is that we pray at 6pm, and it is useful to know that thousands of others will be praying at the same time as you. But if 6pm doesn’t suit the pattern in your house, pick another time that does.
Assuring you of my prayers during these next 4 weeks and on into Christmas
Matt
PS – you can find more information about this initiative, along with lots of helpful resources to support you through this time, at the Church of England website here.