Let’s Pray For Social Witness   

Give thanks to God for the older people and the encouragement and practical help that they can offer to their families, their Church and their community. Pray for older people within our residential and nursing homes, and for ministers, deaconesses and pastoral visitors who conduct weekly devotionals and visits. 

UK Parliament 

As the UK Parliament resumes its business following the Queen’s Speech, pray for MPs as they consider new legislative proposals. Pray that those who represent their constituencies would do so with integrity, compassion and selflessness.

General Council

Remember the ongoing work of the Trustees of the General Assembly as they carry out their important role in the life of our church. Remember especially the Chairman of the Trustees, Rev Dr Donald Watts and the Financial Secretary, Clive Knox in their detailed work on behalf of the Trustees.

Council for Training in Ministry  

Ministry students have an intensive module this week – Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills. Pray for the students, that this will bless them in every aspect of their lives, and be significant in equipping them to serve the Lord in ministry, where relating with others in a Christ-like way is so important.

3 Ways the Gospel Changes Every Man's Life Today

Jared C. Wilson asks - What is the significance of the gospel for Christian men, moment by moment?

READ MORE HERE

Ulster University

​Congratulations to the #3MT semi-finalists at Coleraine today - excellent job of presenting your research & its significance in 3 minutes! #UlsterPhDFest
Many of you helped Frederick with his research here he is presenting his findings.
Find out more here:
http://twitter.com/UlsterUniPhD/status/1524705529632808960

Let’s Pray For Tullamore (Co Offaly) Pray for the church family, especially for people who are new to Tullamore. Pray for the congregation as they seek opportunities to share the good news of the gospel with others. 

Westbourne (East Belfast) Pray for God’s blessing on Rev Mervyn Gibson, the elders and members of this urban mission congregation as they worship together and reach out to their local community. 

Blessed - Revelation
Join Nancy Guthries as she talks with pastor, professor, and author Iain Duguid about how we can understand Revelation in new ways when we read it as a letter, as a promise, and as apocalyptic prophecy. Listen to the Blessed Podcast with Nancy Guthrie today: https://cway.to/3KQAfwo

Let’s Pray For Csaba & Ilona Veres (global mission workers, Romania)Praise God for favour with local school administrations so the Easter holiday Bible clubs could be held throughout Salaj and Cluj counties. Pray for children and young people in the Diakonia’s afterschool programmes to know Jesus and continue in their walk with God.

Naomi Leremore (global mission worker, Kenya) Pray for Naomi as she continues in work in Christian education. Campaigning is taking place in Kenya ahead of elections this summer - ask that God’s good purposes will come from this time when aspiring politicians visit those living in neglected areas of the country.

​Christian Unions Ireland
The prayer points for this week.
6 – 12 May
Pray that new CU committees would gel and bond well together, with one another and with local CU Staff Workers. Pray that the Gospel–Driven Mission training sessions equip and deepen students’ convictions for mission on campus.
Pray especially for the new CU committee at Munster Technological University, Cork. The outgoing chairperson is graduating. Pray for a strong handover and for the younger leaders coming up to take on responsibility.

Open Doors - World Watch List
Open Doors has updated the World Watch List. The list of countries where it is most dangerous to be a Christian in 2022. 
The full list can be found here
https://www.opendoorsuk.org/persecution/world-watch-list/


This week the focus is on India the 10th most dangerous country in the world to be a Christian. Read about it here https://www.opendoorsuk.org/persecution/world-watch-list/india/

Let’s Pray For Church Planting  Give thanks for last Saturday’s conference entitled, ‘A time to plant’. Pray that God will continue to lead and guide individuals and congregations in PCI who have a heart to plant new churches and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in new places.

New Church Plants  The conference heard from leaders of three new church plants Balbriggan, near Donabate, and Central Church and Grace and Hope Community Church, both in Belfast. Give thanks and pray for those who lead and support these church plants and that many more people will come to faith in the Lord.

Free Audio Book
THE WISE WOMAN
FREE audiobook download for May
A favorite author of C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald delivers another lovely tale in the story The Wise Woman. It is a story of two girls, one is a princess and the other a daughter of a shepherd; both are spoiled and self-serving. Their lives are forever changed when they encounter the Wise Woman, who undertakes to teach them virtue with an astounding balance of grace and truth. Firm and loving, the Wise Woman is everything a good parent could hope to be, and a refreshing portrayal of the Heavenly Parent of us all.
DOWNLOAD HERE

Let’s Pray ModeratorGive thanks for the work of church planters – those who begin new churches with new people in new places. Pray that the conference on church planting will have helped expand the vision of PCI for this important work.

Answering God’s invitation to worship Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. Psalm 95:2 Thank God for those who lead us in musical accompaniment in worship today. Ask him to help us to respond to his invitation to praise him in music and song. 

Ukraine  

Continue to pray for peace. Pray for the protection of those living in Ukraine, for safe corridors for civilians to evacuate areas of fighting and for sufficient humanitarian aid to get through to those in need.

Moderator’s Appeal for Ukraine  Give thanks for all who have contributed to the Appeal - over £634,000 raised so far. Pray for our partners Hungarian Reformed Church Aid, Christian Aid and Tearfund who will use these funds for both those fleeing the country and to get aid into Ukraine.

Let’s Pray For ​Social Witness   

Give thanks for the work and witness of Thompson House in its work with male offenders. Pray for safety for David Farrow, Director and the staff team; for wisdom, patience, love and understanding in dealing with residents and often difficult situations. Give thanks that four residents are taking part in and enjoying a Bible study. Pray that God will open their hearts and give them a desire for Jesus as their Saviour and a willingness to change their path in life.

NI Assembly election  

As the election results become known today pray for those who have been elected to serve
in the NI Assembly, and especially those who will be entering Stormont for the first time, that their decision-making would be characterised by wisdom and compassion. Pray that those who have not been elected, or have lost their seats will quickly get over their disappointment and find new ways to serve their local community. 

General Council

Pray for the ongoing work of the Irish Council of Churches whose Executive Committee will be meeting during this incoming week. Remember especially the ICC’s President, Rev Andrew Forster, Bishop of Derry and Raphoe and give thanks for the work of Very Rev Dr Ivan Patterson who recently retired from that role.

Council for Training in Ministry  

The annual conference for ministers who are five years post-ordination takes place next Tuesday-Thursday in Assembly Buildings. Pray for the ministers who will gather – for encouragement, fellowship, and for the equipping and enabling of God, that they would be ever-more effective in what the Lord has called them to do.

Let’s Pray For Tom Dowling (Irish mission worker, Kilkenny)Pray for door-to-door visitation, that the Spirit of God will be at work in the lives of those Tom and others meet. Pray too for outreach Bible studies, taking place both in-person and online, and for the planning of a summer children’s club which will be held in a local community centre. 

PCI Church Planting Conference  This Saturday, 7 May, PCI is holding a conference entitled, ‘A time to plant’. Pray that it will be a time of learning and inspiration to those who attend. Pray that more new churches will be planted in Ireland in the coming years, and that each will grow and flourish, for God’s glory.  
 

In Praise of the Boring, Uncool Church

Old-fashioned, uncool churches and “long obedience” faith won’t go viral on TikTok or get profiled in GQ. But it’s the best recipe for a maturing, sustainable Christian life.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/uncool-church/

The Bible Book We Need Right Now
How Revelation Gives Wisdom and Hope in Difficult Days
READ MORE HERE

Political Scandal
Peter Lynas gives his thoughts on the latest scandal in the Conservative Party
Neil Parish watched porn, Matt Hancock had an affair - both on government property and while supposedly working. One has gone the other remains an MP. This piece explores our culture’s strange relationship with pornography.
READ MORE HERE

Beware Taking Verses Out Of Context
Jen Wilkin writes - 
Beware the Instagram Bible, my daughters—those filtered frames festooned with feathered verses, adorned in all manner of loops and tails, bedecked with blossoms, saturated with sunsets, culled and curated just for you.
Read more here - 
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/beware-instagram-bible/

Let’s Pray For Volker and JinHyeog Glissmann (global mission workers, Southern Africa)Praise God for the way he has led Volker and JinHyeog over the last few years in their service in Malawi and Southern Africa. Pray especially for the continuation of developing grassroots training in Malawi.

LatviaPray for our partners in Latvia, the Evangelical Reformed Church of Latvia and the Baltic Reformed Theological Seminary. Pray for their work and witness, including reaching out to help refugees from Ukraine.

E3 North Coast - Scripture Union

The Latest Prayer Letter From Andrew Neill READ HERE

Click on the video below to hear from Andrew about how you can pray for our local schools. ​

Let’s Pray For Eleanor Drysdale (deaconess in Wellington, Ballymena)  Pray for Eleanor as she continues to serve and for the congregation as they begin preparations for organisations resuming in September. Some will need both leaders and helpers. Pray for wisdom and guidance and that people will step up to serve God.

Belvoir (South Belfast)Pray for Belvoir congregation as they currently explore a potential partnership with Saintfield Road Presbyterian, with the hope of revitalised worship and witness in the Belvoir estate.

Christian Unions Ireland
The prayer points for this week.


29 April – 5 May
Small group communities have been a great blessing for many students in Queens University Belfast CU this year! Pray for the new leaders as they take over and organise opportunities for these communities to continue to support one another through the exam period.
Preparations for Dublin International Outreach in summer are underway. Pray that God would bring together a team that’s ready to welcome, love and share the good news with international students in dependence on his grace. Pray also that he would be preparing the hearts of those students who will come to the outreach events.  ​

Open Doors - World Watch List
Open Doors has updated the World Watch List. The list of countries where it is most dangerous to be a Christian in 2022. 
The full list can be found here
https://www.opendoorsuk.org/persecution/world-watch-list/


This week the focus is on Iran the 9th most dangerous country in the world to be a Christian. Read about it here https://www.opendoorsuk.org/persecution/world-watch-list/iran/

Let’s Pray For Moderator

Please pray for our farmers, who are facing unprecedented rises in their key inputs. Over the past year fertilizer has risen by some 300%, while fuel and feed have increased by c. 200%. The pig sector is suffering particularly at the moment, but all areas of the industry are being hit extremely hard.

Answering God’s invitation to worship 

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Psalm 95:1.
Ask God to help us respond to his invitation to find joy in him as we express our praise in song today. 

Edwin & Anne Kibathi (global mission workers in London) 

Pray for Edwin and Anne as they continue to serve the East African expatriate community in the UK and minister at the Presbyterian Church of East Africa congregation in East London. Pray too for the fellowship groups who meet in Reading and Luton.  

South Sudan 

Prayfor peace in South Sudan, where there has recently been a surge of violence, including rapes, gang rapes, beheadings, burning civilians alive, and attacks on humanitarian aid workers.  Pray too for the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan and its work to promote peace and its humanitarian aid work.
​