“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”
Gracious God, on this first Thursday in Advent, as we reflect upon the hope of the birth of Jesus, we give thanks for the news of the vaccine, bringing a sense of real hope for the future, into our communities. We give thanks and pray for all those involved with this amazing breakthrough, for their continuing work, and for the huge and challenging process of setting up a vaccination programme. As we wait for this process to begin, we rejoice in this hope for things to come, but so too we pray for those known to us who will face their own very real challenges today; those dealing with the grief of loved ones, those undergoing treatments for health issues and those awaiting diagnosis. As we pin our hopes on a vaccine that will heal our nation, we lift before You all those in need of the touch of Your healing today, all those in need of Your love, Your compassion and the assurance of Your presence with them. In a moment of quiet we place those known personally to us, into Your hands.
Lord God, at this pivotal time for our nation, we ask for the outpouring of Your Holy Spirit upon our land, and we pray too for the needs of all nations seeking healing from the virus. In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”
Gracious God, as we continue to focus on the hope of the coming of Jesus into our world, we remember those today still fighting for justice and human rights, those who are not treated equally or fairly, simply because of the colour of their skin, their gender, their age or their social disposition. Lord God, when Jesus walked the earth, he showed us what it truly means to treat people with respect and build inclusive communities where are all are made welcome. So today we think of those campaigning for the civil rights of others, for those living with the effects of the freedoms denied them by society, for those striving to create a future filled with opportunities for their children. Lord, help us, wherever we are, to support those who work actively to build up communities where the voices of all are heard, and where all are afforded the hope that comes from being truly valued and loved by You, in order that they may experience life in all its fullness. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”
Gracious God, as we continue to focus on the hope of the coming of Jesus into our world, we remember that yesterday we brought before You those oppressed by the burden of increased financial worries as a result of the pandemic, those still fighting for justice and human rights regardless of race or social disposition, those grieving or in need of healing, and those unaware of Your Love for them. This morning we realise that for many in our communities, hope has dimmed with the potential loss of more jobs in the retail industry, on the back of those already struggling in the hospitality trade who may not be able to open their doors this Christmas. Lord God, we realise that loss of employment brings with it anxiety, insecurity and a lack of well-being. God of Hope, we lift all those affected before You this morning. We pray that those in positions of power and authority will do whatever they can to sustain the financial needs of others. Lord God, as we reflect upon the example of Jesus, who sought to help people in very practical ways, help us to unite to do whatever we can to support those in need; donating regularly to our Foodbanks, supplying charities with clothes we may have discarded that would bring warmth to another, giving what monetary aid we can afford to charities for the homeless, offering a take-out hot meal and drink to the person on the street, being mindful of our immediate neighbours who may be in need of a conversation over the garden wall. Lord, we pray that You will give us the energy, the courage and the conviction to reach out and bring Hope into the lives of others, this Advent, so that those in need will know that they are valued, and will feel touched by the power and the presence of Your love for them. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”
Gracious God, as we enter the first week of Advent, we focus upon the message of Hope, Hope as an assurance of Your presence with us. Lord God, over 2,000 years ago, Your Son was born into a world in need of Hope; a world in need of freedom from oppression, a world in need of justice and equality for all, a world in need of compassion, and a world in need of the knowledge of Your Love and Grace. Today, as Advent begins, we too live in a world in need of Your Hope. There are many oppressed by the burden of increased financial worries as a result of the pandemic, there are many still fighting for justice and human rights regardless of race or social disposition, there are many grieving or in need of healing, and there are many unaware of Your Love for them. And so, as we begin to journey through Advent, we pray that You will overwhelm our hearts with Your Hope, Your Love and Your Peace and may we be assured of Your presence with us. But so too, may we take the time to reflect, in the days ahead, upon how we can share Your Hope, Your Love and Your Peace in our world this Advent. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Gracious God, this Thursday morning we pray for all those who will travel through our hospitals todays; all medical professionals using their expertise and compassion to heal and diagnose others, for patients receiving treatment, for all those who will undergo surgery, for those who will visit as a day patient for ongoing treatment or diagnosis, for all the staff who will clean to ensure a clean, sterile environment, for those who will cook food or serve the hot drinks from the trolley, for the chaplains who will pray with those in need, for the engineers who will maintain heating and electrical systems, for the administrative staff who will check folks in and out, for those who maintain resources,  for all NHS staff. Lord God, our hospitals are a microcosm of a world where healing, compassion, kindness and teamwork are at the very epicentre of everything that occurs. We realise that we must never grow tired of giving thanks for our NHS and so, we hold them in prayer today and ask that Your presence may be felt in every corridor, ward, theatre, kitchen and meeting room. May Your love, support and strength seep into every activity and into the hearts of every one who will pass through our hospitals today. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.