This is in response to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York’s call to pray for our country during November.
“Bearing in mind our primary vocation as the Church of Jesus Christ to pray and to serve we call upon the Church of England to make this month of lockdown a month of prayer. More than anything else, whatever the nation thinks, we know that we are in the faithful hands of the risen Christ who knows our weaknesses, tiredness and struggles and whose steadfast love endures for ever.
"Above all we recall people to some of the fundamental spiritual disciplines that shape our Christian life. How we do this is up to each congregation and clergy person. We will publish resources to support you before the first day of lockdown. During the first lockdown we cheered for the NHS every Thursday. During this second lockdown we invite you to fast in a way appropriate to you as well as pray for our nation every Thursday, for its leaders, its health and essential services and all those who suffer.”
In response to this, we will be saying Morning prayer at 8am and Evening Prayer at 8pm every Thursday in November. Please will you join us at some point during the month, if not every week? The Church of England has also suggested praying at 6pm every day during lockdown. The document above gives suggestions for this 6pm prayer time.
Fasting is obviously a spiritual discipline encouraged frequently in the Bible and one of it’s purposes is to help us to express our dependence upon God. Today we are aware of the health risks of going without food for a whole day, but we can commit to going without a meal, caffeine, social media or something else which forms an important part of our daily routine, to express the same desire to draw closer to God. I encourage you to consider how you might ‘fast’ on each Thursday during November too.
If you are unable to join via Zoom, you can still use the morning or evening prayer service from the Church of England website or use your own preferred means of praying.
Whether you choose to join with me via zoom, or follow your own routine, please do take this call to prayer seriously and continue to pray for mercy for our land and a break through in the course the virus is taking.