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The list can also be used to ask for special prayers or urgent prayer which can be e-mailed out at any time. Please contact Carolyn if you wish to be on the circulation list, make a contribution, have special prayers or urgent prayers at stthomasprayer@live.com or telephone Carolyn (number in the church address book). More information about prayer at St Thomas' is available here. 14.1.12 Dear Praying Friends, Travelling to Sheffield last week I picked up a copy of a newspaper on the train and flicked through the pages reading articles focusing on the mad and the bad and the havock that they wreak. I was about to put it down not wishing to start my day off filled with such thoughts when an article loomed large. A picture of what looked like an enormous multi coloured jelly fish surrounded by stars caught my attention. It was taken by Nasa's Hubble space telescope, a 'supernova remnant' from a blast that would have been visible from Earth 400 years ago. The article explained that the stella explosion and its accompanying star field --- are 170,000 light years from us. The bubble-shaped shroud of gas is 23 light years across and growing at 11 million mph. These are numbers beyond my comprehension and yet this is one small example of events in our universe. What awesome power is behind such events? God of course. For me it was an apt reminder that Gods creative power is at work in ways unimaginable to us. Knowledge like this has taken years to build and is the collective work of generations of scientists who have made it their life task to discover Gods marvellous creation. Let us pray today for all those who work in the field of science that their work may used to the glory of God and the revelation of his creation. Lift to the Lord Karen Herrick as she puts final preparations together for leading a retreat weekend at Whirlow Grange. the retreat is about Praying with ColourPray for inspiration and calm throughout the week. Lift to the Lord Gail and Ben Widdowson and their new addition, Daniel James, who was born on 2/1/12, four weeks early and who weighed 5lbs 6oz at birth. Pray for support and strength over the coming weeks. Lift to the Lord all those who need the healing touch of our Lord. Pray for our new OMF mission partners Brian and Laureen Powell and their daughters Ruth and Anwen who introduced themselves this week. Pray for Gods continued belessing on their lives. Yours in Christ Carolyn 2.1.12 Dear Praying Friends, As a driver of over thirty years I like to think I know all about driving however from some of the conversations that go on in my car I sometimes think experience counts for nothing. After yet another ‘discussion’ about the rights and wrongs of my driving I decided to buy my youngest a copy of the Highway Code as the definitive guide to driving on our roads. We stopped off at Tesco’s where I duly bought a copy. On the way down the escalator I heard behind me the voice of a rather exasperated mother saying “—because I am a grown-up and you are only eight”. I didn’t hear the start of the conversation but I turned and smiled in recognition sharing with her the reason for my trip to the shops that day. We, strangers, sharing this moment, looked at the two young boys at the centre of our shared experience who were looking up at us with all the innocence and questioning that goes with being a child. Suddenly I saw in them how God sees each and every one of us, his children, as we make our way through life, challenging him and questioning him within our own limited understanding of the life he has created. He has given us his word in the scriptures to be our guide as we journey through life and yet how often do we think we know better? Our church was open on New Years Eve giving people the chance to reflect on the year past and look to the year ahead. I picked up a quotation from a poem by Minnie Louise Haskins and quoted by King George V1 in a Christmas Broadcast in 1939 which read: I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown”. And he replied “Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God that shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way. I would like to add to that that God gave us his Son Jesus Christ as our Saviour and the Light by which we walk through the darkness of this world. As we stand at the start of 2012 let us remember the words from Psalm 119 “‘Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). When we walk with the Light of the world, we will never again experience darkness. Prayer for Indaba Let us pray this week for all those taking a step into the unknown. Let us ask the Lord to guide and guard the team from the Derby Diocese as they journey to India to continue the three way international dialogue between Christians from Mumbai, New York and Derby and known as Indaba. Prayer for our Church Life Let us ask our Lord Jesus Christ for continued blessing on the life of our Church as we look to bring his Kingdom to Brampton. Let us open our hearts to the workings of the Holy Spirit that through us the centre may fulfil all that God plans it to be. Prayer for Healing As we enter 2012 there are many in our Church and beyond who need the healing touch of our Lord. Please lift to the Lord all those who are sick and ask for comfort for those in pain and strength for those who care for them. Pray for the new term Lift to the Lord all those returning to school this week and next. Pray for the teachers and staff who work tirelessly to teach those who are our future. Give them strength and enthusiasm. Pray for all those preparing for important exams and decisions about their future paths. Yours In Christ Carolyn
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