Daily Prayers Friday, 14 October 2022

A Celebration of Community

Today, we’ll take some time to pray for our community, in our congregation and more widely in our beautiful city. We begin with some words from Colossians 3:

Here there is no Gentile or Jew, barbarian or Scythian, slave or free but Christ is all and is in all… Clothe yourselves in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience…. Whatever you do, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts – always be thankful!

Last Sunday was a great celebration of community: from Maureen’s wonderful poetry, through Richard Reddie’s message to the bring and share lunch when people talked and talked – it really was a good day to mark Black History month. People with little knowledge of each other learned much, people sat with new friends and talked about life and how it’s going now.

Dear lord, we give thanks for the rich diversity of your people called to be church in this City Centre. Thank you for the donation of distant cultures and histories to our Cornerstone common good. Keep us as one people so that we may strengthen these bonds of faith and commitment to your cause in this place. Lord, make us one as you are one with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
AMEN

Last Saturday evening there was a most exciting show of lights and noise and marching drums from Cornerstone to Station Square organised by MK Islamic Arts & Culture Centre &MK Council to celebrate city status. A demonstration of creativity and joy that EVERYONE could take part in. It was easy to walk with the families led by the drummers, along Midsummer Boulevard. The early autumn darkness became a tool for beauty.

Milton Keynes was always a place for in-migrants – a place to make a fresh start, to build a new community. The great depth of diversity and cultures celebrated here are testament to the founders’ ethos that this should be a place of opportunity for all – a place where talent and an urge to share it are the basis of building our life together.

Dear Lord, we thank you that our new-ish city is growing into a place of wonderful community. As we celebrate the many contributors to our cultural life may we always strive to lift into the light our neighbours in need. May we be a place of compassion and kindness, kept together in the beauty of our city of trees.
AMEN.

As people of kindness and love, we take into our prayers the pains of the wider world:

We pray for the people of Ukraine and Russia that their leaders may seek a way out of aggression and death. We pray for people caught up in the wake of floods in Africa and Pakistan. We pray for the family of Leah Croucher that they may find comfort and peace within community.
AMEN

Friends, go out into the world, about your daily business, with thanks for the lord who keeps our community in his holy hands and will keep us all safe in his love until we meet again together in his name.

AMEN

Cheryl Montgomery