Daily Prayers Tuesday, 4 October 2022

David Hockney – Woldgate Woods, 24th, 25th & 26th October 2006

Good morning Cornerstone Friends.

Today we hold the Eco Church Initiative in our prayers.

There is nothing better than a walk in the woods, particularly at this time of year. A chance to slow down and really take in the beauty of God’s creation; we can make a connection with the God who made us and the world he made for us. It can also be also a time to contemplate how we can turn our gratitude for the earth into action to care for it.

As we pass the equinox and Summer slips into Autumn, we are conscious of the change in the seasons and in the world around us. We thank you for the glory of Autumn – its fruit, its colours, its welcome rain. We know that our climate is changing and recognise the fear and anxiety this can bring. We pray that we can be good stewards of those small parts of the world where we can make a difference – our homes, our gardens, our local communities.

We pray for those whose lives are dramatically impacted by extreme weather. Especially we pray for the welfare of the people of Florida and South Carolina as hurricane Ian devastates parts of their states, and for the people of Pakistan still suffering the consequences of terrible floods.

As Autumn rains refresh our rivers and lakes we pray for our freshwater ecosystems. Degraded by extraction and pollution we pray for a better future for the life and beauty they bring to our towns and to our countryside. We pray for their custodians – for the Environment Agency, for the Canal and River Trust and others entrusted with their welfare, that they take the right steps to preserve these precious resources.

We pray for the Eco Church project at Cornerstone. We pray that we may all find ways to contribute by making changes in our lives that will enable us to tread lightly on the Earth. We pray for those leading the project at Cornerstone, give them the energy, wisdom and insight to take us towards becoming a Church that has our stewardship of your world at its heart.

In particular we pray for the forthcoming Harvest weekend and the visit of the Coat of Hope to Milton Keynes. May the walk of witness help to spread the message of hope and renewal in continuing the work of COP26.

We ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Nerys & Peter Steeds
Eco Church Group