Morning Prayers Friday, 17 April 2020

Good morning, everyone. This is Adrian. George has asked me to share a few words with you this morning.

Let the peace of Christ dwell in your hearts. Always be thankful. Let the gospel of Christ dwell with you in all its richness. With psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, sing from the heart in gratitude to God.

(Colossians 3: 15–16)

This lockdown period has given me renewed appreciation of how fortunate we are in Milton Keynes to have so many beautiful green spaces right on our doorstep. Here in Two Mile Ash we have woods, fields, gentle streams, a lovely park and within five or six minutes’ walk, the beautiful Lodge Lake.

Every day at 12.30 I have been taking a pause from work to enjoy a brisk walk with Ralphi the dog. On Wednesday, as we entered the park, my breath was taken away. The birds in the trees were in full flow. It seemed to me there were hundreds of them! It has saddened me greatly that our choirs are unable to meet together at this time. I so miss the fellowship, the friendship and the wonderful music that we would joyfully share with you week by week. But now, here in the park was a heavenly chorus of birds singing together in glorious euphony. What a comfort! What a blessing! Small wonder that some of our greatest composers (Beethoven, Vaughan Williams, Messiaen) have been inspired by birdsong. It was clear to me that these birds were singing ‘from the heart, in gratitude to God’!

To conclude, two prayers of thanksgiving:

Father God, I thank you for the healing rain that washes the curving hills bright green. I thank you for the beams of sunlight that fall softly on a child’s face. I thank you for the butterflies and flowers, birds and fish, stars and trees, all of them beautiful things you created for us. I pray that all of your children see and wonder at these, and that the joy of these follows them through their lives forever. In your name we pray.

Amen

Loving Father and Creator of all, we come to you today deeply grateful for your creation. As we look around us we are amazed at the greatness and majesty of all that you have made. Nature around us speaks of your greatness – the vast expanse of the sky, the mountains, trees, lakes and streams speak of your great design. You have given us such beauty in the colours of the rainbow, the beauty of flowers and fields. Words cannot adequately express the magnificence of all you have created. We join in praise with the Psalmist when he says, ‘O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!’ May we show our love and reverence to you, our Lord, by caring for all that you have created. We humbly give you praise and thanks.

Amen

Adrian Boynton