Starting with Ascension on the 29th May and finishing with Pentecost on Sunday 8th June, our Ministry Area joined with Christians across the world in a week of prayer and discipleship.
The main focus of this global ecumenical prayer movement is the uniting of us all through prayer whilst also praying for those who have not yet answered God’s call, that they may come to know Jesus. We were therefore encouraged to draw closer to God through private prayer throughout the week. This was done both in some of our beautiful seventeen churches that are open during the day as a place of quiet and calm, but also at home. The Diocese provided us with helpful prayer books containing reflections on the Lord’s Prayer as well as room for us to remember the 5 people we had chosen to pray for that week.
This was effectively seen in the Grosmont Pastoral District where all churches had a prayer station for the week. People were invited to place a stone in the water as a symbol of praying for people to be bathed in God’s love. These were appreciated by both the congregation and visitors. Many thanks to Revd. Mary Moore for her enthusiasm in this week of prayer.
More information on Thy Kingdom Come Prayer Movement can be found on their website:
Ascension Kite Festival
The week started with Ascension which saw the return of our Kite Festival, this year at St Bridget’s, Llansantffraed. Our School’s Engagement Pioneer Emily Bailey held a kite workshop with the children at Llantilio Pertholey Primary the Tuesday prior.
The colourful kites were then proudly flown in the early evening sunshine of Ascension! The kites were to remind us of Jesus rising into Heaven, looking to the sky just as the disciples would have when Christ ascended.
The evening ended with a wonderful Ascension Eucharist at St David’s, Llanddewi Rhydderch. Revd. David Williams spoke of the power of prayer in our relationship with Christ as well as possible ways we could remember to pray for our 5 chosen people – from post it notes on bathroom mirrors to tying knots in shoelaces!
We were lucky to be joined by Philip Norman’s Pop-Up Choir who led us in with Heilig, Heilig, Heilig by Schubert as well as a beautiful Eucharist Anthem For the Beauty of the Earth – MacLagan. Many thanks to the choir members from across all our churches for their time and dedication.
School Prayer Stations
During the week, prayer stations were assembled for two of our districts primary schools. The reception class of Llanvihangel Crucorney Primary visited Father David at St Michael’s Church on Monday 2nd June. On the Thursday 5th, it was the turn of Llantilio Pertholey Primary School, with Emily Bailey there to lead them. These prayer stations were the brainwave of Jess Graham, our Ministry Area Rector’s Warden.
The stations followed the themes of the Lord’s Prayer – the focus of this year’s Thy Kingdom Come Week. Children enjoyed labelling a world map with people of ‘Thy Kingdom’, water and biscuits for their ‘daily bread’, and writing on their very own shields to ‘guard us from temptation’. They were particularly struck with the trespass station. They wrote their messages of sorry on dissolvable paper and watched as they ‘disappeared’ in the water as we asked for God’s forgiveness to wipe away our mistakes.
It was wonderful to see the children approach the Lord’s Prayer in a way they could all understand. Many thanks to Emily and Jess for their hard work during this week.
Revd. David Roberts has reflected on these prayer stations, and their importance in drawing children to feel the presence of God in their own way:
Eucharistic Reflection – the Lord’s Prayer
On the Friday 6th June, St Teilo’s, Llantilio Pertholey held a special Eucharist and Reflection on the Lord’s Prayer. It was a powerful service of intercession, adoration and reflection.
We were reminded of the power of the Lord’s Prayer and how it can often be overlooked as a prayer of routine, of ‘going through the motions’. However, it is in fact a prayer that encapsulates the whole of our Christian faith, given to us by Christ himself. We were encouraged to reflect on the deeper meaning of every line of this very familiar prayer and how we can live them out in our everyday lives.
Pentecost
Pentecost Sunday saw the end of this very busy week of Thy Kingdom Come Prayer Novena. We celebrated the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, marking the beginning of the Church. All Ministry Area churches with a service were provided with a cake to celebrate the Church’s birthday!
