EDINBURGH NORTHWEST KIRK
APRIL PRAYER DIARY
I lift up my eyes to the mountains
- where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
maker of heaven and earth.
(Psalm 121 : 1 - 2)
* * * * *
Prayers for each day
4 May our new Session Clerk, Ruth Minnican
5 May the ministry of the Visiting Team, the elderly and housebound
6 May peace in the Middle East
7 May Scottish Election day
8 May the church in Iran
9 May the British couple sentenced to 10 years in prison in Iran, Lindsay and Craig Foreman. They are connected to an ENK family.
10 May joint service at Cramond - induction of new Elders
11 May the new Elders of Edinburgh North West Kirk
12 May the many activities arranged in the parish to raise funds for Christian Aid Week
13 May Christian Aid Week focus : tackling urban poverty in Nairobi, Kenya, by supporting families in informal settlements.
14 May for the New Moderator : Rev. Gordon Kennedy, minister of Craiglockhart Parish Church
15 May start of the General Assembly. Pray for a spirit of unity.
16 May for overseas visitors to the Assembly
17 May our services at Cramond and Pennywell
18 May for young people attending the Assembly
19 May Julia and her family
20 May Emma McMillan in her studies
21 May Jessie Fubara-Manuel
22 May the ministry of aid agencies in Gaza
23 May those of our community dealing with long term illness
24 May our services at Cramond and Pennywell
25 May families recently bereaved
26 May CrossReach staff working in Edinburgh
27 May all those working at 121 George Street
28 May the church in Ukraine
29 May families trying to cope with cost of living crisis
30 May the ministry of Fresh Start
31 May our services at Cramond and Pennywell
Reflection
by Jennifer Vija Pietz, Assistant Professor of New Testament
Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Stephen’s story in the book of Acts powerfully exemplifies a bold, Spirit-empowered witness to the gospel that is expressed in word and deed. The account of his martyrdom in Acts 7 : 55 – 60 calls the church to acknowledge both the costly nature of serving the risen Christ and the reality of God’s presence amid suffering and injustice.
Fundamentally, Acts 7 : 55 – 60 proclaims the truth found throughout scripture that God remains present and faithful to God’s people, even amid sin, injustice, and suffering. Contrary to what the prosperity “gospel” would have us believe, illness, poverty, and other struggles are not signs that people lack faith or divine favour. In fact, Stephen was persecuted and killed precisely because he was faithfully living out God’s call. The Holy Spirit who empowered Stephen’s ministry remained with him through his death, when he was received by Jesus.
This does not mean that all Christians are called to literally die for their faith or should seek to suffer as a mark of discipleship. Rather, the text identifies the reality that proclaiming the gospel in word and deed often meets with opposition in a world whose values do not align with the self-giving love of Jesus. Christians living in contexts where they face ongoing threats of violent persecution for their faith know this well.
And other challenges to persevering in Christian faith abound, such as a miscarriage after years of hoping for a child, a negative medical diagnosis, or betrayal by one’s spouse. Stephen’s story calls Christians to acknowledge divine presence in situations that seem God-forsaken and to help each other persevere in times of struggle.
And we can be encouraged by the fact that God calls and equips all Christians to proclaim the gospel in some way—not just clergy or professional church leaders. God’s empowerment of Stephen to preach the gospel does not negate the importance of his initial role of serving food. Acts portrays both vocations as necessary and Spirit-led. We too can expect God to work through us in whatever our daily lives entail. This may not look quite like it did with Stephen, but nonetheless, we can embrace his example of being attentive to the Spirit and being willing to follow God’s prompting.
If you have a prayer request or a favourite prayer which you would care to share in a future Prayer Diary, please e-mail office@cramondkirk.org.uk