Weekly Prayer Points

Week commencing Sunday 7th July 2024

So there you have it; last week has come and gone.  Tempus has fugit, and we have a change of government and Secretary of State for Education. The focus of our prayers may change but our praying won't.  Let us continue to fix our eyes on Jesus, the one who started and finished the work of salvation and who is the bedrock of our faith (Hebrews 12.2 paraphrased)

Lord, amidst change, You are constant.  Amidst uncertainty, You are steadfast.  Amidst the promises of political positioning, You are Truth, You are Life, and You are the Way.  Thank You for the unshakeable grip that You have on the lives of those who follow You and the ever-open ear You have for us as we turn to You in prayer.

Father, we pray for the new Government, Prime Minister and all those elected into Parliament to lead this country in the years ahead.  May they be conscious of their need for wisdom, and may they seek and find that wisdom by looking above rather than within.

Father, we pray for the new Secretary of State for Education, and especially that her education within a Catholic school might remind her of the centrality which faith plays in the upbringing of children.  We pray that this background will also enable her to better understand the aspirations of Christian parents, children and staff who are committed to remaining loyal and obedient to You and Your Word.

Father, amidst the host of political pledges which the new Government has espoused with regard to education, may we see  

• the family strengthened and the rights of parents upheld in the upbringing of their children according to their faith
• the accurate teaching of Biblical Christianity enshrined within any curriculum review of RE
• the preservation of freedom of speech and freedom of religion within places of education which will encourage the retention and recruitment of Christian teachers
• the protection of children from the harm caused by both false teaching and dangerous medical interventions around gender transition, including a focus on the findings and recommendations of the Cass report 
• the prevention of politicised mental health counselling in schools
• the preservation of the requirement for schools to have a Daily Act of Christian Worship
• the survival of Christian Independent Schools which provide a faith-based education in areas where state-funded schools offer Christian parents no faith-safe alternative    

Father, we also pray for those Christian MPs who lost their seats this week, that they might know Your peace and Your direction as they and their families seek and find Your calling for the next phase of their lives.  Amen.