When I watched the news about the terrorist attack on London Bridge I was shocked to see part of the footage covered the street I walk down from London Bridge Underground station to Tower Bridge Road to reach our head office. Suddenly it wasn’t something happening to people somewhere else: I, or any of my colleagues could have been caught up in it. When it becomes personal, like that, your prayers have an added impetus; an extra edge.
Thankfully, none of us was affected, but we’re praying for the people who have been, whose lives and whose families’ lives have been changed forever. We’re looking at an extract from Psalm 10, which reads: ‘
“ In his arrogance, the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. You, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. Call the evildoer to account for his wickedness. The Lord is King for ever and ever”
We’re asking our supporters and all those who know us to join us in prayer on June 16th – our special prayer day. Each year we set a day aside to concentrate in prayer on our work – and to thank God for His kindness and all that He’s done, and to praise Him for all that He is. Supporters and directors meet at our homes together with residents and staff. One year, sitting next to a resident, I was blessed by the way she thanked God for so many things, but especially for the kindness that residents in the home show to one another.
This year, one of of our residents asked us to pray for “God’s over- ruling in history of our nation to His glory and honour” – a very relevant prayer post-election! Five other Christian charities have used our prayer pack this year – Praise God!!
Do click on our website and read about our prayer Day, and the charities’ ‘Great Get Together To Pray Together’. The link is https://www.pilgrimsfriend.org.uk/pray-with-us. This campaign refers to the Loneliness Awareness week last month.
And we’d like to share some things for rejoicing, too! We’re thankful for good Inspection reports for our homes, and for the Bethany Home that has won a Dementia Quality Mark from the Local Authority. The dementia portfolio was so good that it’s going to be used as an example to others’. More about the contents of the portfolio to follow!
Do pray, too, that the vacant rooms that some of our homes’ have will be filled. Many older people are needing residential care but Councils just don’t have the money to be able to fund them.
Finally, pray for our trustees and directors, our chief executive Stephen Hammersley, our managers and our staff. Our staff go so many extra miles that if I were able to join them up they’d go to the moon and back. We see our work as a ministry, not just a job. Please ask God to continue to give us wisdom, energy, good humour and fellowship, and fsatisfaction in Him.
