“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6
Pray to the Father through the Son in the power of the Spirit for:
WEDNESDAY 1 Denham nr Uxbridge: Christoph Lindner - Rector, Azita Jabbari. For open hearts as church members invite friends to the Alpha course in Denham this January, and for growing friendships and spiritual fruit in the group. For Tim and Charlotte, stepping up from co-leaders of the youth group to leaders, and for the young people: for fun, growing friendships and spiritual growth.
THURSDAY 2 Woodstock Deanery: Andrew Bunch - Area Dean, Stephanie Lacey, Maria Coonick, Mike Sinfield. For a sense of mutual care and support in the benefices of the deanery. That we would demonstrate the reality of our life of faith in the way we interact with others.
FRIDAY 3 Hanborough and Freeland: Steve Stewart - Rector, Heather McCulloch, Mike Madden, Nigel Knights Johnson, Steve Bellamy. For the growth of house groups in 2025. That we would see the fruit of evangelistic initiatives across the benefice.
Freeland CE School, Hanborough Manor CE School.
SATURDAY 4 Yarnton with Begbroke and Shipton-on-Cherwell: Oliver Petter - Rector, Sue Spankie, Ben Knighton, Richard Armitage, Richard Turnbull, Barbara Doubtfire. For our ministry to children and families, including our Junior Church and Little Sheep toddler group communities in Yarnton, and our monthly all-age service in Begbroke. For our fundraising and work to repair the roof of St Bartholomew's.
MONDAY 6 Barton, West Oxon: Jane Wright - Rector, Susan Small, Stephanie Lacey, David Jackson. For the parishes of the benefice - The Wortons, The Bartons, Sandford St Martin and Duns Tew, giving thanks for all who contribute so much to our church and community life. For staff and pupils of Middle Barton School and our Open the Book team.
TUESDAY 7 Wootton with Glympton and Kiddington: Esther Lay - Rector. For the parish’s life of prayer. For those in need.
Wootton-by-Woodstock CE Primary School.
WEDNESDAY 8 Steeple Aston with North Aston and Tackley: Harriet Orridge - Rector, Richard Bailey, Robert Gibbons. For our mission to bring the love of Jesus into the heart of our communities, working with community groups to make our ideas a reality (local pubs for warmer welcoming spaces and gardening groups for a therapeutic garden). For building connections and faith with the local youth and children, through work in school and re-establishing Sunday groups.
Dr Radcliffe’s CE Primary School, Tackley CE Primary School.
THURSDAY 9 Stonesfield with Combe Longa: Ralph Williamson - Rector, Linda Soderberg. For our pastoral care and welcome to families.
Combe CE Primary School.
FRIDAY 10 Woodstock and Bladon: Sarah Bourne - Rector, Andrew Bunch, Katie Jones, Stephen Pix, Shaun Henson, Gemma Ferrier. For our work reaching out into our three church schools in Woodstock and Bladon. For the development of our teams who support the church services, the arts events and pastoral outreach into the community.
Bladon CE Primary School, Woodstock CE Primary School, The Marlborough CE School.
SATURDAY 11 Eynsham and Cassington: Duncan Fraser - Vicar, Andrew Atherstone, Rabea Meango, Laura Churchyard, Roger Aston, Steve Hellyer, Hugh Atherstone. For the children’s and families ministry to continue to flourish while Rabea is on maternity leave in 2025. For a strengthening relationship between St Peter’s CE Primary School and St Peter’s Church as we host BeSpace for school and community.
MONDAY 13 Abingdon Deanery: Rob Glenny - Area Dean, Nick Weldon, Sue Scott, Sharon Derbe, Martin Steel. For our continued work developing ministry and mission amongst young people. For rest and renewal for all who serve across the deanery at the start of this New Year.
TUESDAY 14 Abingdon-on-Thames: Paul Smith - Team Vicar, Akma Adam, Jennifer Brown, Gwen Bevington, Beryl Clements, Sue Holligan, Linda Hobbs and all our band of honorary clergy. For the parish's discernment of a new rector, over the coming months, that God will guide us and hold us throughout this process. For our continued outreach into the town of Abingdon through our varied programmes of concerts, talks and other events across the three churches of St Helen, St Nicolas and St Michael and all Angels.
WEDNESDAY 15 Fyfield with Tubney and Kingston Bagpuize: Catherine Schneider - Priest-in-Charge looking after Kingston Bagpuize; Nick Weldon - Associate Clergy looking after Fyfield with Tubney; Ian Bensted. Give thanks for good pastoral provision in the benefice following a long vacancy. For blessing and guidance for the ministry teams. For the reintroduction of monthly all-age services from January and for a bereavement course beginning soon in Kingston Bagpuize.
THURSDAY 16 Radley, Sunningwell and Kennington: Rob Glenny - Rector, Anne Curtis, Samson Kuponiyi, Glynis Beckett, Paddy Watson, Sue Sowden, Andrew McKearney, Pat Bhutta. For all who are exploring faith for the first time, or for the first time after a long break. For clarity and purpose in our planning, for the deepening of our bonds of fellowship, and for generosity with all that we have to share.
St Swithun’s CE Primary School, Radley CE Primary School, Sunningwell CE Primary School.
FRIDAY 17 North Abingdon: Keith Dunnett - Vicar, James Whymark, Rosalind Steel, Andrew Gilmour, Paul Brombley, David Lever, Anne Taylor, Derek Walker, Colin Wood, Heather Hughes, Abi Pike, Shannon McCairns. That we would be effective in equipping church members to be disciples of Jesus in their everyday lives. That we can continue to grow younger disciples, among children, youth and their parents, across both sites - Long Furlong and Northcourt Road.
St Nicolas CE Primary School.
SATURDAY 18 Dry Sandford, South Oxon. Give thanks for the reopening of our church building following repair work. For the benefice in vacancy, that the right person will be led to us.
MONDAY 20 Marcham with Garford: Nick Weldon - Vicar, Rob Finch, Kevin Mentzel, Rosemary Siebert, Jill Rowe, Tamsin Gilbert. Give thanks for the completion of the reordering of All Saints Church, Marcham (new toilet and kitchen facilities and redecorating the west end). That the new facilities will be a great asset in our mission to the parish. For deeper integration between the congregations at Garford and Marcham.
Marcham CE Primary School.
TUESDAY 21 Appleton with Besselsleigh: Wealands Bell - Rector. For the development of the church's work with children, especially through drama and music in the local primary school. For elderly and infirm residents of the village, especially those preparing for residential care.
Appleton CE School.
WEDNESDAY 22 Wootton and Shippon: Stephen Coe, Shirley Northover, Tony Rogerson, Pauline Seaman. That the appointment process to fill our vacancy will have a good outcome. For Daphne Tonks, Mike Varnom and Simon Newton (churchwardens) as they bear extra responsibilities during the vacancy. For Stowford House residential care home in Shippon.
Wootton St Peter’s CE Primary School.
THURSDAY 23 Cumnor, nr Oxford: Jonathan Widdess - Vicar, Jessica Turner, David Wenham, Chris Sugden, Eve Lockett, Chris Scruby. For the new Christians Against Poverty Job Club being launched at St Andrew’s, Dean Court in partnership with Edge Housing. For mission and outreach to local families through our toddler groups, Messy Church, Big Story Sunday and church school.
Cumnor CE Primary School.
FRIDAY 24 DAMASCUS, South Oxon: Helen Kendrick - Rector, Dov Whittle, Phillip Sutton, Rosie Bruce, Alex Landsbert, Mike Murray. For the PCC and ministry team as we work to live out our Five Doors In vision for the parish, and recruit a children's and families worker. For all the Warm Space initiatives in the five churches. For our ministry in the four schools in the parish. For our home group and the early morning DAMASCUS prayer group - that they will continue to flourish and grow.
St Blaise CE Primary School, St Michael’s CE Primary School, Sutton Courtenay CE Primary School.
SATURDAY 25 Amersham Deanery: Peggy Ludlow - Area Dean, Lawrence Tebboth, Dorothy Potter, Julie Dziegiel. Give thanks and pray for the growing work at St George’s, Little Chalfont with families, under the direction and ministry of the Revd Vic Jones, aided by a grant from the diocese. For those churches waiting for new incumbents, especially Chalfont St Peter. For the right person to respond to the vacancy advert.
MONDAY 27 Chenies and Little Chalfont, Latimer and Flaunden: David Whale - Rector, Brian Ludlow, Peggy Ludlow, Pat Ansell, Victoria Jones. That we would be led by God and not swayed by the world's wisdom. That God would bless our building project, so that we are able to resource and bless our communities.
St George’s CE Infant School.
TUESDAY 28 Chalfont St Giles, Seer Green and Jordans: Dan Beesley - Rector, Jez Carr, Paul Henderson, Jenny Tebboth, Linda West, Janna Holder. For the church in Chalfont St Giles to continue to grow and for the continued building of relationships with the parish. For the outreach to families in Seer Green and the reordering of the church building.
Seer Green CE School.
WEDNESDAY 29 Amersham with Coleshill: Jonny Rapson - Rector, Michelle Fotherby, Susan Gill, Sheila Sheild, Tim Barnard. For our youth group which started in the summer - that the group would continue to grow in faith and in number. For our new social and outreach committees that plan events which bring people together in fellowship and utilise our spaces to welcome more into our community. That they would continue to plan successful events following on from our bread-making workshop, wreath making and Advent trail.
St Mary’s CE Primary School, Coleshill CE Infant School.
THURSDAY 30 Beaconsfield: Sharon Roberts - Team Rector, Lucy Fyfe-Jamieson, Margot Suter, Hazel Chow, Cathy Smith, David Izzard, Peterson Feital. For Lloyd Davis, our new Team Vicar for St Thomas' Church and his wife as they make this transition this spring. For our work with children and young people, giving thanks for the team offering Open the Book in local schools.
St Mary and All Saints CE Primary School.
FRIDAY 31 Our link diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands: For Archbishop Howard Gregory and his wife as he retires, and for the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands as they seek his successor. For God’s blessing and guidance for this new link as it begins to develop and grow, that there might be a deepening of our relationships and mutual flourishing.
Prayer on Sundays
SUNDAY 5 As 2024 became another global temperature record-breaker, we pray for renewed courage and action amongst global leaders, and for the future of God’s creation to be a point of unity, not conflict. That parishes can find the resources, energy and capacity they need as they seek to offer their vital and unique response to the climate crisis.
SUNDAY 12 Bishop Gavin confirming at St Helen’s, Abingdon.
SUNDAY 19 For a greater unity of believers in this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Bishop Gavin confirming at St Lawrence, Hungerford.
SUNDAY 26 For children and young people in households choosing whether to eat or heat their homes. For teachers and school support staff, church and community groups supporting them and working to keep them safe.
Links
Prayers from Christian Concern for One World: ccow.org.uk
Topical prayers from the Church of England: churchofengland.org/topical-prayers