October 31st we pray for those celebrating it that they may come into no harm and danger. We also pray for the initiatives by Loughborough Churches Partnership to provide an alternative light(s)-based celebration.

Fri 1 All Saints Day in the traditional church calendar. Today we pray especially for our fellow Christians who worship at All Saints’ Church with Holy Trinity, and their priests Debo Adelaja and David Newman.
Sat 2. There is only one true happiness in life, to love and be loved. This quote by George Bernard Shaw reminds us that God’s constant love and care , gives us true happiness.
Sun 3 We pray today for Craig as he leads our Communion service; help strengthen him and all of us for service in our community

Mon 4 Today is the anniversary of the 1839 New port Rising Welsh Chartists, who demanded the right to vote in a secret ballot, something we now take for granted in this country. Pray for all who live in countries where this is not yet a right.
Tues 5 Today is Election Day in the United States of America, its sixtieth since the landslide victory of George Washington in1789. This campaign has been marked by acrimony and falsehoods, and we pray that the country will learn to come together to heal the wounds introduced over the past decade Our own celebration of Guy Fawkes Night should remind us that such healing is possible, and allow the American people time to smooth over the rough surfaces of their dissension.
Remember also T @ 2 and Prayer @ 4.
Wed 6 One positive reminder this week of a successful US election which broke the barrier of race discrimination just eight years ago with the election of Barack Obama.
Thur 7 The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 reminds us that those who are separated will seek to be reunited whenever possible. We pray that our own government will allow families who have fled war or torture in their homelands to reunite in safety on our shores.
Fri 8 This weekend’s Remembrance Day services highlight our own conflict between a desire to commemorate the fallen soldiers who have served our country and our desire to pray and work for peace.
Sat 9 So many of the conflicts which fill the news today are the result of conflicts unresolved for the past century. We are reminded that reparations after war must not be punitive or new conflicts arise. There is an urgent need for more people trained in conflict resolution at all levels; pray that some among us may be willing to offer his or her service to resolving conflicts among others even in our own community.
Sun 10 On Remembrance Sunday we recall how Jesus resolved conflicts with love rather than war. Pray that we my do the same in our personal lives and encourage our country to take a similar stance.
Mon 11 This is Armistice Day itself, a day to celebrate the work of the Richmond Fellowship and the Peace Pledge Union.. As we pause in our activities at eleven o’clock, we remember the joy brought by the announcement of peace in 1918 after four gruelling years of war in most of Europe. Where there is fighting again in some of the same areas, some of it a direct consequence of that earlier global war, we pray that the combatants may at last be able to settle arguments which have soured relationships for the past century.
Tues 12 Peace is more than the absence of war. Pray today for the Organization for World Peace, which advocates for peaceful resolutions to military conflicts and supports internally displaced persons and child soldiers. In the conflicts which currently fill our news we are aware of the plight of those displaced by war, mainly women and children, non-combatants. We have come to know some of those who have been displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine; we pray they will continue to find solace and a welcome in our community.
Wed 13 In all conflicts the first casualty is truth; we are very aware of the “narrative gap” between the news as portrayed by Israelis and Palestinians. Their conflict has such deep roots that it appears impossible to disentangle the truth from the hype. When neither side can be relied on to speak the whole truth, we cannot know what to think. Pray that we always speak the truth in our own personal dealings, and that we avoid the temptation to give a slanted account which favours our own point of view.
Thur 14 When we look at the past winners of the Nobel Peace Prize we find those who worked to feed people or to educate others or to provide clean water. Many were not at all famous until the prize was awarded. What small thing can each of us do in our own community to make things better for others.
Fri 15 One of the most notable things about our Olympic and Paralympic athletes whom we saw in action this summer, even more than their shiny medals, was the importance they gave to teamwork, and how they felt that the team had supported their efforts and deserved the praise for any success. Are we part of the Christian team? What place do we give our faith in daily living?
Sat 16 In 1945 UNESCO was founded, one of the first agencies of the newly created United Nations, tasked with “building peace through education, science and culture. Its work this year has included identifying and promising to rebuild Ukrainian cultural sites after the war. A country’s culture, just as much as its commercial infrastructure, is important for its survival as a unique nation.
Sun 17 W pray today for Daphne and her thoughtful leadership of our worship today, helping us to pray for peace in our world.
Mon 18 A few days dedicated to praying for world peace. First in Palestine, Israel and all the surrounding countries. May they learn to respect each other, and understand that there is more that unites them than divides them, so they can live together in harmony.
Tues 19
Today we remember those from our congregation who attend T @ 2 and Prayer @ 4. Help them to direct their thoughts toward strengthening the whole of the church community. Today we celebrate the particular contribution men make to the quality of our communal life in International Men’s Day, which also raises global awareness of problems such as loneliness, suicide, homelessness, which affect men disproportionately.

Wed 20. Today’s commemoration began in a very disparate way with many countries having their own dates for Children’s’ Day, but in 1959 the UK proposed to put things in a more orderly fashion and to name 20th November as the date for a Universal Children’s Day, to promote the protection of children in situations of risk.
Thur 21 In this 85th year of the Citizens’ Advice Bureau , we celebrate its history of commitment to building strong communities, based on voluntary service. We give thanks for all members of our own congregation who have served as volunteers to this and other services dedicated to helping people with their everyday problems.
Fri 22 We pray for the Friday Bible Study group, completing their study of Joshua. This is a reminder that we all need a regular time for study and prayer to strengthen our own faith.
Sun 24 As Mike leads our worship today we give thanks for all the members of the Worship group who, along with Craig, take part in the rota of worship leaders.
Mon 25 As we begin to review the year just past we reflect on changes made in our communal life, the recent Elders’ election and changes in our leadership. We give thanks for those whose terms of service have ended and pray for those about to embark on a new period of church service.
Tues 26 The changing seasons and the arrival of colder weather is an indication that we, too, need to rest, to recuperate, and consolidate. And we remember those who have no shelter from the cold, those who are homeless, perhaps without a family or a job to support them.
Wed 27 Tomorrow sees the celebration of Thanksgiving in the United States. This has its origins in an initial harvest celebration in 1621, when the Pilgrims joined with their new Native American neighbours to give thanks for their survival through the first harsh winter in a new and unfamiliar land. Pray for any new arrival on our shores, that they receive a warm welcome and will settle happily with their new neighbours. Pray that the Town of Sanctuary group is able to facilitate such smooth transitions for newcomer in the town.
Thurs, 28 Today is the actual day of Thanksgiving, first made a national holiday in 1865 by President Abraham Lincoln, to give thanks for the survival of the nation intact at the end of four years of civil war. Today’s holiday may well have a similar feel, as the last four years have been filled with divisive propaganda which has sought to belittle and demonise candidates for public office. Pray that, once again, the country, will be able to surmount the fractiousness of the past years and come together as a united and peaceful entity.
Fri. 29 Today has recently become known as Black Friday, a day devoted to commerce, when sales campaigns proliferate on the Internet and in the shops, reflecting the day’s origins, when business owners’ accounts could first expect to be “in the black” after totting up their expenses for the first eleven months of the year. Today , with the high level of personal debt experienced by most families, and by far too many countries, it would seem more appropriate to celebrate it as a “No Purchases Day”, freeing ourselves from the urge to accumulate more possessions at the expense of our mental health.
Sat 30 As we prepare for tomorrow’s Advent Sunday, pray that the decorations which are sprouting inside home and shops signal the true spirit of the season of love for all humankind.

Prepared by Helen Playdon CL 45363