Diocesan Prayer Diary
We invite the whole Diocese to pray together each day: for and with each other. At this time of ongoing ecological crisis, we pray daily for God’s Creation, as well as our Bishop and the ministry of the whole Diocese. Upon rotation, we pray for each of our congregations and those in recognised ministries. Please pray for the whole congregation as they minister within and across all areas of our Diocese.
Month A: January, March, May, July, September, November
Month B: February, April, June, August, October, December
This diary is prone to get out of date quite quickly … please email Joanna if you spot any changes / mistakes. Thank you.
| We pray for Creation | ||
| Month A | Month B | |
| Day 1 | We pray for Christian Aid projects across the world, sometimes introducing new environmental practices and sometimes responding to disasters with emergency help. | |
| Bishop John St Mary’s Cathedral: John Conway & Susie Gibbs; Paul Foster, Marion & Steve Chatterley, Janet Spence | Bishop John The Cathedral Chapter Our Honorary Canons – ordained and lay Our Dean Emeritus | |
| Day 2 | Faithful Creator we offer gratitude for our church gardens and graveyards and all who tend them. May they be safe havens for wildlife and people alike. “Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars”. (Psalm 84 v3) | |
| Bp John St Mungo’s Balerno – Ollie & Laura Clegg, Isaac & Ruth Knight, and the whole staff team | Bp John St Ninian’s, Comely Bank – Frances Burberry, David de Pomerai, Pat Treherne, Alan Baker Fettes College – Tony Clark | |
| Day 3 | God of seedtime and harvest we give thanks for all who work in agriculture. We acknowledge the difficulties faced by farmers around the world due to changing weather patterns and increased pests and diseases. Help us to be mindful of food waste and more modest in our demands of the land. | |
| Bp John Mustard Seed, Edinburgh – Richard Cornfield | Bp John St Margaret’s Easter Road – Richard Cornfield, Colin Reed | |
| Day 4 | We pray for the Scottish Government, for a spirit of wisdom and determination in its environmental policy-making, including the challenge of a Just Transition away from fossil-fuels. | |
| Bp John St Mary’s Dalmahoy – Christine Downey, Janet Dyer | Bp John St Paul’s and St George’s, York Place – David Richards, Libby Talbot, Jo Twigg | |
| 5 | God who clothes the lilies of the field, we give thanks for the wondrous diversity of plant and animal life. Help us to care for each sparrow as much as you do. | |
| Bp John St Vincent’s Chapel, Edinburgh: John & Rachel Penman, Michael & Ellie Hull, William Mounsey, Linda Harknett | Bp John St Martin of Tours, Dalry: John Vincent, Sarah Kilbey and Stuart Robertson | |
| 6 | We celebrate green businesses and social enterprises such as Vegware in Edinburgh and CK Polymers near Melrose and we pray that all local businesses will find ways to improve sustainability. | |
| Bp John Christ Church, Falkirk: Sarah Shaw, Ann Smith | Bp John St Mary’s Grangemouth and St Catharine’s Bo’ness: Willie Shaw, Isabel Dowlen, Susan Ward | |
| 7 | We thank God for organisations like the Scottish Wildlife Trust – for their good stewardship of nature reserves, nurturing diverse habitats including bogs, fens, meadow, lochs and post-industrial sites such as Addiewell Bing and Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre. We ask blessings that these areas will flourish as pockets of wildlife. | |
| Bp John The Diocesan Office staff The General Synod Office staff | Bp John St Columba’s Bathgate: Rosie Addis, Peter and Markie Woodifield, Douglas and Pat Cameron St Peter’s Linlithgow: Rosie Addis, Peter and Markie Woodifield, Jim and Helen Mein | |
| 8 | God of the future, we give thanks for young people around the world who are challenging governments to respond to the climate emergency. May they have the endurance to achieve results. Help us to stand alongside them so that their fears for the future can be turned into hope. | |
| Bp John St David of Scotland, Pilton: Andrew Bain and all supporting clergy, vestry and congregation | Bp John St Salvador’s Stenhouse: Andrew Bain, Br Joseph Emmanuel, Mariusz Wojciechowski, Jenny Floether, Ross Jesmond, Amanda Wright | |
| 9 | Creator God, we praise you for the Uplands and their wild-life, grateful too for the enjoyment we received from the beautiful hills in our area. | |
| Bp John St Mary’s and All Souls, Coldstream: Chris and Pauline Jones, Priest in Charge linked charge of Berwickshire churches | Bp John St Ebba’s Eyemouth: Chris and Pauline Jones, Sandra Wright Christ Church Duns: Chris and Pauline Jones | |
| 10 | Christ who journeyed on foot, have mercy on us who are so eager to get from A to B that we pollute our own air and threaten our own future. Teach us to travel more mindfully, which may mean travelling less. | |
| Bp John Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield: Dean Fosterkew and William Mounsey, Russel Duncan, Caroline Longley | Bp John Holy Trinity, Haddington: Liz O’Ryan, John Richardson, John Lindsay, John Wood, Alex Black, Sari Salvesen | |
| 11 | We are in awe of our magnificent coastline between the Forth and the Tweed and especially for the intricacy of marine life and the Special Marine Reserve at St Abbs. We pray for a reduction in levels of pollution and waste in the sea and on the shore. We pray for the fishing industry. | |
| Bp John St Barnabas’ Moredun: David and Margaret Dixon, Alice Anderson, Michael Fuller, Deryck Collingwood | Bp John St Mark’s Portobello: Sophia Marriage and Jonathan Pryce | |
| 12 | God who calls your church to be your witness in this world. We offer thanksgiving for the work of Eco-congregation Scotland and the many places of worship who are committed to this scheme. We ask that the whole church will take seriously the call to care for your creation. | |
| Bp John St Columba’s by the Castle: David and Jenny Paton-Williams, Bob and Sheila Gould, Alison and Howard Wagstaff | Bp John Old St Paul’s, Edinburgh: John McLuckie, Jaime Wright, David Todd | |
| 13 | Giver of all good things, help us not to grasp for more than we need, or be seduced by the latest fashion or newest model. May we live modestly and even sacrificially as we grow in love for you and for this beautiful world. | |
| Bp John St Mary’s Dalkeith and St Leonard’s Lasswade: Peter and Fiona Harris, Liz and Mike Jones, Jennie Godfrey, Jacqui Du Rocher, Bill and Pat Elliot | Bp John The Priory Church of St Mary of Mount Carmel, South Queensferry: Mike and Helen Parker, Iain MacRobert, the Vestry | |
| 14 | We consider local rivers and waterways, thankful for the way they calm and delight us. May they flourish as green corridors for flora and fauna. | |
| Bp John St Baldred’s, North Berwick: Simon and Kate Metzner, Mark and Harriet Harris, Michael and Rosemary Hill, Lorna Mortis St Adrian’s Gullane: : Simon and Kate Metzner, Michael and Rosemary Hill, Lorna Mortis | Bp John Livingston Ecumenical Parish: Ron Gregg, Darren Philip | |
| 15 | We pray for scientists and ecologists in Universities, the Civil Service and Botanical Gardens working to adapt the way we farm and garden in these challenging times. | |
| Bp John St Peter’s Lutton Place, Nick and Becky Wills, Sue Whitehouse, Bp Brian and Mrs Lissa Smith | Bp John Christ Church, Morningside: Matthew Rushton, Ryan Bennett, Imre Katay-Fodor, Gordon Graham, and Staff | |
| 16 | We rejoice in local parks and gardens as places where children and adults find fun, recreation, rejuvenation, and exercise. May their upkeep be beneficial to both human- and non-human animals alike. We ask God’s blessing on Quiet Gardens and their calming effect on visitors, especially those around the diocese. | |
| Bp John St Anne’s Dunbar: Diana Hall, Liz Gordon | Bp John St Peter’s Musselburgh: Aaron Moffat-Jackson | |
| 17 | Merciful God we look with grave concern at reports from the UN and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which speak of the climate emergency. We ask that future international meetings will dare to take the steps needed to avert disaster. | |
| Bp John St John’s Princes Street: Markus Dunzkofer, David Bagnall, Kenneth Boyd, Eileen Thompson, Clephane Hume, Iain Herbert, Tim and Christine Tunley | Bp John Our link Dioceses around the world (Cape Coast, Dunedin, and Espoo), and our ecumenical relations with other churches | |
| 18 | God of all green and growing things, we offer praise for the beauty of forests and woodlands, grateful for their role in capturing carbon and producing oxygen to enable the cycle of life. We acknowledge that we have failed to protect the world’s forests and ask forgiveness for our foolishness. We pray for restoration so that all the trees of the forest will sing for joy (Psalm 96:12). We pray for wetlands and their particular importance in capturing carbon. | |
| Bp John St Peter’s Galashiels: vacancy, Tim Hatton, St John’s Selkirk: the Vestry and Shared Leadership Team Borders Area Council, Whitchester Retreat Centre, Church Army | Bp John St Cuthbert’s Hawick: the vestry and Shared Leadership Team | |
| 19 | Loving God we give thanks for the work of all regional and local authorities and other public bodies especially those of our own diocese. May they be encouraged to care for the natural world and to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. | |
| Bp John St Michael and All Saints: in vacancy; Paul Burrows, Malcolm Aldcroft, and the Vestry | Bp John St Andrew’s Kelso: Bob King, Grace Redpath, | |
| 20 | Merciful God, we pray for all areas in danger from rising seas: for Pacific Islands, the Maldives, the Seychelles, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Netherlands | |
| Bp John St Cuthbert’s Colinton: Nicki and Iain McNelly, Lesley Penny | Bp John St Fillan’s Buckstone: Michael Johns-Perring, Anthea Griggs | |
| 21 | We ask you God for wisdom, strength and courage in our church’s response to the current emergencies – should we lobby, protest, take practical measures, use our money differently, incorporate more green spirituality into our worship? | |
| Bp John St James the Less, Penicuik: Nick Bowry, Neville and Tilly Suttle | Bp John St Mungo’s West Linton: Nick Bowry, Neville and Tilly Suttle | |
| 22 | God of justice and mercy we give you thanks for all who work in Fairtrade. May all businesses and trade negotiators deal fairly with primary producers. | |
| Bp John Collegiate Church of St Matthew, Roslin (Rosslyn Chapel): in vacancy, Isla Shanks, Harry Stoddart | Bp John Hermitage of the Transfiguration in Roslin and Loanhead: John Halsey | |
| 23 | We look in awe and wonder at the sky and reflect on the birds and insects of the air and the ever-changing majesty of the planets and starts. We lament that the quality of air we breathe is sometimes unhealthy. | |
| Bp John Emmaus Community of St Benedict | Bishop John and Clare For Leadership within our Province, for the College of Bishops, Retired Bishops For the Anglican Communion, the Anglican Consultative Council and Primates’ Meetings | |
| 24 | Creator God who has given to us the ability to be creative scientists and engineers, we pray for departments and businesses across Scotland working towards delivering effective green energy and technology into our everyday lives. | |
| Bp John Holy Cross, Davidson’s Mains: Stephen and Izzy Holmes | Bp John St Andrew’s Innerleithen and St Peter’s Peebles: Andrew Taylor-Cook, Colin and Maureen Chaplin | |
| 25 | Merciful God, we pray for all people who may lose their homes or livelihoods due to drought, extreme heat and increased frequency of forest fires. For Central Africa, Australia, the Americas and Russia | |
| Bp John St Philip’s and St James, Goldenacre: Jane Maclaren, Jane Green | Bp John St John’s Jedburgh: in vacancy | |
| 26 | Gracious God we give thanks for the many charities that work to protect the natural environment. Thank you for volunteers around the world who pick litter, care for animals and plants, share knowledge and campaign to protect the work which we love. | |
| Bp John Our Area Councils | Bp John Scottish Episcopal Institute, Provincial Director of Ordinands, Warden of Lay Readers | |
| 27 | God of all creatures, great and small, we give thanks for insects, pollinators, and soil turners. May we grow ever-more aware of the word’s reliance upon the more maligned inhabitants, seeking to protect wasps as well as bees and midges as well as worms. | |
| Bp John Holy Trinity, Melrose: Philip and Kate Blackledge, Clare Nicholson, Dennis Wood, Isobel and Sandy Ryrie, Mary and Dick Edwards | Bp John St James’, Leith: Iain Lothian, Jo Henderson | |
| 28 | We reflect on our use of money and investments and pray that we will have courage if we sense that we need to shift our priorities | |
| Bp John Educational Chaplaincies, All School Chaplains, Youth work and Sunday School workers | Bp John Work Place Chaplains, theatre Chaplains, Cursillo, Air Training Corp Chaplains | |
| 29 | We turn our awareness to the ground beneath our feet and remember the ancient rock and the living soil which supports and sustains the whole eco-system. We pray for the health of the soil in our farms, countryside and gardens | |
| Bp John Convenors of Diocesan Committees, Special Intentions, Youth and Children | Bp John Those involved in Enabling Ministry | |
| 30 | As we develop our green spirituality, bless our efforts to partner with all who are concerned for our planet. May we be humble and recognise that the teaching of the church has sometimes been part of the problem. Help us to find common ground across religion and culture | |
| Bp John Social Responsibility in the Diocese Faith in Older People Retired and elderly people and for those that care for and support them at home | Bp John All clergy with Commissions, Warrants and Permission to Officiate in the Diocese Retired clergy and Clergy Widows | |
| 31 | God of justice and mercy we give thanks for those who have worked in oil, gas, and coal industries and who have provided energy for our homes, workplaces and hospitals. As the energy sector changes, we ask for a Just Transition for all whose jobs will be affected by the changes | |
| Bp John For all who work in healthcare occupations, NHS chaplaincy | Bp John The Pastoral Groups around the Diocese |