Tuesday 22nd This week, the focus for prayer in the BMS Prayer Guide is North Korea.
Pray for
all the expat Christians working professionally there, who pray but are not at liberty to talk
about their faith. Pray that their inner Light would shine ever brighter so that words are not
needed, and the Holy Spirit would sweep through the country with more and more nationals
meeting the Saviour of the world.
rd
Wednesday 23 Ian, Ranald and Gordon meet this morning re the building project. Let’s pray
for them. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity continues. The prayer for today is: Loving
God, by whose breath all things came to be, we thank you for the world which manifests your
glory, diversity and beauty. Grant us the wisdom to walk gently upon the earth and to share
together your good news with all creation. Amen. Climate change is the biggest challenge the
world faces, particularly affecting millions of the world’s poorest people. What can our
response be in action as well as in prayer? See www.christianaid.org.uk/campaigns/climate-
change-campaign for some ideas.
Thursday 24th Who are our immediate neighbours? Either side, in front or behind, above or
below. Do we know them? Pray for ways to develop or strengthen relationships with them,
and for opportunities to talk of the change in our lives through the saving love of Jesus.
Friday 25th Keep praying for the water guard project of Vision Ministries in Kibera. If you can,
open up the webpage: www.visionministries.co.uk/water-guard to use as a prayer focus. This
Sunday is the monthly collection of the pennies we have saved for this project.
Saturday 26th Tomorrow is Holocaust Memorial Day, also the 25th anniversary of the Genocide
in Rwanda. The theme for this year’s commemoration is “Torn from Home”. Information to
guide our praying can be found here: www.hmd.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/
Liturgical-Resource-2019.pdf “We who dwell in security cannot imagine the horror of being
uprooted in uncertainty. We who enjoy comfort cannot comprehend the depths of pain. We
who seek to know still struggle to understand how it came to be: that humanity could become
so inhuman.”
Sunday 27th Prayerfully prepare for this morning’s service. The BUS Prayer Calendar lists for
prayer today: Nick Blair, chaplain and Religious Studies teacher at Merchiston Castle School,
and Ayr, Bearsden and Bellshill Baptist Churches. Look for specific points for prayer on the
screen before and after our service.
Monday 28th Lunch ‘n’ Chat is on today. Pray for all involved, whether attending, preparing or
serving food. Ask God to help those ministering through this activity to identify people coming
who have specific unmet needs that could be prayed about and solved.
Tuesday 29th The Celebrate Recovery group plans to start on 7th February. Pray for those in
leadership and for people who might attend. Do you know anyone to invite? The principles of
the Celebrate Recovery programme are based on the Beatitudes. Watch this short film before
you pray: vimeo.com/216839117 and find more information at www.celebraterecovery.co.uk
Wednesday 30th Today is the Border Baptist pastors’ group meeting, which Ian will be
attending. Pray for a great time of fellowship, sharing and spiritual refuelling for all attending.
Also, there is a Diaconate meeting this evening with, as usual, much to discuss, plan for and
pray about.
Thursday 31st Pray for the small groups of PBC that regularly meet in homes or at the Drill Hall.
Thank God for those who plan for and lead them. Pray that they will be rich times of
fellowship and spiritual growth.
Prayer Diary
January 2019
Pray every day for our church, for God to bless, minister to and through the:
1. Leadership – pray for Ian and Lindsey and the Deacons: Linda, John, Bill and Lyn
2. Family – pray using the address list as a guide to cover everyone during the month
3. Worship – pray for those involved in the music ministry
4. Witness – of individuals living and working in this community; as a body representing
Jesus; of our mission partners in Guinea and Kenya
5. Growth – pray:
- for the children in the church family and those who teach them in JAM
- for the Building Project: the practicalities of fund-raising and building, the activities
and outreach now and the opportunities to come in the King’s Meadow building
Tuesday 1st “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah
43:18-19) This New Year’s Day, ponder the new things God may want to do in you, in the
Church and in His world. Pray that all will be accomplished, that we will sense the “springing
up” of His Spirit in us and be fully available to Him. The Baptist Union of Scotland celebrates
its 150 years’ anniversary in 2019. One way this is being commemorated is with a weekly
prayer gathering on Facebook on the Baptist Union of Scotland page at 9.45pm for 15
minutes, starting tonight.
Wednesday 2nd 2019 is the year of Peebles Baptist Church moving to a new home on the
south side of Peebles. This is a big faith venture. Much prayer is still needed: for fully
financing the project, for smooth and timely implementation of the land preparation and
building work, for decisions yet to be made by the building committee with our input, and,
for growing relationships with the people in the immediate neighbourhood and beyond.
Pray for the Building Project group meeting tomorrow as they oversee the increasingly busy
tasks ahead.
Thursday 3rd The Christmas Community Meal last week was a resounding success. There
were several visitors there, some with no church affiliation. If you attended, pray for those
people seated at your table; otherwise, pray in general that those who came at the request
of our invitations or through social media advertising would remember the sense of family.
Friday 4th The BMS World Mission Prayer Guide focuses on Guinea this week, which is where
our partner missionaries, Caroline and Victor are working. We learn that the BMS team in
Guinea works with pre-school children, youth, women through education, self-help groups,
sports activities and health care. Pray for protection for the whole team and their families, as
well as for the believers from Muslim backgrounds, who often face persecution. See
www.bmsworldmission.org/get-involved/pray/prayer-guide for more information.
Saturday 5th A busy practical day at the King’s Meadow site! The perimeter security fencing
will be put up and other ground preparation work carried out. In addition, there will be an
act of dedication for the start of this phase of the project. Pray for the activities on this
significant day to go well and for the spiritual foundations to be deep and firm in a clear
declaration that this project, building and future work of PBC belong to God; and we want to
bring Glory to Him!
Sunday 6th Bring before God the following churches: Abbeyhill, Adelaide Place and Airdrie
Baptist Churches, Aberdeen Christian Fellowship and Aberdeldy Community Church. The
theme for the BUS anniversary year is “Give me also springs of water”; pray for these
churches to be sources of living water for their communities. Here, at PBC, we long for the
same. After the service we meet with Gordon Marshall, the Project Manager and, possibly,
Ranald Boydell, the architect, to discuss the internal layout of the new building. Pray for
both in their vital roles, and for creativity in our thinking resulting in the layout that best
serves the purposes of the building.
Monday 7th The new school term starts today. Pray for children, teachers and other staff,
especially those known to us, as they return to learn or to teach; some to Prelim exams that
start tomorrow. Pray for all Christian teachers to have the opportunity to show God’s love in
whatever ways are possible, to all children in their care.
Tuesday 8th Many thousands of people have been affected by the recent tsunami in
Indonesia. Pray for the ongoing relief work there, which BMS World Mission is supporting
through trusted partners on the ground. Also, remember the BUS Facebook prayer gathering
at 9.45 pm this evening. Join in, if you are able.
Wednesday 9th Ian meets with Gordon and Ranald this morning, a weekly occurrence now.
Pray for this meeting and for right decisions to be made. Ian then heads to Pitlochry until the
11th, to attend a ministers’ conference. Pray for inspiration, spiritual refreshment,
intellectual feeding, good fellowship, and safe travelling for him.
Thursday 10th This year potentially brings major changes for our country in its relationships
with Europe and the rest of the world. There is much uncertainty and anxiety around, fuelled
by the apparent confusion and self-interest of those in high places. Pray for strong
leadership motivated by the good of our nation and influenced by God. Be reminded that we
need have no fear, even in times that are unclear and unsettling. “Be strong and courageous,
do not be afraid and tremble at them, for the Lord our God is the one who goes with you. He
will not fail or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Friday 11th Pray for the churches in Peebles, for their commitment and contribution to
community life and for inter-church activities. May there be in increasingly visible and united
presence, declaring God’s Kingdom of Love, to all who will listen.
Saturday 12th Pray for Mo Gibbs who will be preaching at PBC tomorrow, that she will know
with certainty what God would have her share with us, and blessed in preparation of the
sermon. Pray for others involved in the service too, providing welcome, set-up, sound,
music, children’s activities, coffee etc.
Sunday 13th Marylee Anderson is a Chaplain at Aberdeen University. You can find out about
her here: www.abdn.ac.uk/staffnet/article-8-5570.php Pray for her work and ministry
amongst students and staff. Pray too for the ministries of Alexandria, Alloa and Alness
Baptist Churches. Give God thanks for the opportunity to meet together this morning. Ask
Him to prepare our hearts to learn from and respond to Him. Plus, this afternoon there is a
deafness awareness session taking place. Pray for all involved with this, as we seek to make
PBC more accessible.
Monday 14th Spend a little time slowly working through the words of The Lord’s Prayer. Let
the Holy Spirit bring fresh meaning to these familiar words as we say them. As we ask for our
wrongdoings to be forgiven, who do we in turn need to forgive?
Tuesday 15th Chad only has one doctor for every 25,000 people. Pray for BMS workers
Andrea and Mark Hotchkin and Claire Bedford involved in health care. Claire works in the
Pharmacy of Guinebor II hospital. Here is an account of a typical day for her:
www.bmsworldmission.org/all-in-a-days-work-at-guinebor-ii-hospital/
Wednesday 16th Pray for the weekly meeting between Ian, Gordon and Ranald concerning
the new building. Pray for the community around the King’s Meadow that God would be
preparing hearts and minds, as well as giving us inspiration about how we can reach out
effectively and attractively.
Thursday 17th What is in the news today? Locally? Nationally? Internationally? Ask God to
lay on your heart what you should pray for throughout today and beyond.
Friday 18th This is the start of this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, with material
prepared by churches in Indonesia on the theme “Only Justice” (taken from Deuteronomy
16). Indonesians have lived for centuries by the principle of gotong royong which is to live in
solidarity and by collaboration, but this is threatened by growing corruption and
environmental disasters meaning that a country rich in resources now bears the burden of
many people living in poverty. You can read more at ctbi.org.uk/wp-content/
uploads/2018/11/WPCU-2019-English-pamphlet.pdf We are hosting a PCT prayer event to
mark this special week. Details will be provided later. Do come along if you are able.
Saturday 19th Pray for all in PBC who work with the children in our church. It can be
discouraging when time and effort is put into preparing Sunday activities and, sometimes,
almost no children are present. Pray specifically for growth in numbers of children coming to
join with us – and that they would bring their parents too!
Sunday 20th Ready your heart and spirit for this morning’s act of worship. Consciously give to
the Father all troubled thoughts and distractions and allow His Holy Spirit to heal and
restore. Ask Him to guide you to specific church family people He wants you to talk with
today. Pray too for the Alva, Ardbeg (Rothesay) and Arran Baptist Churches, remembering to
look for any specific prayer pointers on the screen.
Monday 21st Graham Bell is Chaplain at HMP Glenochil. Pray for him in his role and ministry
with inmates and staff in the prison. Pray too for the work of Prison Fellowship Scotland
working in 11 of the 13 Scottish prisons. See: docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/f511a8_ec2d00fe4410
4a0ca511d74346d7cc3b.pdf for a recent newsletter.