May Prayer Link

Sunday 1st

Sheddocksley: Rev Stephen Hibbard, Mr Simon Dennis. We are delighted to have made the appointment of Simon Dennis as our Assistant Pastor and he is settling in well to the role. Our fellowship has become very international and we seek to deepen our understanding of each other and celebrate our rich diversity. Lithuanians dancing with Nigerians and Scots being led by Hungarians: a fantastic taste of heaven. We give thanks for a new level of acceptance in the local schools which have welcomed a lunch-time Alpha as well as supporting our links to our project in India.

We have recently experienced a number of key people moving away due to work so please pray that the Lord will bless us with new workers to bring in the harvest. We are also praying about how to set the men on fire!

Shettleston. Please pray for the church and its pastor, Rev Jack Anderson.

Sunday 8th

Shotts. Please pray for this church which, currently, has no minister.

South Leith: Rev Ian Paterson. Praise God with us for His many blessings experienced in recent months: For the arrival of Andre, our Praise & Worship/Youth Leader ,and his wife Dari, from Brazil; for the impact this has made in our worship services and a deepening sense of God’s presence and work amongst us. Give thanks for the Toy Library, which now has a waiting list, and for the Friendship Café which, together with Messy Church and other events has resulted in a growing number of mums and kids from the community starting to attend our morning services. Pray for the many new families with whom we now have contact, that we will be able to reach them effectively for Christ; for our planned new youth events to be held jointly with the other Baptist churches in North Edinburgh; for the Try Praying city wide initiative - that God would hear the cries of His people as Christians throughout the city engage in 40 days of prayer; for our own church’s involvement, that God would bless as we seek to reach out in His name.

Sunday 15th

Southside Christian Fellowship: Rev Colin Mutch. Southside Christian Fellowship is looking to build a multi-purpose facility that will house our Church on Sunday mornings, as well as the many ministries we do each week. This is one of the biggest faith steps we, as a Church, have embarked on up until now. The estimate for building this facility is £3million. Please join us in praying that we will discern God’s voice in this process and be obedient to His calling.

Springburn: Rev Crawford Harvey. Please pray for the ongoing ministry of the church, particularly our Bargain Bonanza outreach shop which has provided excellent contacts with our community, some of whom are very willing to share their difficulties and joys with us. This continues to open up opportunities to minister the gospel into their circumstances. Over the past few years the Lord has used this work to bring some people to Jesus, baptism and into the church family. We have been encouraged and would praise God for his sovereign work and ask for prayer that the ongoing contacts we have would bear fruit for Him.

Sunday 22nd

St Andrews: Rev Robert Young. We are in a period of transition, with Rev Liam Garvie having moved to an Edinburgh church and myself leaving in a few months time. We are actively looking for a full time time pastor, so please pray for the search committee, that we will be open to all that God has for us. Please pray too for the Elders and Deacons in this time of vacancy, that they will will know God’s leading in all they do.

St Mary's Community Church. Mr Richard Toller. We are getting very close to signing the contract and building work beginning on our extension project. This will give us a facility which will enable us to serve the people of St Mary’s more effectively through regular community services, such as a cafe and toddler group. As we follow what we clearly believe is God’s call we have two big challenges and needs for prayer. Finance: the amount of money that has been raised or promised in various ways is remarkable, but even with a project reduced from the original plans, we still need to raise more. Please pray that the money will be provided for us to complete the work the Lord has for us. Our congregation is small and most are elderly or have a lot of their time and energy taken up by full-time jobs. We are in the middle of an area of great spiritual, social and material need. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers.

Sunday 29

St Ninian's Community Church: Rev Graham Bell. We give thanks for a small, but young and lively congregation and for our Pastor Graham Bell, who is full-time Chaplain at H.M. Prison Glenochil. We are grateful for recent growth and baptisms, and for the sense of community and fellowship we enjoy. May God protect this.

Pray for: increased opportunities to reach out to the people in the community; our day away in June as we discern together what God is wishing us to do in the year ahead; decisions about property and ministry opportunities; our work with ex-offenders; the YWAM team that works with us in the area and for the new members of the team as they settle in.

Stenhouse/Gorgie: Rev George Cruickshank. Our 80 year-old church and spacious grounds have been sold to a developer in exchange for a modern purpose-built church within a small retail park. Initial plans look exciting and prolonged planning is anticipated! Further encouragements are consistent attendances at Sunday morning and evening services, the Monday Bible Group and Tuesday Coffee morning, with 36+ attending weekly, and the Thursday Bible, Prayer and Fellowship. A faithful, enthusiastic family! Our needs: we lack children and young people. Challenges: we face the spiritual monopoly of a large residential area. Pray for our Open Night on 15th May for coffee and chatting.