22  Oakshaw Trinity
I am pleased to announce that Oakshaw Trinity Church has recently been awarded the Eco Congregation Scotland Silver Award. A lot of work has taken place during lockdown to ensure that we can continue to lower the carbon footprint of our church as we continue to worship and praise God for his goodness to us.

PRAYER: Almighty and everlasting God, who of your compassionate love toward humankind, sent your Son to be our Saviour and Lord, open our hearts and our minds to his presence

Living and Eternal God, whose Spirit has called your people at Oakshaw Trinity to join with others to worship you, we offer our lives to you in this fellowship of your people.

Accept our love and devotion and do for us and in us what you know we need.

Particularly at this time, we thank you for all your gifts of creation and rejoice that our congregation has been awarded the Eco Church Silver Award.

Thank you for that light that has shone in our hearts and the hearts others that we can thoughtfully and careful continue to serve you, and share  the knowledge of your glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Amen.

29  Peedie Kirk
We are in the summer months where we have long hours of daylight. Folk have been re-united with family. 😊 This prayer was used in a recent Newsletter. We thought we would share it.
 
Loving God, Creator of all, thank You for summer!
Thank you for the warmth of the sun
and the increased daylight.
Thank You for the beauty I see all around me
and for the opportunity to be outside and enjoy Your creation.
Thank You for the increased time I have to be with my friends and family,
and for the more casual pace of the summer season.
Draw me closer to You this summer.
Teach me how I can pray, no matter where I am or what I am doing.
Warm my soul with the awareness of Your presence
and light my path with Your Word and Counsel.
As I enjoy Your creation, create in me
a pure heart and a hunger and a thirst for You.                                                   
Author Unknown

September

5   Port Glasgow
Since Port Glasgow URC reopened for worship we have had a steady number of the congregation return to in person worship.  Along with worship we have relaunched the Church Angels Food Bank .  We are delighted to now have a group of volunteers from our Cluster Churches and our ecumenical Churches helping us as we open twice weekly.  Our Church has joined with our local Church of Scotland, Port Glasgow New Parish Church , where we have set up a mental-wellbeing group which meets, at present, on Zoom weekly, we also have a Walk and Talk group every second Saturday, and are about to be involved with helping set up walking football as a way to combat depression and loneliness.  This venture has only been possible with the funding secured by Port Glasgow New Parish Church.
 
Generous God,
We pray for the work of our volunteers as they help those in our communities who need a helping hand from time to time.  Allow those who access our service to know that they are loved by You.
We pray for our mental-wellbeing group, listening and being attentive to those we walk alongside.
Please pray for our Church community as we begin the process of being fully open and helping our community where needed.
Amen.


12  Synod Meeting on 18th Setpember
Great God, whose love surrounds and sustains us, bless our meeting in Synod in Helensburgh and online.
May our meeting be an expression of our relationship and of our commitment to ministry and mission.
Guide us in our thinking and discussing.
Help us as we consider larger issues that effect the life of the world and the wellbeing of our planet.  We think especially of the challenge and continuing relevance of the Legacies of Slavery and of the environmental threats of climate change, of the forthcoming COP26 conference in Glasgow, and of all the small measures that we may take like carbon off-setting.
Bless the work of our committees and of our churches.
Help us, together with our fellow Christians throughout Scotland, to bring the light and love of the Gospel to our nation.
In Jesus’ Name, we ask it.  Amen.

19   Priesthill
Priesthill URC is slowly returning to life after the long months of lockdown.  Given all our activities are based around social activities bringing people together often in the context of food we felt it better to wait until restrictions were either over or at a minimal level.  We hope to finally admit two new members who wished to join before lockdown and, of course, we're going to miss Marie Trubic as she prepares to go to the Bridgewater and Cannington project as their new CRCW.  We are waiting to see if another CRCW might be interested in exploring a call to our project.
 
God of grace
you've seen us through the pain of the pandemic
you've been with us when we've isolated,
you've comforted us when we've mourned,
you've been our shield and protector.
Enable us all to grow in your love,
that we may discern your will for us 
as we come to terms with the new realities of our world.
Amen.

26   Righead, East Kilbride
Since November 2017 Righead had been working on a redevelopment project of its site in partnership with East Kilbride Housing Association which would see the present building demolished and a new church/community centre and amenity housing built in its place. In June of this year, aware of some concerns about the viability of the project, the increased frailty of the congregation and delays due in part to the pandemic the Elders decided to take the issue back to the Church Meeting for final decision before significant sums of money were spent.  The Church Meeting did not achieve a sufficient majority in favour of proceeding with the project and so we have formally ended the partnership with EKHA.  We find ourselves in the ‘liminal times’ the Synod Moderators spoke of in their report to General Assembly as we seek to discern a new direction for our congregation and so we invite you to pray with us and for us…..

God of every time and space, be with us in these liminal times;
accompany us through our discomfort,
reassure us when we feel bewildered,
give us patience to wait and wisdom to discern.
Help us to tell our stories with compassion and commitment
and to continually turn to you, our Source and Guide and Goal.
And when the fog clears and the green shoots begin to emerge grant us courage to trust in what emerges, even if it is not what we want or expect, as we continue to be your faithful people, walking the way, living the life of Jesus today.  Amen.