Author Archives: Diocese of Worcester - Prayer diary

​Racial Justice Sunday

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The Methodist Church has celebrated Racial Justice Sunday (RJS) since 1989. In 1995 RJS became an ecumenical event celebrated in Britain and Ireland and this year it moves to the second Sunday in February. 

The organisers say:
We believe that the universe was created by a loving God who chose to become a human being in Jesus Christ, who has redeemed the world and sent the Holy Spirit to enable us to love one another with God’s love. All human beings are equally children of God and loved by God. Since none is outside the love of God, none should be outside our love either.

“We believe that the diversity of the human race was no mistake on God’s part. God deliberately created variety within the human family and wants us to take as much delight in that variety as God does. 

“But racism persists in Britain and Ireland. At its most obvious and brutal, it takes the form of physical attacks. But it takes many other forms as well, like discrimination within the police force, popular prejudice against Travellers or people seeking asylum, or reluctance to accept people of a different ethnic or cultural group as neighbours. Even within churches, people can face discrimination and unkindness because they are different from the majority in a particular community. 

“As long as this continues, we believe that it is important to make time to give thanks for our diversity and to pray for God’s help in overcoming our prejudices and the injustices that reflect and reinforce them.” 

Pray for all who face racial discrimination in our society. 

Martley and Worcester West Deanery – Rural Dean: David Sherwin; Lay Chair: John Chidlow

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​Toddler Praise in Stourbridge

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Calling Young Disciples Mission Enabler, Anne Batchelor, has been working with the parish of St. Thomas, Stourbridge to develop a new monthly ‘Toddler Praise’ service. 

Anne said: “After attending the Baptism Matters training, the church realised that we needed to better connect with our baptism families. In the baptism service, the church makes the promise to nurture the children in faith and we wanted to honour that. Unfortunately we don’t have the volunteers to do a weekly toddler group, but something monthly was definitely achievable.”

Anne is working with five volunteers from the church to ensure the service remains sustainable. The session runs for an hour at 1.45pm so that families can come before they collect any older children from school. 

Vicar of St Thomas, Andrew Sillis, said: “Our Toddler Praise is a very simple format – there’s a chance for the toddlers to play and their carers to socialise, a short time of prayer and singing with a bible story and the session is finished with tea, juice and snacks. Our hope is that it connects with the spiritual needs of families with young children leading to a longer relationship to the church.” 

All the songs used at the service are based on the tunes of well-known nursery rhymes so they are familiar to children and parents and the bible story is told in a Godly Play style. Natasha was one of the Mums to come to the first session with her children. She said: “I was given a flyer at nursery and it seemed like a good place to bring both my children to give them the opportunity to find out about faith.” 

Please pray for Toddler Praise in Stourbridge and for all our churches our doing to reach parents with young children. 

Martley and Worcester West Deanery – Rural Dean: David Sherwin; Lay Chair: John Chidlow 

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