Prayer during the coronavirus crisis

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have put out a statement that suspends public worship during this crisis. That means, very sadly, that we won’t be meeting together for worship on Sundays.

We are also closing our other mid-week groups – Journey through Mark, Tufnell Tots, Sandpit – and won’t be holding Messy Church later this month.

To keep our connection with Christ and with one another alive and well, here are some suggestions:

  • From 18 March, we are opening the church for quiet, individual prayer (Monday to Friday 12-2pm). If you are feeling healthy, please feel free to come and be still, say a prayer and light a candle. There will be written prayers available that you can take away with you.  

  • David has started a WhatsApp group for those of us who’d like to receive Morning and Evening Prayer. If you’re not in the group yet, but would like to be, please email office@stgeorgestufnellpark with your mobile number and you will be added. Let’s read and pray together, from a distance.

  • Sunday 22 March has been designated a day of prayer for the coronavirus situation. As well as personal prayer, to connect us at St George’s, we will provide an online service, with Matt sharing a short sermon. Further details will follow later.  

  • On Sunday night at 7pm, we are all encouraged to pray and light a candle in a window in our homes (if that’s safe and practical!) as a sign of solidarity and our hope in Christ.

 Finally, an excerpt from the prayer of St Patrick’s breastplate to strengthen and encourage:

I arise today

Through God's strength to pilot me;

God's might to uphold me,

God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me,

God's hand to guard me,

God's way to lie before me,

God's shield to protect me,

God's hosts to save me.

 

Christ shield me today

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me, Christ in me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,

Christ in the heart of every one who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me,

Christ in the eye that sees me,

Christ in the ear that hears me.

 

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through a belief in the Threeness,

Through a confession of the Oneness

Of the Creator of creation.

Alexandra Lilley