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Mary, the Holy Mother of God

01/01/2020

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January 2020
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
		1 Mary, the Holy Mother of God 01/01/2020	2	3	4 World Braille Day 04/01/2020 Here's a video (3 mins 30 secs) about how braille came about! A PRAYER FOR TODAY Let's give thanks for the ingenuity and determination of Louis Braille and ask God to help us to notice and respond to our needs and those of others. We pray this in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN	5 Feast of the Epiphany 2020 05/01/2020
6 Traditional date for the Epiphany 06/01/2020	7	8	9	10	11	12 The Baptism of the Lord - 2020 12/01/2020
13	14	15	16	17	18 Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity January 18-25, 2020 It is a source of pain for many Christians that there are divisions among them. There are so many different Christian churches and it's good to focus on what we share rather than what we disagree on. All Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God sent to encourage us to live life in all its fullness and to teach us to treat others as we'd like to be treated. His life of healing, sharing and sacrifice is a wonderful example for us and his death and resurrection demonstrates that goodness and light will ultimately defeat evil and darkness! While we may not be able directly to heal the divisions among churches, we can take the opportunity to maybe heal some of the relationships in our lives. Maybe a phone call or a message sent this week could be the first step to reconciliation. A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK Loving God, as we feel the pain of past mistakes and conflicts, help us not to give in to resentment or guilt. Give us humility and strength to take the first steps in healing wounds with our fellow human beings irrespective of their denomination or religious views. Send your Holy Spirit to remind us that we are all part of the same body, the same community of humanity, fellow citizens of a world that is groaning and needs us to work together! We pray this in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN Questions What are the important things we need to carry with us as we journey together towards unity? What things might we need to let go of as we journey together towards unity? What challenges does that bring? What are our shared hopes for our community? What might our common prayers for our community be?	19 Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity January 18-25, 2020 It is a source of pain for many Christians that there are divisions among them. There are so many different Christian churches and it's good to focus on what we share rather than what we disagree on. All Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God sent to encourage us to live life in all its fullness and to teach us to treat others as we'd like to be treated. His life of healing, sharing and sacrifice is a wonderful example for us and his death and resurrection demonstrates that goodness and light will ultimately defeat evil and darkness! While we may not be able directly to heal the divisions among churches, we can take the opportunity to maybe heal some of the relationships in our lives. Maybe a phone call or a message sent this week could be the first step to reconciliation. A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK Loving God, as we feel the pain of past mistakes and conflicts, help us not to give in to resentment or guilt. Give us humility and strength to take the first steps in healing wounds with our fellow human beings irrespective of their denomination or religious views. Send your Holy Spirit to remind us that we are all part of the same body, the same community of humanity, fellow citizens of a world that is groaning and needs us to work together! We pray this in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN Questions What are the important things we need to carry with us as we journey together towards unity? What things might we need to let go of as we journey together towards unity? What challenges does that bring? What are our shared hopes for our community? What might our common prayers for our community be? Special Day of Prayer for Peace - 2020 19/01/2020
20 Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity January 18-25, 2020 It is a source of pain for many Christians that there are divisions among them. There are so many different Christian churches and it's good to focus on what we share rather than what we disagree on. All Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God sent to encourage us to live life in all its fullness and to teach us to treat others as we'd like to be treated. His life of healing, sharing and sacrifice is a wonderful example for us and his death and resurrection demonstrates that goodness and light will ultimately defeat evil and darkness! While we may not be able directly to heal the divisions among churches, we can take the opportunity to maybe heal some of the relationships in our lives. Maybe a phone call or a message sent this week could be the first step to reconciliation. A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK Loving God, as we feel the pain of past mistakes and conflicts, help us not to give in to resentment or guilt. Give us humility and strength to take the first steps in healing wounds with our fellow human beings irrespective of their denomination or religious views. Send your Holy Spirit to remind us that we are all part of the same body, the same community of humanity, fellow citizens of a world that is groaning and needs us to work together! We pray this in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN Questions What are the important things we need to carry with us as we journey together towards unity? What things might we need to let go of as we journey together towards unity? What challenges does that bring? What are our shared hopes for our community? What might our common prayers for our community be? Martin Luther King Day - 2020 20/01/2020 This day falls on the 3rd Monday in January each year! Here's a link to an excerpt from Martin Luther King's final speech on 3rd April, 1968. The following day he was murdered! This is a 2:28 video concerning MLK's vision of what a life's blueprint should look like! A PRAYER FOR TODAY Loving God, We remember with gratitude today the witness of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and we ask that we have the courage and determination to follow his example in battling injustice and living the Gospel of love. Help us to be ever more the community you want us to be. We pray this in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN	21 Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity January 18-25, 2020 It is a source of pain for many Christians that there are divisions among them. There are so many different Christian churches and it's good to focus on what we share rather than what we disagree on. All Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God sent to encourage us to live life in all its fullness and to teach us to treat others as we'd like to be treated. His life of healing, sharing and sacrifice is a wonderful example for us and his death and resurrection demonstrates that goodness and light will ultimately defeat evil and darkness! While we may not be able directly to heal the divisions among churches, we can take the opportunity to maybe heal some of the relationships in our lives. Maybe a phone call or a message sent this week could be the first step to reconciliation. A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK Loving God, as we feel the pain of past mistakes and conflicts, help us not to give in to resentment or guilt. Give us humility and strength to take the first steps in healing wounds with our fellow human beings irrespective of their denomination or religious views. Send your Holy Spirit to remind us that we are all part of the same body, the same community of humanity, fellow citizens of a world that is groaning and needs us to work together! We pray this in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN Questions What are the important things we need to carry with us as we journey together towards unity? What things might we need to let go of as we journey together towards unity? What challenges does that bring? What are our shared hopes for our community? What might our common prayers for our community be?	22 Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity January 18-25, 2020 It is a source of pain for many Christians that there are divisions among them. There are so many different Christian churches and it's good to focus on what we share rather than what we disagree on. All Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God sent to encourage us to live life in all its fullness and to teach us to treat others as we'd like to be treated. His life of healing, sharing and sacrifice is a wonderful example for us and his death and resurrection demonstrates that goodness and light will ultimately defeat evil and darkness! While we may not be able directly to heal the divisions among churches, we can take the opportunity to maybe heal some of the relationships in our lives. Maybe a phone call or a message sent this week could be the first step to reconciliation. A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK Loving God, as we feel the pain of past mistakes and conflicts, help us not to give in to resentment or guilt. Give us humility and strength to take the first steps in healing wounds with our fellow human beings irrespective of their denomination or religious views. Send your Holy Spirit to remind us that we are all part of the same body, the same community of humanity, fellow citizens of a world that is groaning and needs us to work together! We pray this in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN Questions What are the important things we need to carry with us as we journey together towards unity? What things might we need to let go of as we journey together towards unity? What challenges does that bring? What are our shared hopes for our community? What might our common prayers for our community be?	23 Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity January 18-25, 2020 It is a source of pain for many Christians that there are divisions among them. There are so many different Christian churches and it's good to focus on what we share rather than what we disagree on. All Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God sent to encourage us to live life in all its fullness and to teach us to treat others as we'd like to be treated. His life of healing, sharing and sacrifice is a wonderful example for us and his death and resurrection demonstrates that goodness and light will ultimately defeat evil and darkness! While we may not be able directly to heal the divisions among churches, we can take the opportunity to maybe heal some of the relationships in our lives. Maybe a phone call or a message sent this week could be the first step to reconciliation. A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK Loving God, as we feel the pain of past mistakes and conflicts, help us not to give in to resentment or guilt. Give us humility and strength to take the first steps in healing wounds with our fellow human beings irrespective of their denomination or religious views. Send your Holy Spirit to remind us that we are all part of the same body, the same community of humanity, fellow citizens of a world that is groaning and needs us to work together! We pray this in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN Questions What are the important things we need to carry with us as we journey together towards unity? What things might we need to let go of as we journey together towards unity? What challenges does that bring? What are our shared hopes for our community? What might our common prayers for our community be?	24 Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity January 18-25, 2020 It is a source of pain for many Christians that there are divisions among them. There are so many different Christian churches and it's good to focus on what we share rather than what we disagree on. All Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God sent to encourage us to live life in all its fullness and to teach us to treat others as we'd like to be treated. His life of healing, sharing and sacrifice is a wonderful example for us and his death and resurrection demonstrates that goodness and light will ultimately defeat evil and darkness! While we may not be able directly to heal the divisions among churches, we can take the opportunity to maybe heal some of the relationships in our lives. Maybe a phone call or a message sent this week could be the first step to reconciliation. A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK Loving God, as we feel the pain of past mistakes and conflicts, help us not to give in to resentment or guilt. Give us humility and strength to take the first steps in healing wounds with our fellow human beings irrespective of their denomination or religious views. Send your Holy Spirit to remind us that we are all part of the same body, the same community of humanity, fellow citizens of a world that is groaning and needs us to work together! We pray this in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN Questions What are the important things we need to carry with us as we journey together towards unity? What things might we need to let go of as we journey together towards unity? What challenges does that bring? What are our shared hopes for our community? What might our common prayers for our community be? International Day of Education 24/01/2020 Do you ever really reflect on education and what it means? Today is a day set aside by the United Nations to focus on that. So have a great day! Here's a short video (1:30) that you might enjoy watching! What do you think we can learn from it? This one is really special too (2:07). As you watch it, try to walk in the shoes of those who are shown. A PRAYER FOR TODAY Loving God, all children are born with a curiosity to learn about their world. Help us to nurture that curiosity so that it never wains. Where education is denied, inspire and empower leaders and decision makers to make it available. Where opportunities for education are ignored, touch the hearts of those who ignore it that they might be inspired afresh to see its relevance. Help educators to see education as a mission, a vocation, an opportunity to transform lives And help us never to lose our sense of purpose to make this world a place of peace and justice where love reigns supreme. We pray this in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN	25 Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity January 18-25, 2020 It is a source of pain for many Christians that there are divisions among them. There are so many different Christian churches and it's good to focus on what we share rather than what we disagree on. All Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God sent to encourage us to live life in all its fullness and to teach us to treat others as we'd like to be treated. His life of healing, sharing and sacrifice is a wonderful example for us and his death and resurrection demonstrates that goodness and light will ultimately defeat evil and darkness! While we may not be able directly to heal the divisions among churches, we can take the opportunity to maybe heal some of the relationships in our lives. Maybe a phone call or a message sent this week could be the first step to reconciliation. A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK Loving God, as we feel the pain of past mistakes and conflicts, help us not to give in to resentment or guilt. Give us humility and strength to take the first steps in healing wounds with our fellow human beings irrespective of their denomination or religious views. Send your Holy Spirit to remind us that we are all part of the same body, the same community of humanity, fellow citizens of a world that is groaning and needs us to work together! We pray this in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN Questions What are the important things we need to carry with us as we journey together towards unity? What things might we need to let go of as we journey together towards unity? What challenges does that bring? What are our shared hopes for our community? What might our common prayers for our community be? Chinese New Year 25/01/2020 – 01/01/1970 2020 is the Year of the Rat! Here's a video (3:25) retelling the tale of the race which underpins the Chinese New Year! The Rat is the first of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. The Rat tricked the Ox into giving him a ride. Then, just as they arrived at the finish line, Rat jumped down and landed ahead of Ox, becoming first. In Chinese culture, rats were seen as a sign of wealth and surplus. Because of their reproduction rate, married couples also prayed to them for children. Rats are clever, quick thinkers; successful, but content with living a quiet and peaceful life. The most recent Rat Years are: 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960, 1948! Check out with your family who fits into this category! A PRAYER FOR TODAY (Here it is in a 1 minute video) Loving God, We thank you that, in all cultures, the New Year means a chance for a fresh start and a new beginning. We pray especially for our Chinese brothers and sisters as they celebrate Chinese New Year. We pray for peace and love across the world and all cultures. Help bring prosperity, hope and joy throughout this New Year for all who celebrate it. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN.	26
27 Holocaust Memorial Day 27/01/2020 27th January 1945 was the day Allied Forces liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp. Each year we mark this date in memory of those who died in The Holocaust and in the genocides which have happened since. Below are a set of resources which support this: Irena Sendler - a remarkable story (3:30) - including a prayer What is Holocaust Memorial Day (1:27) - a video charting HMD and genocides since The Holocaust. An animated video of Anne Frank (3:03) - the author of a famous diary. A multi-faith prayer (1:30) - written collaboratively by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chief Rabbi and the Chief Iman, Jacob's story (2:43) - a survivor's recollections Nazi Boots (5:41) - a survivor's story A one-minute prayer for HMD (1:00)	28	29	30	31