Pause for Prayer : Oct 2020

28 Oct 20





It is with great sadness that we record that Rev Robbie  Bowen, Superintendent Minister of the Falmouth & Gwennap Methodist Circuit and Chair of Falmouth & Penryn Churches Together 2018-20, died peacefully after a long illness on Sunday 25 October, surrounded by his family. Our love and prayers go to Ruth, Hannah, Dan and Marilyn, and the rest of their family.

May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

The Methodist Ministry Team have recorded a special service  giving thanks for Robbie’s life, available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/IJrTN0YdKyY
Further details of Robbie’s funeral will follow in due course.
Rev Andrew Mumford, Falmouth & Gwennap Methodist Circuit


Good News this week:

  • A major new trial; manure to be made into fuel. Arla a large dairy products company in the UK, is changing manure from its farms into clean usable fuel. This makes Arla the first UK business to use waste from its own farms to generate power for its fleet.
  • Tanzania is voting in National elections today (28/10/20). The incumbent President has declared the pandemic over in Tanzania – with only 509 cases recorded. At the onset of Covid-19, the President called for three days of national prayer.
  • Gifts designed to share the good news of the Gospel  and support Fairtrade.

Tesco has produced ‘The Real Advent Calendar’. These can be bought at their larger stores or online at: www.realadvent.co.uk or by calling: 01948831043.

For Prayer and reflection

CAFOD: Cancelling Developing Countries debt. CAFOD is urging campaigners to put pressure on G20 governments to compel private creditors to cancel debts that developing countries owe them. Almost half of foreign debt of low and lower -middle income countries is owed to private creditors, which include corporations like HSBC and Goldman Sachs. Dario Kenner, CAFOD’s sustainable Economic Development Analyst said: “Private creditors are profiteering off the backs of the world’s poorest people. Any debt relief that developing countries might receive from donor governments is only snatched away again by private creditors who continue to demand repayments”

United States of America. Prayer for the United States presidential election, November 3rd 2020

Covid-19 Tier 3 restrictions. Prayer for all those affected by the most severe restrictions of Covid-19

Emergency Funding for Falmouth. Falmouth is to get emergency funding from government grants to Cornwall County Council for those who are homeless. However, those on our streets are being provided with ‘pods’ only, as the night shelters are still not running. With winter approaching, ‘pods’ are little protection in severe weather conditions

Princess Pavilion. Prayer needed regarding the future of one of Falmouth’s cultural centres. The Princess Pavilion and its restaurant has been closed throughout lockdown and its future is in jeopardy.


Prayer for courage by Pádraig Ó Tuama, from Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community. 

A prayer to help us keep on keeping on …

Courage comes from the heart
and we are always welcomed by God,
the Croí * of all being.

We bear witness to our faith,
knowing that we are called
to live lives of courage,
love and reconciliation
in the ordinary and extraordinary
moments of each day.

We bear witness, too, to our failures
and our complicity in the fractures of our world.

May we be courageous today.
May we learn today.
May we love today.
Amen.

The Irish word Croí  (pronounced ‘Cree’) means ‘heart’ and is the name for the chapel space in Corrymeela.

from Revd Jane Horton


21 Oct 20

a prayer for Anti-Slavery Day from Truro Diocese. To find out more about modern slavery and what you can do to help, check out our new Toolkit:

Good News this week

  • How to find joy (even in 2020) source
  • Ikea embraced circular economics with the launch of its ‘buy back’ scheme source
  • Mass extinction could be prevented by rewilding, a report found source
  • UK supermarkets ditch Christmas glitter source

Matters of Primary Concern this week for reflection and prayer

  • Effects of coronavirus: Pray that we might bring peace and joy to those who are depressed, fearful, worried and suffering  due to the effects of Covid19 by praying, listening, keeping in touch, and thoughtful acts of kindness, especially for those living on their own
  • Cancel the Debt campaign: pray that the government will  work with other governments to Cancel the Debt of poor countries at this time. A large proportion, even 50% of their GNP is taken up in debt repayments, money that is needed to bring good infrastructures, health care and food security for their peoples.
  • Domestic abuse: Strained relationships, exacerbated by the Corona virus and falling incomes  have led to a rise in domestic abuse cases, so much so that many of the women who have fled their homes found refuges were too full to take them in.
  • Immigrants and asylum seekers: pray for all those who have no security in life at present
  • Persecution: this week we pray for persecuted Christians in Pakistan, where religious intolerance is widespread, religious minorities are being targeted with hate speech and blasphemy, and children face discrimination at school. Hindu and Christian girls are being abducted, forcibly converted and married.

14 Oct 20

from Christians Against Poverty

Good News this week

  • Cornwall campaign group The Final Straw celebrated a victory this week, after a ban on single use plastic stirrers, straws and cotton buds. sourceread more
  • Fourlanesend Community  Primary School in Torpoint have persuaded the charity Children in Need to stop using plastic noses for Red Nose Day sourceread more
  • Northern England is to lead a transport revolution as a global centre for developing hydrogen powered trains. The first hydrogen transport hub is to open in the Tees Valley, accelerating Britain’s ambition for low carbon commuting sourceread more

Matters of Primary Concern this week for reflection and prayer

  • The Covid19 pandemic. So many individuals, communities and countries have been affected in so may ways.
  • Our local foodbanks. Centres have now opened in Constantine and Stithians. We pray for those who suffer the indignity of not being able to feed themselves or their families. May they continued to be welcomed, listened to, supported and fed by our local Foodbank. We pray for the dedicated staff and  volunteers. May we be generous in donating items of food when we visit the local supermarkets. Most now  collect food for the foodbanks.
  • A Report from the World Bank this week on Global Extreme Poverty highlights a marked increase in global Extreme Poverty rates this year, due to the major challenges  faced by the poorest people in Africa and Asia due to  Covid-19.
  • Climate change and natural  disasters  
  • The escalation of the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. May we pray for successful peace talks and for all those on both sides caught up in this major conflict.

Any comments or items for inclusion may be sent to Mary Bradley  mary@corisande.plus.com


07 Oct 20

A prayer for Homeless Sunday – 11 October

Heavenly Father – Thank you for who you are and for giving us hope. Also, we thank you for everyone who is here commemorating Homeless Sunday, but help us not to forget that people are homeless every day across our nation.

We pray for those sleeping under bridges, on park benches, in doorways or bus stations.

For those who can only find shelter for the night but must wander in the daytime.

For families broken because they could not afford to pay the rent.

For those who have no relatives or friends who can take them in.

For those who have no place to keep possessions.

For those who are afraid and feel hopeless.

For all people affected by homelessness, we pray that you will help us to provide shelter, security, comfort and hope.

Jesus, help us to see your face in the eyes of every homeless person we meet so that we may be empowered through word and deed, and through all the means we have, to bring justice and peace in their time of need. Stir our hearts to move more deeply in our walk with you, so that we can be active to share your love with our neighbours and the community.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

(from Housing Justice)

a prayer from Truro Diocese on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day, 5 October

30 Sep 20

The FPCT Justice and Peace Action Group reflects, prays and takes appropriate action on matters pertaining to issues of Justice and Peace on behalf of the FPCT Forum.  We also have for the last few years met monthly to pray for our Christian Brothers and Sisters persecuted in so many countries of the world.

We would like to invite you to share and support the work of the group and so will be having a brief slot in the CTC Weekly News each week.

We also like to share the good news , especially now when most of what is broadcast is depressing, violent or unsettling.

  • This week we thank God for the Good News that the churches’ voice is now being heard in secular organisations across Cornwall and many have ecumenical representatives who are appreciated, welcomed and listened to.
  • We ask you to pray especially for Christians in China whose churches have been demolished or repurposed and symbols of faith removed.
  • We pray for a speedy appointment of a new Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, following the resignation of the previous envoy, Rehman Chishti MP.

Any comments or items for inclusion may be sent to Mary Bradley  mary@corisande.plus.com

a prayer from the Diocese of Truro

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