My thoughts for today are to say praise, well done and thank you. In the midst of so much sadness and fear and what many would say is a dark place, both of the chapels which I love and call my own’s people did something good. Long Compton held a flower and produce show and Long Itchington did an outdoor Harvest thanksgiving. Both gave people an opportunity to have a place to meet and for some to show their talents while keeping to the rules. It was a time for people to forget the problems of the world while doing something good.

---

There are two short passages in the Bible that bring together the Old and New Testaments. In 2 Chronicles 15 v7, the Spirit of God says, “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded” and in Galatians 6 v9, “let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”.

---

Going back to the beginning of lockdown, the 22 miles between the two chapels might have kept all the people further apart but the Holy Spirit must have had some part of Sally’s request for a weekly message to put on Long Compton’s notice boards and the THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK was born. I admit I didn’t think of it as a way of joining the two chapels initially but very soon I hoped that whatever thoughts I might have with God’s help could also be used with Long Itchington; in other words, two for the price (no cost) of one. I’m always ready to take and try a special offer when I’m shopping and so, with Lisa’s help, we were drawn together so that the THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK went out to many people.

---

When Jesus said ‘spread the Good News’ I believe that is what we have been doing and will continue to do and pray for the day when we are again free to worship with the choirs to pray and sing once more.

PRAYERS

Almighty God,
We come once more to pray. As we listened last week to the Last Night of the Proms and sang the words “Britain never, never, never shall be slaves”, we pray to you that at times we do feel like slaves because of the virus which threatens our lives again. We pray for help knowing Your will must be done. We look to our Lord and Saviour, your Son who also called out as He was about to be crucified, ‘not my will but your will’. AMEN.

---

Understanding God.
Lord you know that at times we are not strong as the words from Chronicles said, so today we reach out to the Holy Spirit to help us with His power to come through these difficult times. The words were also for us not to give up and again Lord, although we do not want to give up, we might struggle to go on, but with you at our side we know we will be able to keep going. AMEN.

---

God of all the world,
Our prayers are not just for us but for the suffering world. We pray for all of that suffering that we see on our televisions, the children who are starving, the babies that are born with damaged bodies, the mothers who find it impossible to feed their babies, the call from our prayers are for the world to change as You would have it. AMEN