27th December
ST JOHN (Apostle & Evangelist) ‘The Word was made flesh and dwelt Among Us’. With these words John acclaims, the Incarnation of God and Man. Today, we are thankful for John’s gift and for all evangelists in the Church. Pray for Christians in other denominations and the work of the ecumenical movement. We also pray for The Diocese of Bo (The Church of the Province of West Africa).
26th December
ST STEPHEN'S DAY (Deacon, Martyr) Today we recall the first Christian martyr. Someone will lose their life today because they proclaim Christ. In the midst of celebrations, take a moment today to reflect upon this and pray for those who do not count the cost in being a sacrificial offering. We also pray for The Diocese of Blackburn (The Church of England).
25th December
CHRISTMAS DAY The greatest birth in history is celebrated today. We pray for all Christians across the world with whom we have links as the Saviour of the world is acclaimed. O Come Let Us Adore Him! Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem and the People of Bethlehem. We also pray for The Diocese of Birmingham (The Church of England).
24th December
CHRISTMAS EVE As we prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birth, we pray for ourselves that we might invite Him to be born again in us as we Grow as Disciples. We also pray for The Episcopal Church in the Philippines.
23rd December
Today we pray for all those attending Christmas services, especially for those who don’t usually attend church. We also pray for The Diocese of Biharamulo (The Anglican Church of Tanzania).
22nd December
Today we pray for those who work in hospitality around our diocese at this busy time of year. We also pray for The Diocese of Bida (The Church of Nigeria).
21st December
Today we pray for those who are lonely and isolated over the Christmas period. We also pray for The Diocese of Bhopal (The Church of North India).
Bishop Paul asks urgent question about Christians caught up in the war in Gaza
A question about Israel treatment of Christians in war-torn Gaza was asked by Bishop Paul in the House of Lords. During a session dedicated to an urgent question on the war, Bishop Paul raised details of two incidents concerning the small Christian population of the strip. The Israel Defense Forces are reported to have destroyed the entrance wall of the Anglican Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City, closing that facility, detaining most of its staff and leaving a tank on the rubble. The second
20th December
Today we pray for those who work in retail around our diocese at this busy time of year. We also pray for The Diocese of Bethlehem (The Episcopal Church).
Human flourishing at the front of regulating how data is used Bishop Paul tells House of Lords
Bishop Paul has contributed to the debate on the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill during its second reading in the House of Lords today (19 December). The draft legislation aims to update and simplify the UK’s data protection framework. Bishop Paul told the Upper House that, “high quality data is crucial to creating and sustaining a healthy and efficient society. But it is vital to get the balance between ownership, access, control, and legitimate use of that data right. Human flourishing