Dear Lightwave prayer supporters,

As the summer season is upon us and and lockdown restrictions are easing, some churches are opening for supervised private prayer and public services.  We give thanks for God's guidance and wisdom throughout the Coronavirus and for the opportunities to use social media to reach people with the Word of God.

There are several things we can be giving thanks for and be praying about over this coming month;
 
The top 5 things to give thanks for;

• Farm By the Water have received a £2,000 donation from The Alfred Williams Charitable Trust, to use to create a Garden Room.  A lot of people who visit the Farm enjoy the peaceful environment and time alone with God and the rules concerning lockdown have meant that there have been restrictions, leading to problems with practically arranging this. The Garden Room will be for individual or small group prayer and reflection, which gives the Farm additional space for arranging this in a safe comfortable environment. 

• We give thanks for the work of  Lightwave in Red Lodge who are currently supporting approximately 300 people in the area (face to face and by Zoom).  Thanks to those who have, since Covid 19, joined Red Lodge virtual groups; Sunday chat, Toddler cafe and F.R.I.E.N.D.S faith.  Three new Lightwave small groups are going to start after lockdown, following government guidelines.

• The Suffolk wide prayer initiatives Thy Kingdom Come (24th to 31st May 2020); a week of prayer and Healing the Divide (25th June 2020) a day of prayer to mark the one month anniversary of the death of George Floyd, which saw people sign up to 192 hours of prayer across the two events. 

• The recent one day Centre for Multiplication online Church Planting course - which 30 people from across the Diocese joined in with.  The day was lead by the Bishop of Islington, Ric Thorpe, from the Diocese of London and included sessions with national speakers in the field of church planting, looking at Change, Courage and Imagination, amongst other topics.

• Curate Tracey James, who has been recently appointed by the Dioceseto work within the Lightwave Community and also within the parishes of Debenham and Helmingham and also Curate Bob Molton, who starts with the Red Lodge Rural Resourcing Church and All Saints Church in Newmarket.

Top 5 things to pray for are;

• Our Lightwave Rural Chaplain, Graham Miles, as he is in communication with Suffolk farming communities.  Also for our farmers, with no significant amount of rain in the short-term forecast, arable farmers, especially on light land, are increasingly concerned about the progress of crops.  A wet autumn delayed drilling of many wheat and barley crops, after which slow germination hindered root development making plants vulnerable to drought. Livestock farmers are suffering from lack of grass for cattle and sheep. 

• Prayers for the Lightwave project team, Archdeacon Sally Gaze, Andrew Gosden, Nina Seaman, Kathy Wilson, Rev Charlotte Cook, Diane Grano, Becky Leutchford, Peter Plummer, Andrew Jarrold and Graham Miles, for protection, safety and encouragement, as they go about their work for the Rural Mission project.

• Pray for our Lightwave groups, those who are meeting online and those who are starting to meet in person, following Government guidelines, that they would continue to enjoy fellowship together and time with God.

• The recruitment process of appointing a Rural Resourcing Church Lead in Otley - for God's wisdom and discernment.

• For a good project progress meeting, on 1st of July 2020, with the National Church of England Strategic Development Unit.

If you have any prayer requests please email Nina.Seaman@cofesuffolk.organd the Lightwave Project team will be happy to pray for you.

Thanks for your prayer support everyone!


Peace and blessings
Sally Gaze (Archdeacon for Rural Mission) - 07746 933129
Nina Seaman (Lightwave Prayer Coordinator) - 07394 559889