JUNE - JULY 2000

Rev. 5:8 The prayers of the saints are like golden bowls full of incense’ ;Isaiah 62:6-7 ‘On your wall O Jerusalem (Bristol) I have posted watchmen: All day and all night they will never keep silent until he .. makes her the praise of the earth ill her salvation like a blazing torch. Nehemiah 2 let us rebuild the walls..’ BE A BRICK! Jeremiah 29:7 ‘Pray to the Lord (for the city) if it prospers you too will prosper. Lord give us your eyes and heart of Prayer as we read the papers and hear the news on TV and travel around Bristol.

PRAYER GUIDELINES

It is helpful to break the hour’s prayer down into slots of 6 x 10 minute slots. Use the first 10 minutes to get settled into God’s Presence and to be focussed on Him and his Word; use the next 10 minutes for repentance and getting right with God & for praying about relationships; Use the last 4 x 10 minute slots for praying about Bristol for one or two topics from each of the suggested sections as you are guided by the Holy Spirit. Expand each topic and pray in-depth and as led by God. Be specific in what you pray about then you will be able to follow up the response.

1^st 10 minutes

Praise & adoration. Worshipping God for who he is, Sing, Read a Psalm or other piece of devotional writing to focus the heart on Jesus ie.Psalm 100, Isaiah 53, Revelation 1

2^nd 10 minutes

Ensure our relationships are right with God and others, confess all sins, forgive all who may have offended you, give thanks in your circumstances and trust God for them. Depend on and ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray. - Humility: Phil 2:6:11; 1Peter 5:5-7; Matt 18

Possible Prayer Topics for Bristol:

THE CHURCH IN BRISTOL – UNITY - Psalm 133, John 17:1:20-26; Eph. 4:1-3

• For churches and church leaders to be in unity, (especially between denominational churches and free churches); for the young to work with the old; to share vision and resources; to recognise one another’s strengths; to be involved in actual practical projects together; for strategy to be formed to reach the city. That effective discipleship programmes would be set up so that all Christians may know their true identity and potential in Christ and grow in their faith, knowledge and practice of the Word and Spirit.

• Spirit of Prayer – 2 Chron. 7:14; Mark 11: 15-17;

• Spirit of Faith – Heb 11:6; Matt 21: 18-22

• For churches to grow and be encouraged in South Bristol and to be live, vibrant witnesses in the local communities & housing estates of Bedminster, Knowle, Hartcliffe, Withywood, etc. and that the stronger churches in the North of the city might be willing to facilitate this.

• June 4^th and 11^th - Pentecost on College Green & at Cathedral Interchurch Service & witness.

• For Communication of events between Churches & Christian organisations to be more effective and for the use of A Central Christian Bristol website &for manpower to run the Spreadsheet.

OUTREACH – Ezekiel 37:1-14

For committed volunteers & finances for the On the Move Evangelistic Barbecues with worship bands from 14^th to 17^th June in Broadmead, Bedminster and Kingswood - (preparation meeting on13th June at Christchurch Clifton) – Pray for effective witness, power & coordination.

• Pray for the OAC (Open Air Campaigners) workers who take the gospel into Bristol’s schools and reach 1000s of children every day. Pray for them to be encouraged and to be provided

• Pray for all Christians to be supported and effective witnesses in their places of work whether in business, in the NHS, in Education, in Social Services, in the Police force etc.

• BISC - International Students Centre run by Christian; for the overseas students to be reached.

• GO 2000 - for 1000s of young people going out overseas on missions guidance and direction

SOCIAL ACTION

• Ministries amongst the Youth to be empowered, Christian and non-Christian, for the various Children’s holiday club preparations and work on council estates and in the inner city

• Elderly to be comforted and protected and to receive right type of care (the city Council want to close down the Council OAP homes) and also to be reached with the Gospel.

• For ministries to poor and marginalised to be resourced sufficiently with staff, volunteers, finances, buildings, skills, mercy and love, examples are Crisis Centre Ministries in St Pauls, Salvation Army rehabilitation centre in St. Phillips – for recovering addicts to come through the programme, Soup Runs to Homeless, Prison outreach/visiting/discipleship - for new converts in Horfield and Ashfield Young Offenders centre, Network Counselling, SPACE, 125 Project.

MORALITY

Pray for Christian Marriages, Single people & Families to shine for God. For Christian principles to be taught in Schools. That the proposed Gay Village to be set up in Old Market will not go ahead & that a loving witness will be raised up to reach the Bristol Gay population .

BRISTOL GENERALLY

Pray for the breath of God to blow over the dry bones of His people and also to bring light and blessing to all people who live in the city. For World of Commerce in Bristol and for God to work through it and for the prosperity of Christian Businesses; For harmonious race relations in the city and for the police to facilitate this. For the City Council and their Decision-making. Pray for your own locality and issues (your local free paper might help), for your MP and councillor and possibly get a copy of the electoral role in your street from the Council House to pray for your neighbours. For Christian MPs and councillors are Valerie Davey, Anne White, Carol Cooke, ………

BUILDING OF THE PRAYER WALL

• Pray that the gaps either side of your own will be filled in by other Christians called to the Wall. Share details of the Prayer Wall which your Church Prayer Leader

• Praise God there are now 60+ people praying on the wall. Every week new people join.

• Pray for another lunchtime presentation to Church Leaders on 11^th July .

MONTHLY MEETING FOR THOSE ON THE BRISTOL PRAYER WALL

The purpose of this meeting is to pray for the city and also to have a short time of sharing and feeding back of any words or visions people have received whilst praying on the wall and to feed in future topics for prayer. All Watchmen can send in prayer requests to the Prayer Wall at anytime. You can also pick up your two-monthly Prayer Guide here.

Send SAEs for postal deliveries. THE FIRST MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 8pm to 10pm AT THE ELMGROVE CENTRE, SMALL HALL REDLAND RD, REDLAND next to Living Wells leisure centre JUNE 5^t,h, 3^rd JULY etc.

CEMENT BETWEEN THE BRICKS OF THE WALL –

these are the phonecalls/prayers between the watchmen on the wall at the start and end of each hour. Remember to pray for and ring up the Watchmen next to you .