The Aims

∙ To stand with the patients and staff at our local hospitals

∙ To ask God to help and heal patients and to protect and strengthen staff

∙ To encourage others to pray for their local hospitals and that the combined prayer would add to the wonderful work that is being done by so many.

∙ To ask God to show his power and make himself known so that many might discover to him for themselves for help in this life and the true hope of eternal life.

Symbolism in the graphic

The Heart: As part of our commitment to caring for our community, this is an act of love through our prayer. In calling us to prayer, God invites us to partnership with him so that he might demonstrate his love.

The Crosses : When we doubt God’s involvement in a world where there is pain, we look to the cross to remind us of the horrific suffering Jesus willingly endured to identify with us and to redeem us. Of those crucified next to him, only one chose to turn to him in his time of desperate need and received eternal life.

The Empty Tomb: Speaks of the power of God who raised Jesus from the dead, and of the certain hope that even death cannot take away from those who put their trust in Jesus. Some have lost loved ones to Covid-19 yet we know for the follower of Jesus, death is not the last word. Beyond the present sadness, we have the undiminished reality of eternal life.

Praying for our Local Hospitals: Not because these are more important that other hospitals but because they are ours; they serve us and are our local responsibility. Our prayer invites God into the lives and situations of those who are there as patients and staff. We pray to the loving God because we care, with faith that it will make a difference and in humility, acknowledging our need and our own limitations.

The Signs Together point Jesus who revealed the love of God. He reaches out to all and waits for his love to be received. He invites us to call his love and power into the circumstances of our lives and the lives of others, to put our trust in Jesus, even though we don’t understand him fully.

In Practice we join together each Monday evening for encouragement, worship, updates and prayer, but also individually and in other groups throughout each week, specifically in the fight against Covid-19 with our local hospitals particularly as focal points. We use all means including whatsapp, facetime, Zoom and, where bubbles allow, meeting together.

Whether related to Covid-19 or not, we offer to pray for the needs of anyone who would appreciate it.