This week’s prayers all relate to this article.

Sunday 14
Please pray for the young people who took part in the Bake Off ‘holiday’. Ask God to help them to reflect on what they have learned during their holiday at home and to help them grow in faith.

Monday 15
Please pray for all the children and young people who have been on SU holidays and missions in the past few years. Ask God to help them recall what they learned about him, so that they can find peace and comfort during these difficult times.

Tuesday 16
Give thanks to God for the digital technology that has enabled Jo Morley to create a holiday at home for the children whose Bake Off holiday had to be cancelled at Easter.

Wednesday 17
Please pray that God will inspire us to find ways to ‘adapt’ other SU holidays into holidays at home.

Thursday 18
Give thanks for all the volunteer leaders who have worked so hard preparing for SU holidays and missions this summer. Ask God to help them accept the cancellation of our summer events with patience and fortitude.

Friday 19
As our summer holidays and missions have now also been cancelled, please pray that God will provide our volunteer leaders with other opportunities to reach out to children and young people with the hope that Jesus offers this summer.

Saturday 20
Give thanks above all that, despite the dramatic impact of coronavirus on our way of life, God is almighty, all-powerful, and his purposes will still be accomplished.

This week’s prayers all relate to this article.

Sunday 21
Give thanks to God that children and young people are re-evaluating what is important in life and are open to learning about him.

Monday 22
Ask God to gently guide those children and young people, particularly those that aren’t part of a church, to discover that he is the one strong foundation that they need in life. Pray that their hearts and minds will be opened to the love he has for each one of them, and that in him their lives have unique purpose and meaning.

Tuesday 23
Please pray that God will give churches across the country a vision for the future. Pray he will give them the wisdom to know which old ways of doing mission they need to lay down, which new ways of mission they need to pursue, and equip them with any new learning and skills they need.

Wednesday 24
Pray that God will give churches the discernment to recognise what their key values and assets are – these things have not changed in spite of lockdown.

Thursday 25
Ask God to bless churches with a vision for how they use those values and assets in new ways as we look forward into a new landscape.

Friday 26
Praise God for the wonders of technology and how it can help us stay connected with children and young people in spite of restrictions.

Saturday 27
Give thanks to God for the faithfulness of Scripture Union supporters – for their prayers and their gifts, which have meant we could develop new resources for lockdown so rapidly.

Sunday 28
The Scripture Union General Assembly for chairs and directors of all national movements is taking place online this weekend and finishes tomorrow. Pray for open conversations, a sense of fellowship and clarity about the way forward.

Monday 29
A number of Lifepaths were planned for last week including Malvern, Malmesbury and Brinkburn. Give thanks for the impact of Lifepaths and pray for a lasting influence on those who have attended over the years.

Tuesday 30
Pray for all the young people who were due to attend the Rooted retreat last weekend. Pray that during lockdown they will continue to fi nd ways of exploring their faith and living it out in everyday life.

Wednesday 1
Many Local Mission Partners including Brentwood Schools Christian Worker Trust, Engage (Woking), Lighthouse (Crawley), LightSpace (Grantham), Watford Schools Trust and Christian Connections in Schools (Windsor, Slough and Maidenhead) had Prayers planned a range of transition activities around It’s Your Move. Pray for children making the move to secondary education, especially after an unsettling period, asking that effective ways may be found to support them.

Thursday 2
Potters Bar mission started in 2017 and has been very effective; Cath Hawes takes over as leader this year. Felpham Mission has been renamed Impact Felpham with Dan Balsdon as new leader. Pray for Cath and Dan now that the mission has been cancelled.

Friday 3
Thank God for all the volunteers who give up their time to serve on holidays and missions. Pray that they would be encouraged as they think about new ways of sharing God’s love with children and young people.

Saturday 4
Lagger camps, run by Steve Hutchinson, have helped many to meet Jesus. A day of Lagger experiences was originally planned for today to encourage those who come to the mid-week children’s club, Kidzone, to attend the camps. Pray that children who have attended Lagger and Kidzone will continue to grow in faith.

Sunday 5
Join Scripture Union Indonesia in praising God for the growth of their children’s and youth ministry. Their camp ministry this year will have been affected by coronavirus. Pray that all children and young people with whom they are in contact will have a deepening relationship with Jesus.

Monday 6
Impact 2020, a schools mission week across Portsmouth with Guvna B and Sadie Robertson, ending with a gig at Portsmouth Guildhall, was scheduled for this week. Pray that new ways will be found to reach many young people.

Tuesday 7
Blend on Tour last year reached out to young people with games, crafts and a barbecue in a field next to a housing estate in Goudhurst, Kent. SU Mission Enabler Lisa Jones is in discussions about the possibility of taking it to other locations in the area. Pray for fruitful conversations as they plan for a longer-term future.

Wednesday 8
Head of Regional Mission Richard Shaw has an online meeting with regional team Prayers leaders today. Pray for the team as they work together leading our national and regional mission and look for new ways of reaching the 95.

Thursday 9
Local Mission Partner Scripture Union Ministries Trust on the Isle of Man is moving their office from Port St Mary to Douglas. This will give a more centralised base but will be a big change for many people. Pray that the move will open up new opportunities.

Friday 10
The first All Together Now weekend at Great Wood for families who foster or who have adopted was planned for this weekend. Give thanks to God for many Christians who foster and pray for those who support them.

Saturday 11
Please pray for all of those who have been part of Rooted Hubs in high schools across the north, that they will have more opportunities to explore their self-worth and value in light of who God is and the love he has for them.

Sunday 12
Scripture Union in German-speaking Switzerland are starting to plan holiday camps for 2021. This is an intense time, with many conversations and negotiations. Pray for a variety of good and interesting camps and the right people to lead them.

Monday 13
Local Mission Partner Fleet and Crookham Churches Together in Schools planned to run Youth Alpha throughout the summer term for young people from school CUs. Pray that they will be able to help young people to find ways of meeting with God.

Tuesday 14
Local Mission Partner Schools Christian Worker Project in Oswestry is working to help schools address mental health issues. Please pray for Jane Webber who was due to deliver lessons in primary and secondary schools on anxiety and offer mentoring for students referred by staff.

Wednesday 15
Much activity this year has been cancelled, curtailed or affected in some way by coronavirus. Pray for teams and guests who will have been disappointed as plans have changed and for staff and Local Mission Partner workers who have had to find new ways of working. Prayers

Thursday 16
Join Local Mission Partner Missional Generation (South Yorkshire) in thanking God for the Mission United Faith In Life gatherings that have given many young people the opportunity to grow in their faith in Jesus and put that faith into action through mission activities in local communities.

Friday 17
Trevor Ranger of Local Mission Partner Synergy (based in the west of England) was planning to speak at an all-age open-air event on a farm in Severn Beach, near Bristol this Sunday. He is also working towards two holiday clubs in the summer. Pray that however plans work out he will know God’s guidance in his ministry.

Saturday 18
Please pray for SU’s Steve Hutchinson as he formulates plans and thinks about detailed programme ideas to develop the outdoors bushcraft activity further at the Barnwood Youth HUB in Gloucester.

Sunday 19
Pray for strengthened coordination in the SU structures in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), involving the regions and branches, so that the SU vision will be maintained. Pray too for God’s guidance and new direction for the provision, printing and distribution of SU Bible reading notes in schools.

Monday 20
Project OneLife will see mission through sport made a key priority for the churches in Gloucestershire and is gaining momentum as it reaches a crucial stage. Pray for wisdom as Local Mission Partner PSALMS seeks God’s guidance in understanding their future role in this.

Tuesday 21
Pray for the staff team in the north as they meet today, asking that God will give them wisdom as they look for the best ways to reach the 95 with the good news of Jesus.

Wednesday 22
Please pray that the LifeSpace prayer spaces run by the Brentwood Schools Christian Worker Trust will help secondary school students reflect on choices they have to make and to see the way that God might be involved in their lives.

Thursday 23
Pray that Local Mission Partner Contagious (based in Alnwick) will have wisdom and creativity as they seek to go to where the young people are. Usually they would engage in activities in and around local schools, supporting out-of-school activities, and building positive links with other youth workers, the wider community and local churches.

Friday 24
Pray for youth workers across the country, who at times may feel isolated or alone, and for staff and LMPs as they seek opportunities to connect with them, and that they might also connect with other youth and children’s workers in their area.

Saturday 25
If Prison Walls Could Speak is a new production being developed by Local Mission Partner Artless Theatre Company in partnership with Release International. Pray for creativity and that, in a world affected by coronavirus, churches and schools will be willing to book the production.

Sunday 26
In many places where Christians are restricted by governments from working with children and young people, Scripture Union teams are ready to take risks as they share the good news. Pray that they will have good judgement and be able to balance courage with prudence.

Monday 27
A team from the central region would have been at New Wine this week running the youth sports outreach programme and engaging with guests to give them a picture of SU’s ministry. Take the opportunity to pray for our relationships with those who organise large events.

Tuesday 28
Local Mission Partner Chester Schools Christian Work thanks God for great prayer spaces that they have run in primary schools and asks us to pray for the opportunities to run more.

Wednesday 29
Over the last four years, National Mission Partner Festive has seen their network of sixth form students grow significantly through contact with them at Soul Survivor. Without the festival this year, please pray that God will enable them to maintain contact with students who they can be supporting. Prayers

Thursday 30
Coronavirus is affecting many activities this summer including Beach Life events planned for Cleveleys (30 July to 1 August), Blackpool (30 July to 1 August and 27–29 August) and Fleetwood (25–27 August). Pray that, whatever the current situation, effective ways of reaching out may be found.

Friday 31
Local Mission Partner Re:generation (Harrow) asks us to pray for the appointment of a new children’s worker, hopefully to start in September.

Saturday 1
SU Mission Enabler Hannah Legge plans to be at Creation Fest (1–7 August) running sports venues alongside Adam Legge and Richard Witham. Thank God for the opportunities that events like this create and pray that as we move forward we may know how to make the most effective use of them.

Sunday 2
Scripture Union Spain asks us to pray for the development of the ‘MusicArt’ project. Pray that as they look to the longer-term future, God will open doors to perform their new musical in many more cities in Spain, so that many people can hear the good news of Jesus.

Monday 3
Join the trustees of the Josiah Spiers Benefit Fund as they pray for former SU staff members who may be experiencing problems as a consequence of coronavirus. Ask that they may be able to identify them and help where they can.

Tuesday 4
The theme for this year’s Shine in Schools is ‘Influencers’, aiming to encourage Christian young people to see how they can influence their friends with the good news of Jesus and help them explore what it means to have Jesus as their biggest influence. Pray for the planning and promotion.

Wednesday 5
Give thanks for the Scripture Union movements around the world who are using Guardians of Ancora in their mission with children. Please pray for the newest Prayers English-speaking partners: SU Ghana, SU Namibia and SU Kenya, as they find ways to use the app in their countries.

Thursday 6
Local Mission Partner Living Stones Educational Trust, working in a deprived area of Manchester, thanks God for their wonderfully committed volunteers and ask us to pray that they might have a balance of younger volunteers.

Friday 7
Christopher Baker, schools worker with Local Mission Partner Christians in Schools (Letchworth), usually takes assemblies and runs RE lessons and lunchtime clubs in 16 schools in the area. Pray that God would keep the doors open and that more children would come to the clubs.

Saturday 8
The work of Local Mission Partner Stort Valley Trust (Bishops Stortford) involves primary lunch clubs and supporting teachers. Pray for wisdom and finance as they seek to grow the ministry through mentoring or listening services and by working more strategically with schools.

Sunday 9
Please pray that God will provide Scripture Union Angola with people who can train them in making Bible guides and cards, so that next year they will be able to produce these themselves. Pray also for a greater exchange of knowledge between them and other national movements.

Monday 10
Pray that the Development Hub team will work efficiently and effectively under the leadership of Gemma Willis. Ask God to inspire their creativity as they seek to connect with the 95 and for their next Creative Collective gathering planed for the autumn.

Tuesday 11
Local Mission Partner Faith in Schools who work in the London Borough of Newham would like prayer for a fulltime schools worker for Stratford and Manor Park, and for opportunities for churches to tell children about Jesus, in lessons, to remain open.

Wednesday 12
The X:site National holiday was planned to start today, at a new site in Yorkshire. In common with many SU holidays, it is refocussing to be more accessible to children with little Prayers or no church background. Pray that holiday and mission teams will know how best to speak about Jesus to those who know nothing about him.

Thursday 13
Go Wild!, originally an SU holiday, seeks to introduce children to our great God using the great outdoors (with bushcraft etc). SU Mission Enabler Chris Eales has been working on ways of developing Go Wild! resources for a range of different settings nationally. Pray for creativity in adapting the content and for it to be effective.

Friday 14
Join Local Mission Partner Bodmin Youth Trust in giving thanks for the young people they made contact with at the start of the year who had no church connections. Pray that they will want to know more about Jesus, and the team will have the wisdom to know how best to help them.

Saturday 15
SU Mission Enabler Toby Chant is involved in ongoing discussions with churches in Tiverton about developing work in the town. Pray for the right openings and for God’s guidance.

Sunday 16
Due to the impact of bushfires in Victoria, Australia, many summer camps were cancelled. Since then further activities have been cancelled due to coronavirus. Please pray for campers and volunteer teams who are grieving the loss of this much-anticipated experience.

Monday 17
Local Mission Partner Christians 4 Education in north Wales praises God for hearing and answering Connecting You prayers. They discovered an excellent volunteer the week it was featured, and prayer for the Higher Tour led to two follow-up groups with unchurched young people.

Tuesday 18
Give thanks for the many projects that have been enabled by the Good News Fund. Linx Christian Youth Trust in Paignton, for example, were able to buy some new disco equipment to use at outreach events, and Cafe Church Bristol were able to put on a community event.

Wednesday 19
Give thanks for new relationships that are building with many churches across the north of the country. Pray for wisdom in following these up, especially with the restrictions Prayers imposed by COVID-19, and for ways of identifying more churches with whom we could work in 2021.

Thursday 20
Local Mission Partner Christian Connections in Schools is planning for Illuminate Maidenhead with LZ7 in April next year. Pray for a good level of involvement from local churches and for a sense of expectation.

Friday 21
SU Mission Enabler Neil Jackson has helped with the development of workshops and clubs using the Diary of a Disciple books in North Yorkshire and is also looking to help with similar projects in County Durham. Give thanks for recent success and pray for the children and young people who attended.

Saturday 22
Local Mission Partner Gobaith Môn (in Anglesey) aims to encourage more work with young people through churches, schools and the community. They have a football cage that they take into schools (when they’re able). Pray that this will lead to building of relationships with young people.

Sunday 23
Scripture Union Honduras thank God for a donation which will enable them to print 60,000 ministry resource manuals for 30,000 children for two years. Pray that the Lord will inspire writers and that the lessons will strengthen the children’s faith.

Monday 24
Local Mission Partner Archway (working in villages in Northamptonshire) had to cancel their regular Tea, Toast and Toys groups because of the issues raised by coronavirus and are instead keeping in touch with families over the phone. Pray that this will not lead to a loss of momentum in the work.

Tuesday 25
Thank God for all those who faithfully support the movement. This year has seen a number of financial challenges as a result of COVID-19 leading to the cancellation of events. Pray that God will continue to meet our needs.

Wednesday 26
Mati, Divine and Rachel love their afterschool Guardians of Ancora club because ‘you get to play a game AND do Bible stories at the same time’. Please pray for those planning clubs in schools, churches and community settings, so that many more children can share their enthusiasm.

Thursday 27
Local Mission Partner Milton Keynes Bridgebuilder Trust thanks God for an open door to Denbigh Academy and for the new emotional wellbeing course. Pray that this will be well-received by all schools once they are able to recommence, and will help young people to cope better with the pressures of life.

Friday 28
Pray for the Shine in Schools planning and review conference call involving all partners which takes place today, asking that God will guide their discussion and give creativity.

Saturday 29
Pray that Local Mission Partner Christians in Schools will be able to develop more lunchtime and after school clubs (Hub Clubs) in primary schools in Stockport where their work is based.