Please pray for our church partners!
This week's prayers all relate to this story.

Sunday 27 Please pray for children and young people who are longing to belong, searching for love and acceptance, and ask God to mobilise many more churches to be a sanctuary where those needs can be met.

Monday 28 Give thanks to God for those churches that have worked so hard to maintain connections with children and young people amid the turbulence of the pandemic.

Tuesday 1 Please pray for God to refresh and restore everyone involved in mission to children and young people after what has been a very challenging couple of years.

Wednesday 2 Praise God that many churches are discovering that mission does not need to be large scale and sophisticated – that simple, regular get-togethers and authentic relationships are key in sharing faith with the next generation.

Thursday 3 Give thanks for our team of Mission Enablers and ask God to continue to bless them in the months ahead, as they help more churches to restart mission to children and young people in their communities.

Friday 4 Praise God for continuing to meet our financial needs during the pandemic, so that we are ready and able to support churches in developing mission to children and young people at this crucial time.

Saturday 5 So many children and young people across the country are desperate for purpose in their lives. Ask God to guide them to look for it in the right places, and to prepare his church to share his message of love and hope with them. 

Sunday 6 Pray that as SU in German-speaking Switzerland hold their annual retreat for staff and board members next weekend God will give them an encouraging, empowering time. Pray too for their general assembly on 28 March asking for God’s guidance in strategic decisions.

Monday 7 Local Mission Partner Christian Connections in Schools has been working in Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead for ten years. Pray that Easter Cracked, run by Wayne Dixon in 10 local churches for around 40 primary schools this month, will bring home to children the love of Jesus. Pray too for guidance as they seek to appoint a primary schools’ worker.

Tuesday 8 Please pray for Simon Barker as he leads the central staff team and supports many Faith Guides, Local Mission Partners and Holiday and Missions leaders in the region.

Wednesday 9 Scripture Union Easter holidays start again soon after a two-year break. Please pray for teams as they rebuild and for lots of children and young people to come and hear the good news of Jesus together.

Thursday 10 Pray that God will give Faith Guides vision to start new grow communities around the country and that the 95 will come with open hearts to these grow communities to connect and hear the good news of Jesus.

Friday 11 The Easter Experience run by Local Mission Partner Impact in Bedford has a new venue; pray for the volunteers involved, good weather and that it will have a positive impact on children and staff. Pray too for schools workers Trish, Becky and Hayley and the trustees as they develop a five-year plan.

Saturday 12 Pray for Eddie Howlett as he coordinates the community for Faith Guides, creating an environment that supports and equips them for their work. Pray that the community will grow and enable Faith Guides to encourage each other and celebrate their stories.

Sunday 13 Scripture Union International’s Bible Engagement Consultation is taking place over three weeks aiming to develop new thinking across the SU Global Family. Pray that it will help Bible engagement thinkers and practitioners to find effective approaches for today. Pray too for the Global Board as they meet at the end of the month.

Monday 14 Pray for all those who use Daily Bread and Encounter with God for their personal Bible reflections, asking that they might grow in knowledge, understanding and love.

Tuesday 15 Thrive Youth Ministries are helping churches across Warwickshire and Coventry to rethink what youthwork looks like today. Pray that churches will be open to face the challenges of change, and that Thrive will help them to try fresh ways to reach out to children and young people in their communities.

Wednesday 16 As part of their 25th anniversary year Local Mission Partner YoYo in York are running a creative writing project aiming to produce an anthology of students’ work which will be showcased at an event this term. The theme is ‘Good News: Read all about It’. Pray that the project will encourage many to think about the good news of Jesus.

Thursday 17 Please pray that Content Innovator Esther Calvert- Jordan will know God’s wisdom guiding her as she works on new content so that it will make a difference in the lives of children and young people.

Friday 18 Please pray for our Digital Solutions team (Gill Russell, Meri Suokas, Ian Gooding, Dom Vis, James Gregg and Mark Green) who have done so much in the past 18 months to implement the new supporter relations system, and are now exploring other ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the movement.

Saturday 19 The SU Council will be meeting today. Give thanks for each member and pray that they will discern God’s heart during their discussions and that SU’s ministry will be enhanced as a result.

Sunday 20 SU Romania give thanks for their winter camp where volunteers were able to strengthen relationships with one another and with God while enjoying nature and winter sports together. Pray for a lasting impact.

Monday 21 Pray that many will catch the vision and be motivated to give away copies of Jesus died for me? and Welsh version Bu farw Iesu drosof fi? for Easter. Pray that children who read it will want to know more of the love of Jesus.

Tuesday 22 Pray that Mission Enabler Chris Eales may have opportunities to train Faith Guides in Go Wild, an outdoor, experiential way of reaching the 95. Pray for the Go Wild residential at the end of May, for provision of team, children and protection after a long while since the last residential.

Wednesday 23 Pray for clear direction and vision for Local Mission Partner Bridgebuilder Trust as they celebrate 30 years of serving over 100 schools across Milton Keynes and plan for the future. Pray that they will be able to help children move beyond connecting and ultimately into growing.

Thursday 24 Our first holiday this year will be Kestrels, a sailing holiday on the Norfolk Broads. Please pray for the holiday leaders, Mary Jeddere- Fisher and Phil Maltby, as they get everything in place ready to start on 2 April. Pray for safety on the water and great conversations about Jesus.

Friday 25 Please join us in giving thanks for all our supporters who make SU’s work with children and young people possible, through generously giving, praying and volunteering. Pray that as they partner with us in this work they will be encouraged.

Saturday 26 Zoraida Ali Smith, PA to the Director of Mobilisation, asks us to pray that God will guide the development of strategies for reaching out to supporters so that we can share the good news of Jesus with the 95% of children and young people who have no contact with church. 

Sunday 27 The SU New Zealand Youth Team is developing a new workshop for youth ministry workers called Anamata which means ‘time to come, the future’ in te reo Māori. Please pray for its development and that there will be good uptake as it is rolled out this year.

Monday 28 Please pray for ‘Easter Eggsplored – Our God is Generous’ being run by Local Mission Partner COINS (Christian Outreach in Newbury Schools) schools’ team of Joni, Emma and Kate. Pray for their planning, preparation and in-person delivery of sessions in local churches and schools, and for an enthusiastic response to the event invitation.

Tuesday 29 Please pray for Diary of a Disciple holiday clubs running during the Easter holidays. Pray that as children explore the gospel stories they will encounter Jesus for themselves.

Wednesday 30 Pray for wisdom for Sue Winning, Company Secretary, as she provides leadership for the governance processes across the movement.

Thursday 31 Join the south west region in giving thanks for established Faith Guides, who are connecting with children and young people in very different settings. Pray for opportunities for Faith Guides to journey with the children and young people as they explore, respond and grow in a relationship with Jesus.

Friday 1 Please pray for Local Mission Partner Engage Woking Schools as they continue to take the Christian message into schools through various activities and particularly for the Easter assembly. This will be seen by over 30 schools in and around Woking; pray that it will give children and staff hope and joy in the new season.

Saturday 2 As we enter a new financial year, pray for vision, wisdom and innovative thinking as Scripture Union begins to invest in new resources and missional tools to extend the Revealing Jesus framework into the ‘hybrid’ online/offline world in which today’s children and young people live.

Sunday 3 Join SU Scotland in giving thanks that their three activity centres have reopened, and that children and young people have returned. Pray for the recruitment of new staff and that bookings made by school groups for this term will be honoured and not cancelled due to Covid.

Monday 4 Local Mission Partner Fleet and Crookham Churches Together in Schools hopes to run a Youth Alpha course in the summer term for those interested from the Christian clubs they run in the two secondary schools. Please pray that it will happen and will be a success.

Tuesday 5 Please pray for John Cartwright and his colleagues in the Supporter Care team as they adapt to the new operating system and phone system. Pray for a glitch-free transition on both and that there would be no disruption in service for our supporters.

Wednesday 6 Please pray for Local Mission Partner Christian Initiative to Schools in Letchworth Garden City and District, in particular their schools worker Christopher Baker as he prepares for It’s Your Move presentations with Year 6 pupils this term.

Thursday 7 GW Tracks holiday starts in two days’ time. Pray for excitement as the young people get ready to go mountain biking in the Quantock Hills. Pray for Nathan and Lucy Johnson as they lead the holiday that they and the team will be equipped in every way.

Friday 8 This weekend we have a residential for Faith Guides and children they are working with. Pray for the team and that there will be good interaction with the Faith Guides and the children and that they will discover more of Jesus’ love.

Saturday 9 Maggie Barfield, Ancora Mission Leader, has developed a new resource collection for Faith Guides called Be More Micah. Please pray that those using them, both the Faith Guides and young people from the 95%, will be inspired and motivated to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.

Please pray for the spiritual harvest that lies ahead!
This week's prayers all relate to this story.

Sunday 10 Matthew 9 verse 37 says ‘The harvest is plentiful… ’ Give thanks to God that there is a real spiritual hunger among children and young people without church connections.

Monday 11 Matthew 9 verse 37 also states that ‘the workers are few’. Please pray that God will raise up more Christians with a genuine love and care for children and young people and inspire them to reach out to those in their communities, perhaps for the first time.

Tuesday 12 Ask God to help those involved in mission work to really grasp the importance of building authentic relationships with children and young people, founded on God’s great love for them.

Wednesday 13 Please pray that those churches which are having to restart mission from scratch are able to look beyond any challenges to focus on the wonderful opportunities.

Thursday 14 Give thanks to God for Lesley, Becky and the hundreds of other Christians who have already become Faith Guides, committed to connecting with children and young people and helping them explore the message of Jesus, respond to him and grow in faith.

Friday 15 This good Friday, praise God that Faith Guides like Lesley and Becky are finding the SU Revealing Jesus mission framework so helpful in planning their mission activities.

Saturday 16 Please ask God to protect children and young people on a journey towards faith, that they are not deflected from the path by those around them who may not share their spiritual hunger.

Sunday 17 Join SU Kenya in thanking God for enabling them to implement a Mental Health and Wellness Programme across the country. Pray for God’s enabling as they train more people and as those trained continue to support children and young people in need.

Monday 18 Pray for SU Mission Enablers as they support churches in their follow-up to Easter events. Ask God to give them the wisdom to know how best to support this outreach.

Tuesday 19 Pray for Faith Guides using the latest Faith Guide resource collections: SeeKing Jesus (for 5 to 8s); Showtime and Be More Micah (both for 14 to 18s). Pray that children and young people from the 95 will be excited, intrigued and fascinated to discover the good news of Jesus through these new resources.

Wednesday 20 Pray for the Gap Year scheme run by Local Mission Partner Scripture Union Ministries Trust on the Isle of Man, for recruitment, and wisdom to know what changes need to be made as they have moved away from community living. Pray for the staff team – Ruth Walker, Hannah Grove, Sue Yardy, Linda Wildman, Kelly Taylor and Hannah Elphick.

Thursday 21 Pray that all the children and young people who encountered Jesus on one of the Easter holidays will be confirmed and strengthened in their faith as they go back to school this week.

Friday 22 Give thanks for all the grow communities and emerging grow communities as well as all the children and young people who attend and are growing in their relationship with God. Pray for those that lead them and that SU will be able to support them in the work that they are doing.

Saturday 23 Pray for Appeals and Legacies Manager Kathy Brooks as she communicates with supporters, external companies and suppliers and SU colleagues to raise funds in a variety of ways.

Sunday 24 Pray for the extension of SU Pakistan’s ministry work across more cities of Pakistan and for more female staff for their field ministry.

Monday 25 Please continue to pray for our south east team as they work to support Local Mission Partners and Faith Guides in reaching the 95. In June they will also be working to support The Big Church Day Out with their sports provision. Pray that this will provide an opportunity to build connections and share Jesus.

Tuesday 26 A message from New Zealand says: ‘We are in lockdown and found this app to use while we are “home schooling”. What an AMAZING app it is! [My children] are begging me to have devotions each morning so they can play Guardians of Ancora.’ Thank God for the way an app can reach into children’s lives, even during the ongoing pandemic.

Wednesday 27 SU’s Board of Trustees are meeting today. Pray for God’s guidance and wisdom as they finalise the budget and plans for the next phase of our Revealing Jesus development and roll-out.

Thursday 28 Heidi Beckham, Mission Events Co-ordinator, writes, ‘Pray that the summer programme can fully go ahead in 2022, and that we have an abundance of volunteer applications to enable the holidays and missions to run safely to their full potential.’

Friday 29 Please pray for those volunteers who will be leading holidays and missions for the first time this summer, that they will know the Lord’s leading and guiding as they step into these roles: Penny Clark at Hexham Mission, Jacqueline Moyo at Mind After Christ holiday and Dan Vickers, Michelle Coe and Chris Martin at the Ka’zoo holidays.

Saturday 30 Jane Webber worker with Local Mission Partner Schools Christian Worker Project in Oswestry has been busy both face to face and online during Covid with new schools asking for assemblies, lessons and prayer spaces. Pray that God’s light will touch both children and staff.

Sunday 1 SU in Congo (DR) praise God for the online training sessions in which more than 110 teams of trainers participated. Pray that the distribution of Bible reading guides for children, youth and adults in the regional areas will reach local churches.

Monday 2 Pray for the Development Hub team: for the Content Innovators as they seek to create fresh and exciting resources, for the Content Managers as they work on the detail of the material, for the support staff who hold it all together, and for Gemma Willis as she heads up and inspires the team.

Tuesday 3 Pray for Local Mission Partner Living Stones Educational Trust working in Manchester, that as they look to rebuild after the death of their Chair of Trustees at the end of last year they will know God’s wisdom and direction and his provision for all their needs.

Wednesday 4 Chris Mason, Sarah Stone, Nancy White, Sophie Tinker and Joan Wright work with Local Mission Partner Christians in Calderdale Schools Trust. Please pray for them as they support and make connections with students and staff and especially for students they work with who find exams and moving on difficult.

Thursday 5 Give thanks for all the Faith Guides across the country, for their passion and commitment to the Revealing Jesus framework. Pray for their work with the 95 that God will equip them and give them all they need to walk alongside children and young people as they explore the Christian faith.

Friday 6 The central region covers a large geographical area; please pray that the team will have wisdom in knowing where best to invest energy and resource.

Saturday 7 Gifts Administrator Tracey Bell asks us to pray that the new supporter relations system will have a positive impact and that the remaining work to be done on design, data and training will go well and the teams will become proficient in using it.

Sunday 8 SU Chile ask us to pray that they can find an appropriate strategy to work with children after the face-to-face restrictions of the past months.

Monday 9 Local Mission Partner Christians 4 Education in North Wales praise God for the provision of their new worker Sarah Petersen. These are complicated times to be working with schools and colleges as the situation changes so much. Pray that the face-to-face work will increase and bear fruit.

Tuesday 10 Pray that Stephen Vis, Director of Finance and Services, will have wisdom and guidance as he plans for a little time of spiritual refreshment in the lead up to the summer as time commitments allow.

Wednesday 11 North Wales Mission Enabler Helen Franklin retired on 14 April. Give thanks for her many years of service with SU in a range of roles and pray for the team as they look to God for a successor, asking that the person of his choice will be appointed.

Thursday 12 Pray for the Development Hub team as they put the finishing touches to a brand-new sports resource called Back on Track for youth workers, church leaders, volunteers and Faith Guides to use during the Commonwealth Games later in the year.

Friday 13 Pray that Local Mission Partner Gobaith Môn will have favour in the secondary schools on Ynys Môn and that they will be able to find more workers, and grow their church partnerships and financial support.

Saturday 14 Mission Enabler Lucy Pearson asks us to pray for the Rooted retreat happening next month. Pray that the young people booked on will have the opportunity to explore the difference Jesus can make in their lives. Pray too for the Rooted hubs across schools and communities in England and Wales.

Sunday 15 SU in English-speaking Canada is restarting Sports Clubs in local churches. Ask the Lord to equip and encourage their Community Sport Development Coordinator as he facilitates this ministry.

Monday 16 Please pray for the ongoing work of putting together the daily Bible reading guides as we approach the print deadlines for the January–March 2023 editions. Pray for Content Assistant, Annabel Moule, as she manages Encounter with God alongside the development of new Faith Guide Hub materials and holiday club resources.

Tuesday 17 Please pray for the Finance and Services team as they finalise the financial statements and prepare for the auditors to start their review in the next few days.

Wednesday 18 Pray that more volunteers will hear the call to become Faith Guides and begin to connect with the 95 so that more children and young people will hear the good news of Jesus. Pray that we will have the wisdom to know how best to support them and encourage them to go and make disciples.

Thursday 19 Supporter Care Assistant Debbie Edge asks us to give thanks for all who support SU generously with prayer and giving and who have been patient during the transition to the new system; she asks us to pray for the Supporter Care team as they get to grips with it.

Friday 20 Please pray for Mission Enabler Geoff Brown as he supports and helps teams of volunteers to run effective mission and holiday events in the north this summer.

Saturday 21 Local Mission Partner Blackpool Schools and Youth Work has been working in schools for 30 years and is greatly appreciated in schools who welcome the team visits; pray that the doors will remain open and that children and young people will respond to the love of God and grow in relationship with him.

Sunday 22 SU Mauritius has been accompanying some 50 children and young people for 4 years through a school support programme. Pray that they will see Jesus at work in a concrete way, and that their families will also come to know Jesus in a more intimate way.

Monday 23 Reflecting on Ephesians 3:20, let us give thanks to God for faithfully providing for the work of Scripture Union. Please pray for continued provision this year for all Scripture Union’s financial and other needs.

Tuesday 24 While thousands of children around the world are playing Guardians of Ancora, the technical games design team are doing necessary but not very glamorous work to maintain the app. Pray that these essential maintenance tasks are completed well and in a timely way, so that the ministry of the app can continue to flourish.

Wednesday 25 The Go Wild holiday is happening this coming weekend. Please pray that the children will settle quickly and have fun as they make new friends and experience the adventure of following Jesus.

Thursday 26 Pray for the work of the team of Local Mission Partner Wave as they explore their calling and mission within Swanage and Purbeck. Give thanks for good teamwork and friendship and pray for wisdom, creativity and imagination as they seek to serve the young people of Swanage.

Friday 27 Give thanks for all those who sacrificially give their time to volunteer on Scripture Union events. Ask that God will truly bless them in their service.

Saturday 28 The small staff team which works on our Bible reading guides is supplemented by a much wider team of freelance editors, writers, copy editors, designers and proofreaders. Please pray that they will know God’s enabling and that their combined skills will lead to many meeting God in fresh ways.