Natasha’s blog

A message from Rev Natasha Thomas – St Peter’s Priest-in-Charge

Sunday July 21

Dear Friends, 

One of the joys about being a Christian is that we know that God wants us to have a close relationship with Him, as Jesus told us, God is our father in heaven. God is not a removed God, high in the sky, looking down ready to judge. Our God is a loving one who wants us to know Him and to talk to Him regularly so that we can grow in our trust and knowledge of Him.  He wants us to ask for help for ourselves and others. 

1 Thessalonians tells us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus in you. Do not quench the Spirit” (5:16-19) 

We are to be alive in God, praising and responding to the love that He has shown us in all circumstances and at all times. God wants to be involved with us. 

But prayer as I am sure you know is not just a solo act, it is also one to be done with others, for as we are told in Matthew 18:19-20 says “Truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them”. 

So, we pray in church and in home groups together for our world, community, church, neighbours and family. Knowing that God is with us and hears us. The response might not always be what we want or in the time that we want, but He does answer us. He also wants us to pray in detail, he wants us to know the issues so we can pray intimately and ask specifically. 

As someone new to living in this parish, I want to get to know the issues of our community so that we can pray intimately and with love for our neighbours, so over the coming weeks I would like to start prayer walking every Tuesday at 9am for an hour around our parish. Starting at St Peter’s and aiming to finish by 10am for a cuppa at church before starting the rest of the day. 

It would be great if you wanted to join me, but if you can’t then perhaps you might pray for your street where you live, or a particular coffee shop or shop you might visit in Saltaire, for the college, the school, Salts Mill (even though technically its not in the parish!) at around that time. God wants to know what our concerns are, and the Holy Spirit might be wanting to place things on your heart particularly to pray for in our community, and if He does please let me or the rest of the leadership team know, so we can all be blessed by God and join with you in that prayer. 

Blessings, 

Natasha