Prayer Archive

13th October 2026

UN Women (the lead United Nations entity on woemn's rights, gender equality and empowerment of women and girls) has called for the full implementation of the ceasefire in Gaza, respect for international law and accountability for violations.  More than 38,000 women and girls have been killed, while another 11,700 have sustained severe injuries from Israeli airstrikes and ground military operations, a total of 49,700 since the outbreak of war in October 2023. This represents approximately one in every 21 women and girls in Gaza, based on the estimated female population of 1.06 million at the end of 2025. UN Women said more than 150 evacuation and movement orders issued across Gaza by the Israeli Defence Forces since October 2023 had forced nearly one million women and girls from their homes, adding that almost every woman and girl in Gaza had been displaced.  The majority now living in tents or among the ruins of buildings, often without privacy or the basic facilities needed to maintain their dignity. UN Women said that women were being forced to give birth in unsafe and unsanitary conditions, putting their lives and their children's lives at risk. Nearly 4,000 miscarriages were recorded in the first six months of 2026, three times the number reported in the last six months of 2025.  UN Women urged all parties to ensure that international law was upheld and civilians were protected.

Loving God, our hearts are broken because of the suffering of women and girls in Gaza. Uphold all who are weighed down by the burdens they carry. Grant them strength and hope in their struggles.  We ask your loving compassion for all parents who mourn the deaths of their daughters and all husbands the deaths of their wives, and all children who mourn the deaths of their mothers. Guide to places of safety and shelter all women and girls displaced from their homes and support them through the trauma of living daily with fear, among destruction and death. Guide leaders and decision-makers to pursue paths of justice and peace. May they uphold the dignity and rights of all people, embrace dialogue over violence, unity over division, and seek a just and lasting peace.  May the women and girls of Gaza know they are not forgotten, and that you love and care for each one of them. We pray for peace in the land we call Holy, in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord, Amen.

You can find out more about the work of UN Women here.

The United Nations Agency for Children (UNICEF) marked the International Day of the Girl Child annually on 11th October announcing that an estimated that 68 million child marriages have been averted over the past 25 years due to education, proving that progress is possible when girls are supported and their rights are protected. The UN agency attributed the progress to investments in girls’ education, legal reform and social protection. The UNICEF statement said, “For when girls are safe, educated and empowered, they don’t just transform their own lives, they help build healthier families, stronger communities and more peaceful, prosperous societies. .... investing in girls is one of the most effective ways to accelerate progress. Every girl deserves a childhood. Every girl deserves the freedom to learn, to grow, to make her own choices and to define her own future. Yet millions of girls are still denied that freedom."

Psalm 24

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,

the world, and those who live in it;

for he has founded it on the seas,

and established it on the rivers.

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in his holy place?

Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,

who do not lift up their souls to what is false,

and do not swear deceitfully.

They will receive blessing from the Lord,

and vindication from the God of their salvation.

Such is the company of those who seek him,

who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Lift up your heads, O gates!

and be lifted up, O ancient doors!

that the King of glory may come in.

Who is the King of glory?

The Lord, strong and mighty,

the Lord, mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O gates!

and be lifted up, O ancient doors!

that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. 

12th October 2026

A boat carrying hundreds of people has capsized off the coast of Djibouti in east Africa near the port town of Obock on Thursday night. At least 139 migrants including 15 children have died. Around 82 people were rescued, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. Living in many places on the Horn of Africa is life threatening. Despite the on-going conflict in Yemen that has lasted more than a decade, migrants still cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Yemen driven by poverty, insecurity and the growing impacts of climate change. Tens of thousands make the perilous journey each year hoping to reach Gulf countries for safety and work, the IOM says. Conversely, thousands of Yemenis have fled to Djibouti to escape the civil war between Houthi fighters and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. 

Loving God, our hearts go our to our neighbours in Djibouti who mourn the deaths of those they loved. We pray for the safe-keeping and healing of all who have been rescued from the water and give thanks for all who have risk their own lives to bring others to safety. Forgive us that we create situations where people prefer to take their chances crossing the ocean rather than to remain at home. Also, forgive us that we have made the region so unsafe that it is challenging for people to find a place of safety and security, welcome and acceptance. Help us all to be empathetic to those who decide their lives are not safe and seek new beginings in far-off lands. Help us grasp the emormity of those decisions and to address all that creates instability and fear. In the name of Jesus Christ the Lord we pray, Amen.

Anna’s Hope charity was launched in 2006 by Carole and Rob Hughes (from Peterborough, UK), who sadly lost their daughter Anna to a brain tumour at the age of three. Over the past two decades, Anna’s Hope has made a huge contribution to children diagnosed with brain tumours, alongside support for their families. Anna’s Hope celebrated its 20th anniversary this year with its annual 5k fun run yesterday. More than 300 runners taking part in both the 5k fun run and Great Eastern Run supported Anna’s Hope, with many wearing fairy wings in support of the charity. The event raised thousands of £ to fund vital support for children living with brain tumours. 

Find out more about Anna's Hope here.

King of kings and Lord of lords

You are a faithful God, forgiving, patient and loving,

even when we fail you,

or sin against you, or wander far from you.

Like a loving Father you

welcoming us home to you,

with arms outstretched.

All praise and glory be to you.

We offer you our service

in whatever way you may have for us

and wherever you might need us. Amen 

11th October 2026

At least 12 people have been killed and over 300 injured in an attack on the international airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia yesterday. The deaths included four Saudis, two people from Bangladesh and one person each from the US, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt. A Saudi-led coalition blamed Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen. The US president, Donald Trump, said he was evaluating whether the US should join Saudi strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen. The Houthis have not commented on yesterday's attack but have confirmed they were involved in separate strikes on Riyadh airport on Thursday that killed three people and damaged a plane. Since the truce broke down  in their long-running war with Yemen’s Saudi-backed government in July, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked Saudi airports, oil facilities and tankers.

Loving God, bring your love and compassion to the friends and families of all who were killed in this attack yesterday.  Grant your healing and restoration to all who were injured. Guide all with responsibilities for keeping airports, air travel, passengers and crew safe. Hear our cries for peace across the Middle East.  Hear our concerns for escalating conflict and violence and our desire for change, for peace. In your mercy, break political deadlocks, soften hardened hearts, change closed minds, open unhearing ears.  May your justice and peace shape the nation of Yemen and its relationships with neighbouring countries. Let your love shine in the hearts of all people across the Middle East that peace, stability and mutual support may come to this trouble place. In the name of Jesus Christ the Lord we pray, Amen.

The Salvation Army has recently launched a free weekly sessions at its community centre in Swindon, UK, to help people coping with the loss of a loved one.  Following a visit to the centre from a man who had experienced the unexpected death of his partner, the Salvation Army identified a gap in support available to grieving residents and so decided to open the Friendship, Hope and Healing Bereavement Café. Despite seeking help elsewhere, he faced lengthy waits for support when all he wanted was someone to talk to. The aim of the cafe is to give people a place to talk and reduce the loneliness and isolation experienced by people who have lost loved ones, particularly those without close family or friends nearby. Captain Theresa Torr, who leads The Salvation Army in Gorse Hill, Swindon, said:  “Grief has no timetable. Loss happens to all of us and we react to it in different ways. Being available for those experiencing loss is the kindest way of helping them cope and also heal from the pain. The gentleman who inspired this project simply needed someone to talk to. The Bereavement Café is our practical way as a church and community centre of being there for those among us who are grieving and reminding people that you don’t have to carry this burden alone.”  

Loving God,

I enter your gates with thanksgiving and your courts with praise. This is the day that you have made;

I rejoice and am glad in it.

Your love endures for ever.

Your faithfulness continues through all generations.

You gather the outcast,

people marginalised and voiceless.

You heal the broken-hearted

and bind up their wounds.

You forgive sin.

You have opened the gate of heaven that all may go in.

Blessed be Your holy name for ever and ever

through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

10th October 2026

Today is World Homeless Day.  Homelessness impacts people across the world as war, conflict, oppression, and climate change displace people from their homes. Around 120 million people have been displaced, of which 69 million have moved within their own countries (known as internally displaced people - IDPs), the rest have crossed international borders.   The UNHCR estimates that approximately 45 million displaced people are children, representing 38% of the total displaced population.  Homelessness is found in every country.  In the USA around 750,000 people are estimated to be homeless, 350,000 in France and around 380,000 in England.  In England nearly 180,000 children live in temporary accommodation.  This means some will go to school from one place not knowing to where they will return when school finishes for the day.  It also means that many will be sharing bathrooms with others they don’t know.

The impact of homelessness on children is severe. It can be detrimental to children’s physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing. It’s harder for them to access to healthy food or hygiene products. Education is disrupted when families are constantly on the move. Children find it more difficult to develop friendships, focus in class, and find good places to study and do their homework.

Loving God, today we reflect on the thousands of families living on the margins of society, in desperate need of the basics in life, in desperate need of a place to call home. You know all their names and each situation. Remind them that they are loved, valued, and never forgotten. Protect those who sleep rough and sped each night hungry and cold.  Be alongside those who struggle with mental illness or addiction. We thank you for all who seek to help them find healing, support. Lord, teach us not to judge people whose struggles we may not understand. Help us see the dignity of every person and respond with compassion.  Guide the leaders of nations to make homelessness a key priority and to commit themselves to reducing the number of people who have no place to call home. May they work together to address all that displaces people, war, oppression, climate change, so no one need be a wanderer or feel they do not belong. Jesus Christ the Lord we pray, Amen.

Hurricane Isaias has made landfall in the US, bringing winds of more than 100mph and the risk of floods, storm surges and tornadoes. In Pensacola, Florida, charity for the homeless, Opening Doors is the area's leading agency on homelessness.  Opening Doors has been canvassing the community for days to make sure those who are unhoused know of the threat and where they can go to ride it out safely, and how to get there.  Opening Doors Executive Director Bruce Cady said ECAT has been a "great resource" offering free rides to help all residents to get to a shelter.  "Waterfront Rescue Mission has committed to serving everyone that comes to their door," Cady said. "My outreach teams also went to the city of Milton and town of Century to help homeless get to shelter." Once the storm is over and clears out of the area, Cady says street outreach teams and case managers will go to local emergency shelters and serve both those chronically homeless and newly homeless.  

You can find out more about the work of Opening Doors here.

Bread of the world in mercy broken,

wine of the soul in mercy shed,

by whom the words of life were spoken,

and in whose death our sins are dead.

Look on the heart by sorrow broken,

look on the tears by sinners shed;

and be your feast to us the token

that by your grace our souls are fed.

 Reginald Heber 1783-1826

9th October 2026

44-year-old Ali al-Bazzari died and nine others were injured during an Israeli settler attack followed by army intervention in an occupied West Bank village on Wednesday.  On Tuesday, Armed Israeli settlers on beat Jaafar Ashtiyeh, 58, a photographer for the international news agency  AFP, leaving him requiring hospital treatment, as he covered ongoing violence by settlers against West Bank olive farmers. He had tried to rush into a car for safety but two men tackled him down and clobbered him with their rifle butts, according to witnesses, his family and fellow journalists. At least six other people then ran towards the AFP journalists firing guns, with two of them beating Ashtiyeh as he tried to enter the car, which was clearly marked "Press". The Foreign Press Association, which represents international media in Israel and the Palestinian territories, said it was "deeply alarmed", adding, "This attack is a blatant attempt to intimidate the press and obstruct accurate reporting from the West Bank. International media have a responsibility to tell all sides of the story and will not be deterred by physical assaults or threats."  In the three years since Hamas' assault on Israel on 7th October 2023, 20,748 Palestinian students and 1,058 educational and administrative staff have been killed in Gaza and the occupied West Bank the Palestinian education ministry said yesterday.  The majority of schools have been damage, leaving hundreds of thousands of students without regular access to education.  UN experts have described the systematic destruction of educational institutions, personnel and intellectual life as “scholasticide.” 

God of love and mercy, compassion and peace, we place into your care all living in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel.  You breathed life into each person, and made us in your image. We long for an end to suffering in Gaza and in the West Bank. We ask your protection for all who are oppressed, for journalists abused for doing their job and for children denied an education and subjected to live with horrific acts of violence. Give to those in authority wisdom to act with humanity for the good of all, so that we may see a just and peaceful resolution in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel. May the international community work constructively with all parties to bring peace, justice, and reconciliation. In the name of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ the Lord we pray, Amen.

A partnership between the UN’s support mission in-country (UNSMIL), Italian foreign aid, Libyan domestic partners, and the HALO Trust has been working to remove landmines and unexploded ordnance from Libya since 2018. It was announced last week that 14,066 items of explosive ordnance were removed from Al-Sweihli Farm between January and September of this year, allowing displaced residents the option to return to their land. 

Loving Father, your presence is precious.

I thank you that you are close to me throughout the day.

I thank you for your guidance through the Holy Spirit.

I thank you for your magnificence that I see in nature

and in the kindness and compassion of others.

I thank you for your protection, comfort and grace.

I thank you that through the death and resurrection

of your Son Jesus Christ

the gates of heaven have been opened.

I thank you that through faith in him,

death may be faced without fear

and is not the end

for you raise us to new, eternal, life.

Amen. 

8th October 2026

Overnight, Russia has continued its assault on Ukraine with 70 missiles at Ukraine — many of them high-velocity ballistic munitions — and ‌dozens of Shahed attack drones , killing at least 32 people, including children, and damaging industrial facilities and energy infrastructure.  The heaviest losses were in Pryluky in Ukraine's northern Chernihiv region, where a Russian ‌missile destroyed a five-storey residential building. Twenty people died in the attack, including five children  100 people had been injured throughout the country. 

Loving God, we ask for your peace to embrace Ukraine and Russia.  We pry for your compassion and care for all who mourn today because those they love have been killed. Bring your comfort to parents grieving for their children.  We ask your healing for all who are injured.  Loving God, grant the leadership in Russia and Ukraine wisdom and discernment as they navigate the complexities of this conflict. Guide them by your Holy Spirit. Fill them with a desire to end the violence, death and destruction. Inspire them to seek peaceful solutions that prioritize the welfare of their people over power and pride, and greed. Help them to listen to the voices of those they serve, and to remember that true leadership is rooted in love and service.  May the international community never cease to act as mediators and to bring the two side together, and help negotiate a peace.  Lord, in the life of Russia and Ukraine may your will be done as it is in heaven.  Amen.

A group of 20 young graduates were kidnapped on 1 October while they were travelling for a national community service programme in the Abia and Akwa Ibom states in the south of Nigeria. On Monday, the police said they had identified the location where the group was being held but could not rescue them because it was mined with explosives. However, a police spokesman said in a statement yesterday that the group had been rescued at Amakohia Ubi in Imo State after a sustained search-and-rescue operation. The group are being cared for and have been taken for medical evaluation. 

Six Christian workers abducted in South Sudan on Sept. 26 were released on Thursday (Oct. 1), sources said. The Young Life South Sudan workers were traveling from Kajo Keji to Maridi, a town in Western Equatoria state, on Juba-Yambio Road when unidentified gunmen ambushed their vehicle. Catholic Bishop of Tombura-Yambio Diocese Eduardo Hiinoro Kussala condemned the kidnapping and other attacks on civilians and called the armed groups to stop targeting civilians. “Those people whom you are ambushing are your brothers are your citizens,” he told a Juba radio station, Eye Radio. “They are your brothers and sisters.”

Abba, God our Father,

we praise you,

we adore you.

All glory, honour and power be to you.

Jesus Christ, God the Son,

we praise you,

we adore you.

All glory, honour and power be to you.

Holy Spirit of God,

we praise you,

we adore you.

All glory, honour and power be to you.

Almighty and eternal God

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

God in three persons

blessed Trinity,

we praise you,

we adore you.

All glory, honour and power be to you.

Amen. 

7th October 2026

Kenya's Health minister, Aden Duale, announced yesterday that a Kenyan man who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for seven years died after returning to Kenya, making this Kenya's first-ever Ebola death. The man had been treated in the DRC after falling ill about a month ago. He then travelled overland to Kampala, Uganda and then took a flight to Nairobi on 3 October. Duale said the man underwent normal public screening at the airport before he was transferred by a relative to a hospital in the city. He was immediately isolated, suffering from fever, intense fatigue, weakness, muscle pain, painful swallowing, sore throat and bleeding under the skin at the injection sites. Duale said officials had identified 28 contacts of the deceased, but that so far “only one test has turned positive" that of the man who died. He added that authorities were looking for another 23 passengers and four crew members who were on the same flight. “I wish to assure the public not to panic, as all systems are in place to mitigate the spread of the disease,” he said. There are no reports of any specific actions being taken in Uganda as a consequence of this case. International medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned on Monday of an “alarming surge” in cases in eastern North Kivu province, which borders Uganda. The province now accounts for 40% of all new Ebola cases.  More than 4,000 people have died from Ebola in DR Congo this year, in what is the second most deadly known outbreak of the disease. 

Loving God, pour out your healing on all who are suffering with Ebola. We thank you for all who are risking their own health and lives to treat the sick and to help prevent the spread of this disease. Watch over everyone delivering care that their safety and health will be maintained. We ask for your sustaining comfort and compassion on all who grieve the deaths of people they love  Guide the authorities in searching for all who had been in contact with this man, both in Uganda and Kenya. May the international community provide bountiful support to the DRC to get control of the disease and to arrest its spread, and that   breakthroughs will come swiftly as new vaccines, treatments and prevension strategies are developed.  Loving God, we ask this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

The Cotswolds Metal Detecting Community (CMDC), established in September 2024 by Karl Monks, hosts fortnightly midweek events across the Cotswolds and South Gloucestershire, UK. Club members pay no membership subscription but £20 to take part in a dig, with funds shared between landowners and selected charities. There is also a fundraising card at each dig, and money from that keeps the club going, covering fuel, tea and coffee and other expenses. Karl said that, "The best part of this club is its members – everyone knows each other, and digs are a sort of community get-together social event."  Importantly, the club has raised more than £36,000 for charities and community groups through their organised digs. Beneficiaries have included Longfield Community Hospice and the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC).  The club also recently found two gold Roman coins which are now with Gloucestershire’s Finds Liaison Officer for assessment. 

Jesus Christ our risen Lord,

we give you thanks and praise

that you have won a victory over death. 

We rejoice in your resurrection

and the new life you offer

us in your Kingdom of love.

You alone are worthy to receive

blessing and honour

and glory and power.

We bow in homage

and worship you

our Lord and Saviour.

 Amen. 

6th October 2026

In Ethiopia's Tigray region renewed fighting erupted on 23 September between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). This ended the peace agreement signed between the two sides in November 2022. Government opposition forces have now formed an alliance, the Eritrean Defence Forces and Amhara militias having switched allegiance and are now fighting in support of the TPLF. There are now reports of press-gang style conscription into the rebel forces as men and boys as young as 15 years of age and being forcibly recruited to TPLF's militia. Pro-government forces gained control of Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray over the weekend. Yesterday, airstrikes and artillery fire hit northern Ethiopia's Tigray region, aid sources reported. Some commentators fear the fighting threatens to escalate into a wider conflict, with Ethiopia accusing Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting the armed opposition, although all three countries have denied this.  

Loving God, we bring to you our love and concerns for our neighbours in Tigray. We cry with the parents of children taken to fight in this conflict. We ask your loving care and compassion for all are are enduring the unimaginable suffering of this violence and conflict. Heal the wounds no hand can reach; mend the hearts that have forgotten how to love and to hope. Move among the international community by the power of your Holy Spirit that people with power will be moved to take action for peace and to bring law, order and stability to this fractious region.  We pray that your will shall be done in Tigray as it is in heaven. Amen.

It was an extraordinary moment near a shop in Egypt's Giza’s Ard El-Lewa area. A young man, Ahmed Ragab, happened to looked up at a nearby building. What he saw in the next second left no time to think. A five-year-old boy was falling from a second-floor balcony. Ahmed instinctively raced to be underneath the boy and caught him mid-air, preventing a potentially fatal fall. Ahmed said he understood how serious the situation was only after the boy was safe. Amazingly the life-saving catch was caught on camera.  You can see the footage here.

Psalm 62: 5-8

My soul, finds rest in God;

my hope comes from him.

Truly he is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I shall not be shaken.

My salvation and my honour depend on God;

he is my mighty rock, my refuge

Trust in him at all times, you people;

pour out your hearts to him,

for God is our refuge. 

5th October 2026

Yesterday, a Russian drone hit Kyiv’s Northern Bridge over the Dnipro River.  This was the fourth consecutive day that Russia had targeted bridges across the river in Kyiv. Russia seeks to disrupt movement cross the river. Kyiv's eight bridges connect the western and eastern parts of the city. Many of the Kyiv's three million residents rely heavily on metro lines, trains, and road bridges to travel across the city.  It is estimated that around 500,000 vehicles use the bridges every day.  In recent weeks, strikes have hit logistics hubs, railway lines, datacentres, medical storage facilities and steel plants, alongside a sustained assault on the country’s energy system that is expected to intensify over the winter. Russia has said it will be intensifying strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions. 

Loving God, we bring to you all who live with war and destruction in Ukraine.  We ask for your loving care for all who are injured and your blessing upon the medical teams who support them. We also ask your comfort and love for those who grieve and mourn. Bless those who seek to console them. Move among the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, and the whole international community that they will genuinely seek peace and bring an end to this violence, death and destruction. Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust, from hate to love, and from war to peace. We pray that your will shall be done in Ukraine as it is in heaven. Amen.

Belu is a UK based drinks business and social enterprise that prioritises the environment, and invest in people and planet. Since 2011 Belu has given 100% of net profit to WaterAid to help transform lives worldwide with clean water.  Since 2011, Belu has generated over £6.5 million for WaterAid’s work bringing clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to more than 435,000 people around the world. It is now anticipating its biggest year ever, with revenue expected to reach around £12 million - a year-on-year increase of 20%. The 15-year milestone was marked last night at an event at Tower Bridge, London UK, bringing together members of the Belu Collective, including The Corinthia, Vacherin, and Kricket, alongside other leaders from business and sustainability organisations to celebrate what the partnership has achieved – and to look ahead.  Jennie York, Director of Communications and Fundraising at WaterAid commented: "We are so grateful to every person at Belu who has played a part in this journey, helping to ensure that more people can thrive. For 15 years, Belu has shown what can be achieved when business works as a force for good. Their long-standing support of WaterAid has helped bring clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to nearly half a million people around the world, creating healthier communities and brighter futures. Behind that are countless stories of opportunity and hope."

Find out more about Belu here.

Find out more about Water Aid here.

Amazing, wonderful, almighty creator God,

each day you bring us new surprises

of your wonderful world.

We wonder at the birds in the sky

and marine creatures deep beneath the oceans.

All we have comes from you,

minerals from mines,

food from farm and orchards.

You send the refreshing rain and the warm sun.

You give us beauty and wonder to fill our senses.

All praise and glory and thanksgiving

be to you.

You created the people we meet day by day,

the ones we love, those we disagree with,

and you made us all to love one another.

We thank you for the joy of human life on planet earth.

All praise and glory be to you, wonderful God.

We thank you for Jesus Christ your Son,

and for forgiving our sin

through his death upon the cross.

We thank you for your promise of eternal life,

lived at one with you in your great Kingdom of love.

We thank you for your Holy Spirit,

who walks life's journey with each and every one of us, 

bringing us surprises of your wonderful love.

All praise and glory be to you, amazing, wonderful, almighty and loving God.

Amen.