In the Bible, God commands people, multiple times, to pray. But why do we need to pray?

This is a question many Christians, as well as people with other beliefs, have asked.

If God is in control of human history and also directs individual lives, what’s the point of praying? The answer lies in understanding what prayer is.

If you see prayer merely as a means of taking some level of control of your life and the world — as a means of leverage — then you will inevitably be troubled by what appears to be unanswered prayer. But if you see prayer primarily as an ongoing conversation with God, then you’ll realise there is really no such thing as an unanswered prayer.

If prayer is first and foremost a conversation between you and God, then his promise to always listen may be the answer your heart needs most. God might not choose to do what you ask him to do when you ask him to do it. You might have seasons when you find it hard to hear what he’s saying. It’s hard when someone says no, or not yet, to what seems to be a reasonable request, but you may discover years later that answering your prayer in the way you wanted wouldn’t actually have been the best thing at the time. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.  

The clergy and lay ministers at All Saints would be delighted to pray for or with you, for whatever need you have. Prayer is available after each Sunday service, or one of the team will be happy to visit you at home or wherever else you feel comfortable.

At both churches in the parish there are prayer trees to which people are invited to peg prayer cards. Each Saturday morning the needs on the prayer cards are prayed for by the Rector and others. 

If you would like prayer, do please get in touch. It would be an absolute privilege to pray for you.