Community Prayer
CommunityPrayer
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity” (NIV), says Ecclesiastes 3 v 1.
Sometimes it can be hard to recognise and accept that a season has come to an end! It is therefore with sadness that ‘Churches Together’ as we know it, (which has been meeting for 30+ years), will no longer operate under that banner.
Those that attended the group regularly, took some time out to seek God’s heart and to individually pray a possible way forward before meeting to discuss and pray about a relaunch/refresh of the group in some guise.
We have had many constructive and positive times together with those present sensing a real peace that God is doing a new thing.
Our meeting over coffee at a local café in July 2025 cemented the desire for a group initially focusing on fellowship, supporting and encouraging one another in our ministries and praying for each other and our community. We very much felt the need to take small steps and see where God is leading us.
The Graham Kendrick song, “We’ll walk the land with hearts on fire, and every step will be a prayer,” which we thought about at our first meeting, still resonates with our spirits. Our desire is to claim the ground in which we live for the Lord, to be purposeful and impactful and to be more intentional about our visibility within our community.
At a get together on Tuesday 19th August, 2025 at the Turning Circle in Parish Lane, we rejoiced in the news that the Woodingdean Food Hub now has a space at St Patrick’s Church to store a few emergency packs for service users who live in the South Woodingdean area. We are grateful to God for making a way and for the efforts of Phil, Irene and the leadership at St Patrick’s.
Our meet up in October 2025 was a visit to the Woodingdean Food Hub based at the Woodingdean Youth Centre in Warren Road (next to the Community Centre).
We were welcomed warmly by the team and invited to sit in to the short briefing meeting before the doors opened to clients. Phil Parsons then gave us a tour of the centre and explained how the Hub worked for both volunteers and service users and answered the many questions we had. It was a really informative time together and an opportunity for us as a group to chat to and encourage the team in the tremendous work they are doing in our community and also to better understand how we as a group of Christians in Woodingdean can pray for the ongoing work.
I think we all left feeling touched by the sensitivity, compassion and dedication of the volunteer team and also that God was blessing this work.
Maria has kindly put together some prayer points to assist us:
- Pray that there will be enough regular volunteers to support the work and that God will bless those who serve so faithfully.
- Pray that the food and drink items donated will be sufficient and varied for the needs of those seeking assistance.
- Pray that people in need in Woodingdean will not be afraid, embarrassed or ashamed to visit the Food Hub.
On the 25th of November 2025, a beautiful, sunny but cold morning, five of our number gathered outside the library for a prayer amble along the Warren Road. It was good to be together and have the opportunity to pray for our community and importantly to be specific in our praying aided by stopping at various sites along the way. We finished our prayer time with a visit to Circa Deli for tea and coffee.
These are exciting days as we see God working His purposes out and as we step out in faith to all that God has in store for us.
Community Carol Singing – Saturday, 13th December:
Head to https://downsbaptistchurch.org/2025/12/community-carolling/
At our fellowship meeting at Circa Deli on Monday, 26th January 2026, four of us met to enjoy good tea and coffee and to share what God has been and is doing in our churches and ministries. It was good to be together!
Some items for prayer:
- For unity among God’s people and a sense of vision and purpose to see God’s Kingdom come.
- For opportunities to encourage others to join us as we seek to serve our community with the love of Jesus.
- That visitors to our churches and ministries will be welcomed warmly and will have a sense of peace and hope to sustain them in these difficult times.
- For the community lunches through Lent to assist a ministry in Zimbabwe and The Kanji Project (a small charity run entirely by volunteers to raise much needed funds to give poor children in Tamil Nadu, India, the chance of a good education and a safe place to live). Pray that these fellowship meals bring people together and draw them closer to God.
- For Downs Baptist Church as their new part-time Pastor, Jeryl Bayona, who started on 1st January, settles into his role.
- For our PCSO Leo Podesta as he serves Woodingdean especially in the light of increased crime within in our community.
On Tuesday 10th March, 2026, five of us gathered at Central Park, Woodingdean for a short prayer walk. It was also a time whilst on the journey, to stop, to be still and to focus on the needs of our community and to pray particularly for individuals who are struggling. You just don’t know what goes on behind closed doors do you? But God does! What a privilege to bring people to Jesus, asking God to bless them; praying and believing for a tangible upturn in their circumstances; a sense of real peace in their lives and a renewed hope for a better and brighter future.
Phil shared that the trial of the emergency food bank within St Patrick’s Church has now ceased as it was felt that needs could be best met within the Woodingdean Food Hub at the Youth Centre in Warren Road every Friday morning 10-12 noon. If anyone is aware of a person or family that is in desperate need for assistance, please do contact the team at the Food Hub on 07990 784978 or [email protected].
We made our way to the Java Café for refreshments and fellowship which was very welcome on a somewhat chilly and drizzly morning.
Keep watching this space for further updates!
Next meeting:-
10am – Tuesday, 28th April – Fellowship time at Circa Deli