Angela Thacray's Buttercups - taken by daughter

Spreading Love & Hope...

Welcome to today's devotion. These resources have been gathered for your use at home during these days of physical social isolation and virtual social connection. May this devotion and the links provided help you stay connected to God and the wider community.

Thanks for the wonderful photos that keep coming in. Angela writes to accompany the above photo, 'My daughter sent a photo of one of their meadows, with a reference to the hymn, Daisies are our silver, buttercups our gold.' And another photo (below) of Mervyn's garden, taken by Julian, is filled with glorious blooms.
Blessings & peace, Ana & Tod
email 
Fair trade factory
During this Fairtrade Week pray for all the workers around the world making masks and other safety and protection equipment. May we, in our hurry to protect ourselves, not forget to protect them with fair wages and safe working conditions.
florencenightingale quote - fear

Music

Two old favourites to lift one's spirit..
‘In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, 300 people from 15 different countries came together to participate in a virtual rendition of the beautiful song "You'll Never Walk Alone" from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Carousel.’
‘You’ve got a friend,’ originally sung by Carole King is performed by the worldwide cast of Beautiful , all in quarantine, benefitting The Actors Fund.
Send in your favourite music links to share.
Sharing flowers

Nakba Day

During this time of COVID-19, our vision is often short and near, forgetting the pain of the past and the present in other parts of the world. Nakba Day, or the Day of Catstrophe, is observed annually on 15 May. It is usually marked in Salisbury with a gathering and worship service. This day commemorates the displacement of Palestinians that preceded and followed the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948. An estimated 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled, and hundreds of Palestinian towns and villages were depopulated and destroyed.

Prayer for Peace with Justice in Israel/Palestine

by the United Church of Canada
God,
you are our hope, we shall not let go.
You help us seek peace, justice, hope, and dignity for Palestinians and Israelis,
You lead us towards courageous actions.
We pray for the conviction to advocate for the basic human rights of all people.
We pray for the peace-builders who are actively resisting the dehumanizing forces of violence, and
better proclaim the gospel of peace for your sake.
Even though there is uncertainty, indifference, and opposition,
grant us the strength to continually seek an end to the occupation,
so that Israelis and Palestinians can create a better future for themselves.
Even as we dream of a time when Israel/Palestine will be a symbol of hope, peace, and reconciliation,
help us to be mindfully aware of the volatile present.
Draw close to the multitude of injured and grieving people in the Holy Land;
gather up the hopeless,
and abide with the physically and emotionally oppressed;
may your presence and your kin’dom comfort our siblings in their suffering.
God,
prepare tables of dialogue and opportunities for truth-telling around us.
Open the hearts of hurting people so that they may witness small signs of hope.
Surely, with your help, we will continue to seek justice and resist evil,
all the days of our lives,
until all are able to live abundantly.
Amen.
Mervyns garden at Roselands by Julian Scamell (2)

Prayer for People Facing Great Uncertainty

Adapted from New Zealand Prayer Book
God of the present moment,
God who in Jesus stills the storm
and soothes the frantic heart;
bring hope and courage
to all who wait or work in uncertainty.
Bring hope
that you will make them the equal
of whatever lies ahead.
Bring them courage
to endure what cannot be avoided,
for your will is health and wholeness;
you are God, and we need you.

link: episcopalrelief.org/what-we-do/us-disaster-program/faith-based-response-to-epidemics/

Sunday Worship on-line 10:30

Zoom screen
Andover, Broad Chalke & Salisbury congregations of the United Reformed Church gather for worship. Everyone is welcome. To join the Zoom worship service, click on the button above.
Bible on stand, Salisabury URC
Click on the blue button above to visit Worship Words for prayers and reflections related to the Lectionary Readings for this Easter season.

Trouble seeing the photos?

Try going directly into the Salisbury URC website and viewing the archives of these newsletters at https://salisburyurc.co.uk/daily-devotions-to-sustain-us-during-this-trying-time/.
Sun

In case you missed it...

Yesterdays' Daily Home Devotions
Missed a Daily Devotion? Find it here.

Subscribe to Daily Home Devotions

To receive this Daily Home Devotion in your inbox, please click on this www icon and subscribe on the Salisbury United Reformed Church website.
website 
Salisbury URC church copyright license CCL License B 430662
As this is an email newsletter, and not a publication or post on a website, the one-off use of certain items is allowed, as for a Sunday service sheet. If you catch an error, let us know so we can rectify it.
Contact us by email and visit (and join) Salisbury United Reformed Church on Facebook and our website.
facebook email website 
MailPoet