PRAYER DIARY   2005 - 2006     

Prayer topics for each day in the month

1. Give thanks to God for calling you to be part of His work in the world. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you and the other Officers in your Company carry out that work, mentioning any special needs in your Company as they arise.

2. Give thanks for what has been accomplished for God in your Company in the past session, month, week. Pray that you and all Officers may be living examples of the Word of God to the Boys, doing nothing to break the trust which bonds Boys and Officers together.

3.  Remember all Companies in the Ballyclare area of our Battalion – 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Ballyclare, 1^st Ballyeaston, 1^st Ballylinney, 1^st Ballynure and 1^st Kilbride. Each Officer, NCO and Boy is important to God and should be committed to His care.

4. Remember all Companies in the Carrickfergus area of our Battalion - 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th and 8^th Carrickfergus, 1^st Greenisland and 1^st Whitehead. Each Officer, NCO and Boy is important to God and should be committed to His care.

5. Remember all Companies in the Larne area of our Battalion - 1^st Cairncastle, 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Larne, 1^st Mullaghdubh and 1^st Raloo. Each Officer, NCO and Boy is important to God and should be committed to His care.

6. Pray that Child Protection Guidelines may be fully operative in all Companies and that our Companies are places where boys feel safe from bullying, bad language and harmful habits and can develop, without hindrance, in the Christian faith.

7. We are one organisation in three sections. Pray that there may be full co-operation between the each Company and its Church Ruling Body and between each Section in each Company especially your own; that Chaplains, Church authorities and Captains continually seek God’s direction for their Company as part of the mission outreach of the Church.

8. Thank God for the new members in your Company. Ask His help that they may settle in easily, develop a bond with the other boys, enjoy the BB programme and have a trusting, friendly relationship with their Officers based on mutual respect.

9. Pray that all Anchor Boys, new and old, enjoy the fun, learning and fellowship during the session, but that they also feel the presence of the Lord in all they undertake - whether it is games, crafts or in their daily lives; also for the members of the Anchor Boy Council as it prepares, delivers and supports this year activities.

10. Pray that Junior Section activities may receive the backing of parents, the Church and local community; for the boys that their hearts may be opened to receive God’s word so that their lives may be changed forever by His love for them and for the Officers who give of their time and experience in leading the boys.

11. Pray for the NID Farm and Training Committees as they proceed with the sale of Rathmore; that suitable premises in an appropriate location or a suitable site may be found quickly and at a realistic cost and that any balance required may become available at the appropriate time.

12. Remember Rev. George McClelland, director for N. I., as he gives a lead to all Companies in the District; Winston Frew, Training Officer as he arranges courses and competitions and all the staff at Rathmore. May they be guided by the Holy Spirit in all their work.

13. Ask for the help of the Holy Spirit in preparation and delivery of each Bible Class that the programme may be delivered in a meaningful way which all ages can understand and that boys may be led to a saving knowledge of their Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

14. That Officers will have compassion for and a desire to help, by obtaining background knowledge and seeking guidance in handling, boys who have specific problems of behaviour, family, infirmity or illness remembering that we are all souls for whom Christ died.

15. Pray that we all, as BB Officers, will be disciplined in our lives to set aside time each day to develop our prayer life; that we will be able to listen to what God has to say to us and not be distracted by secondary things.

16. Pray about the choice of NCOs and that young men are chosen who, after appointment may set a good example to the younger members of the Company, grow in a desire to assist in Company work and, where possible, eventually become Officers.

17. Commit to God the President, Secretary, Treasurer, Chaplain and other members of the Battalion Executive, together with Office Bearers and members of the Section Councils that they may, under God, serve the Battalion to the best of their ability.

18. Remember all boys in their final year that they may use it to assist and encourage others and at the end of the session, if they are not retained in the Company, may they go into the world to serve God as He has appointed.

19.In the East African Regional Fellowship – for the pastoral, training and envisioning ministry of Dantes Kashangirwe, Secretary; for solutions to financial restrictions; for a source for producing badges and certificates; for the very juvenile work in Burundi.

20.In South Asia  Regional Fellowship – for the new secretariat to be held by Bangladesh; for the extension of our work into Sri Lanka through assistance of the Arcot Lutheran Church; for a conference to address social issues relating to poverty and abuse of children in the area.

21. In Pacific Regional Fellowship – for the re-establishment of work in Tuvalu and American Samoa; that means will be found to encourage isolated faithful and committed leadership; for the writing of a new resource or programming manual to be used across the island nations.

22. Pray for the Brigade Executive and Council as they make policy decisions; may these all be to the glory of God and the furtherance of our object. That training courses at Rathmore, Felden, Carronvale and throughout the world may be inspirational to all taking part and result in greater enthusiasm for our work among boys.

23. Sport is used to instil discipline and sportsmanship. May it not dominate any Company programme but take its place in Company work as part of a balanced curriculum and may we always be mindful that we are a Christian and not a secular organisation and that God should be glorified in all our activities, including sport.

24. Pray that The Boys’ Brigade throughout the world may diligently seek the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom amongst boys and the promotion of habits of obedience, reverence, discipline and self-respect and all that tends towards a true Christian manliness.

25. The Boys’ Brigade prayer.

26. REMEMBER Mairi McGregor (3^rd Larne) who has gone to Zomba, Kenya under the auspices of the Presbyterian Youth Board Servants Working in Mission (SWIM) project to serve with Andrew (formerly 3^rd Larne) and Clerah McClenahan. Pray for their health and for safety as they journey around 13 schools in the area with a travelling library and for blessing on their work.

27. Pray for all young Officers in their first year as Lieutenants especially those who have completed the KG IV course and those who will undertake a Youth Leader training course this session. May they settle into their Companies, be a help to their Captain, have a strong commitment to the work and set a good example to the boys.

28. Remember Companies where there is not a full quota of Officers. Pray that they may given extra strength and commitment in difficult circumstances and that additional Officers may be forthcoming to lighten the task.

29. Pray for Company Section Officers as they arrange their programme from week to week that they may be helped to make it interesting to each age range with new ideas so that the boys may be retained and more reached for the furtherance of our object.

30. Officers are not exempt from the pressures of this world. Remember those with health, business, financial, relationships, time or other personal problems; may they commit them to God and let Him take control. 

31. As we can now take 4 year olds, pray for those leading and all who will undertake the specialised training; may this be not only a boost for our organisation but a start to the boys’ introduction to their Saviour.