Prayer Letter

Good Afternoon All,

I offered to step in to Alice’s shoes last week, as if you are anything like me, I miss not getting the prayer letter each week when she is not around.  I can’t say my words will have the same impact, but I have prayfully considered what to write.

Nick and I meet often to discuss how we can support yourselves and other colleagues, bouncing ideas around.  This last week we discussed creating a Surrey CPA Facebook page.  This would be a way of communicating encouragements and celebrating events with one another.  Lots of Churches and other groups have them these days.  I don’t know if you use Facebook regularly and are comfortable with how it works, or you are like me, a bit of a technophobe who is often left standing there scratching what remains of my hair, and then has to ask the wife!, but we thought we would ask what your thoughts are.  If we created a page, would you join it[yes) or not[no]?  I have included voting buttons at the top of this email.  Of course if it was agreed that this is something we should do, is there anyone out there who could assist with setting this up and managing it day to day?  We would appreciate your thoughts in any case, so please vote….and at this point I will avoid any reference to the referendum next week!! 🙂

 

Anyway, back to the matter in hand, we have had a number of Prayer requests:-

 

• The first Prayer request is from Surrey and is for your continued prayer for a husband of one of our Staff who is seriously ill in hospital following major surgery. He has been allowed home but he is still unwell and in pain.  His wife would really appreciate your Prayers for him.
• The second request is also for Surrey and is for Our Alice. 🙂 Alice is having a minor eye operation and I know would appreciate your prayers and support as she recovers at home with her daughter and grandchildren. ( I had an email from her grandson, Jack, this morning and apart from looking a bit black and blue she is now on the mend.)
• The third request is for a colleague in  the London Christian Police Family and has not been able to get to work for a number of weeks.  He is wondering about his Police future
• I have approached Nick Ephgrave given his recent appointment as Chief Constable and asked if there was anything we could pray for him for. He responded by saying, “I would ask that in my new role I am able to exercise good judgement and make sound decisions which benefit the public and our force.”

 

This week I wanted to encourage you with a number of different quotes.  From the bible, 1 Corinthians 13:8, says, “Love never fails.”  An excerpt  from UCB’s Word For Today, said this, “‘Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I myself [Napoleon Bonaparte no less!] founded great empires: but upon what did the creations of our genius depend? Upon force. Jesus alone founded His empire upon love, and to this day millions would die for Him.’  That’s something to think about.

 

Last week in the lift lobby area a colleague, who knows I am a Christian, said to me that he had been to his sister-in-law’s funeral recently and had been given a reading to say from the bible.  For a man who is accustomed to speaking in front of large audiences, this prospect actually worried him.  He was anxious, trembling and had broken out in a sweat prior to going up, but before he did so he said a prayer.  He said that after the prayer he then he went up and had no problems.  He was feeling much better.  He said to me there really is something out there!  When I see him next I will be asking if he has said any other prayers! 🙂

We can impact people lives, not by what we say, but by who we are, and so my prayers for you this week come from the words of John Wesley, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” Be yourself and hold your colleagues up in prayer.

May you know God’s peace this week, and may you also know the Prince of Peace. God bless.

Simon

Hello everyone,

Thank you for your come back to last week’s PL.

For those in Surrey who have received this PL for nearly 8 years, you will probably be interested to know that it now goes out to Sussex Police as well, usually in a slightly different format. This week I have decided to send the same to both Forces.

A number of Prayer requests below:-

• The first Prayer request is from Surrey. A husband of one of our Staff is seriously ill in hospital following major surgery. His normal general health has been poor for many a long day, so this battle is exceptionally hard for him to fight. His wife would really appreciate your Prayers for him.
• The second request comes from Sussex. Those who head up the work for the Christian Police in Sussex have decided that they need to meet together and discuss a way forward. They would appreciate Prayer for wisdom and discernment in their time together as they seek God’s plan for the Christians in Sussex Police.
• The third and last request is for an Officer moving with his family quite some distance away from his present locality, taking up residence in a totally new area, with his wife and children. He would appreciate Prayer for everything involved; children leaving friends behind and making new friends at school; for both he and his wife to make new friends and to be able to settle quickly. He will then be faced with a lengthy commute to and from work as he is remaining in the Force. This decision he and his family have made may sound a little unusual, but they know the Lord has definitely moved them to their new home and they know they must follow God’s leading.

This family who are moving, have sent the following verse to me, it is what God has been saying to them for some time. I felt it was right when I read it to share it with you for this week’s “God Slot”   “The Lord  your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His Love. He will rejoice over you with singing” Zeph: 3.17. I Pray, that as one of your Colleagues has taken great comfort and encouragement from this verse over many weeks, you too will gain much as well.

The PL will be with you again next week, but it will be written by Sgt Simon Berger from  Surrey. This is the first time we have had a guest writer. I will not be able to undertake the writing of the PL next week as I am having a minor eye op: so Simon has asked to step in.

I will however be pleased to hear from you as ever.

Many Blessings on you all and my Prayer for you is that you are always aware of His Wisdom whilst carrying out your work as Officers and Staff in both Sussex and Surrey Police.

God bless you and keep you.

Alice

Hello Everyone,

I trust you are well.

I am not able to attend HQ’s today, so will not be able to pick up any Prayer Requests you may have left with me. This is going to be the case for the next two weeks, so do please get in touch with me at home on the email address at the lower part of the PL.

For Prayer

• I am aware of a number of people who are far from well. Please join me as we Pray with Faith for each other.

Our Youth Leader at our Church told us this last week that he and his fiancée have been out looking at possible wedding presents. They went around a number of shops with their smart phones, scanning various items. He said that as he was going through this activity to put a Wedding Present List together, he realised he did not have to do this in his life as a Christian. He was granted hope, faith, grace, etc. As he said that I was reminded of the following verses. Eph: 1 3-8. “Praise be to God; He has Blessed us with every Spiritual Blessing; He has chosen us; He has adopted us. We are redeemed and forgiven and He has lavished grace, wisdom and understanding on us” This is some gift list. I Pray that in these coming days you will live in the good of the above paraphrase.

God Bless you as you continue to be there for the public in whatever capacity you work, in Surrey Police

My Prayers are always with you.

Alice.

Hello everyone,

I trust you are well and hopefully a number of you will be looking forward to some time away as it is Half Term. Whether at work or away, please take care and stay safe.

I asked last week for you to Pray for me as I was taking a Funeral linked to the Police. Amazing answers to Prayer. Also, many thanks for your personal contact,  assuring me of your Prayers. I discovered as I have on one occasion before, that God is able to remove the “Fear Chip” out of my brain. I went into the Service totally at ease and actually enjoyed the time I was there. It was a great honour to support Surrey Police in this way. A number of Officers were there including one in uniform, having come straight from work. Thank You Lord! And thank you for Praying.

This PL is now read by Sussex Christian Police and this week they have asked that you join them in Praying for two activities, one of which is going on in Sussex.

 

• Big Church Day Out is on throughout this weekend, which is held near Steyning in West Sussex. So Prayers for God to touch people in this very fun setting, would be great. I, Alice, would like to add to that, that Patrick Samuels, our Force Chaplain will be there with his family, he will be part of the Team, helping to run this event.

 

• Also, a Bible week is being held in Stoneleigh.

Last Sunday our Pastor pointed out to us that Philip and Stephen, were “Appointed to serve food at tables”. Acts 6.3. They were two of seven people chosen to do this work. But the outcome was much above everyone’s expectation of these men. Steven became an outstanding Preacher. Philip led people to the Lord. This spoke very powerfully to me. We may appear to be just ordinary people, but if we are available to God, He is able to use us in very special ways. I Pray that you, as “Ordinary men and women” will be “Extra ordinary men and women of God” within your work in Surrey Police and amongst your family and friends.

You are in my daily Prayers; Praying that you will be amazing for Him just where He has placed you today.

Many Blessings

Alice.

Hello everyone,

I trust you have been enjoying the improvement in the weather since I last wrote.

CONGRATULATIONS

• T/Ins Bert Dean has become A Dad – for the third time,  a sister to his two other girls. Many Congratulations! Bert Dean was at our October celebration and read from the bible for us
• A recipient of this PL has been informed that her name has been put forward by SP to receive an Award presented by the British Association for Women in Policing. T/CC Ephgrave, has said she should be rightly proud of her 25 years within SP. A decision on this Nationwide Award will be made in June.  Congratulations!

PRAYER

• Both CC Olivia Pinkney now serving in Hants and former Met and Sussex Chief Lynne Owens in the NCA, continue to appreciate our Prayers for them.
• Continued Prayers for the future appointments of our Senior Officers now that the new PCC has been appointed.

A few weeks ago, one of our Leaders in my Church, shared the verse with us, “Silver and Gold have I none, but what I have I give to you”. Acts 3. 6. When you go on duty, whatever that may mean, within your role in the Police Service, you go as a Child of God. What potential! What ability!  I Pray that you will always know daily, His Strength in you as you carry out the work to which you have been called. Amen.

Go in His Strength. I continue to Pray for you daily.  And as ever, so very many thanks for all that you are and do.

Alice.

Hello everyone,

I trust that you are well.

Again apologies for the absence of the PL, it is written, but then due to technical problems, it is a bit haphazard in the arrival in your inbox. Those who are aware of this problem are working on it for me. All I know – that the time you need it, it will be there for you.

This coming week will see the Prayer Day for the Police May the 5^th  and also voting on the same day for the Mayor of London.

Below a list which can be used at any time when Praying for the Police, which has been sent to us specifically for the Prayer Day.

• Prayer for the morale of officers and staff in these challenging times.
• Pray for officers to remain safe at a time when staffing levels remain stretched.
• Honesty and Integrity remain central core values.
• For strong inspirational managers and leaders.
• Innovate & inspire to do things more effectively and efficiently.
• Peace & new jobs for staff who are facing redundancy.
• Wisdom to balance and resource the management of serious crimes, terrorism and the wide range of important local community issues that the police strive to deal with every day.

Earlier this week, for some unknown reason, (God’s?),  I had a flash back to the time I was about 8 years old, walking down the back stairs of our Church; having left the children’s choir in the Organ Balcony, to walk onto the pulpit in the Chapel to sing a solo in front of a very large congregation. I recalled as this went through my mind; that moment of total terror of being on my own on the stairs, to face what was about to take place. This memory has continued with me all this week and the word “Isolation” has entered my thinking. I am sure that in your work you find yourself coming down a “back stairway” about to enter an area of action. So I am leaving with you this week a well-known verse, “God is my refuge and strength a very present help in time of trouble”. PS 46.1.

Since I experienced the above and wrote it down a few days ago, the Hillsborough Disaster Report and findings have come out. As I sit here today writing this to you, I am so aware of the battering “All” Police have had in the last few days. I know it is your job and you will continue to be out there, or wherever your place is within the Force. So yet again I want to “Thank You So Much” for all that you do for the safety of the Community in which you work. I so appreciate you and admire you. As I walked around my Chaplaincy Patch yesterday, I could see, no matter what, the work continued and continues. Thank you!

May you know His Wisdom and Discernment in those moments of Isolation and wondering “What do I do now?” I Pray that you will always be aware of His Refuge and His Strength

In Him

Alice