Today I led the prayer meeting for the Waltham Forest YFC team. I always enjoy meeting up with this team and it is a privilege to join them each term to pray. Over the last year I have been conscious how the team has changed and been under pressure as well as experiencing the agony of seeing young people involved in gun and knife crime. It’s been a tough year, but in places like Waltham, every year is a tough year.

I felt strongly that I wanted to encourage this team and remind them of the hope that they have in God, and the hope that we can breathe into the lives of those that we work with ‘who do not know where to go and are like sheep without a shepherd’ (Matthew 9: 35-38).

I used an idea from Ben Edson at the OPM day recently who told the story of Pandora’s Box. After opening and shutting the box (which let out all the evils into the world) the only thing left in the box was hope. In the box that hope was symbolised by bread and wine which I brought out for us to share. We also joined in this liturgy which I wrote for the occasion:

In their reality of broken and hurting families
Lord; help us bring your hope.

In their fear of being an individual
Lord; help us bring your hope.

In their experience of violence and gang culture
Lord; help us bring your hope.

In their feelings of hopelessness
Lord; help us bring your hope.

In our conflicting pressures at home and work
Lord; give us your hope.

In our frustrations of being misunderstood
Lord; give us your hope.

In our tears over lack of care and resources
Lord; give us your hope.

In our fear of stepping out and being rejected
Lord; give us your hope.

This week
May we be agents of hope
Breathing in your hope for our lives
And breathing out your hope for the lives of others

Amen.