September 2020 Prayer News

The Sannox Prayer

“Today I choose to stand in this place you have called me to,
And I declare that You are a Mighty God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth.
Your Kingdom shall endure and will never be shaken.
Open the windows of Heaven and pour out Your promised blessings in this generation.
Revive us, restore us and heal our land.
Thank you for going before us to open the way and remove all obstacles.
Increase our Faith, stir up Hope and keep us grounded and walking in Love.
Thank you that You are creating a dwelling place for God and man here; in Sannox, on Arran, for the nations.
Amen”

 

Summary Prayer Points

• Give thanks for our Friends of Sannox who support us in so many ways. We bless you and pray for you in the name of Jesus.
• Give thanks for the re-opening of the Centre on 1 September 2020 and that all the arrangements went well and people are coming.
• Continue praying for the Directors as we plan for the future.
• Pray for John our builder and his team, giving thanks for them, as they finish the church, new kitchen and toilets.
• Pray for our fund raisers – Ruth and Geraldine – as they look at applying for grants for the manse.

More details on Prayer Points

1. Prayers for our Friends – We appreciate all of our Friends of Sannox who support us in so many ways. We are praying for each of you by name through this difficult time. Please contact us if you would like us to pray for specific things by contacting Heidi, our administrator, at admin@sannox.org. These will be kept confidential.

2. SCC Re-opening on the 1st September 2020 – The centre opened on the 31st August as that was when our first guests arrived. All went well. In fact, we are delighted at the number of people coming to Sannox in September. At the moment there will be someone staying at the centre for 18 days of the 30 days in September. This includes hosts and guests. In addition, we have one provisional booking. It is so encouraging to see guests and hosts back at Sannox. Thanks also to the team – Heidi, Michelle, Barbara and Fiona – for all the planning work making sure our cleaning and managing procedures were fit for purpose. Great to see our Housekeeper back working as well – Michelle is also delighted! However, we still have spare slots for September and want to keep the momentum going for October so please book:

   1. Contact Heidi at admin@sannox.org to make a booking.
   2. Bookings will be staggered to allow for deep cleaning.
   3. Given the work and the extra costs involved, the bookings will be for a minimum of two         nights but preferably 3 or more.
   4. Initially, the church and Gatehouse will be closed to guests to maximise safety and minimise cleaning.

3. SCC Re-set – The Trustees/Directors are making good progress with the future plans. We have set aside a day of prayer on Saturday 10 October to finalise these plans. Please pray that we hear clearly from God.

4. August Zoom Prayer Gathering – We held our fifth Zoom virtual prayer gathering on the 3rd August which was great and again worked well. It was so good to see friends from so many areas and to share and pray together. Our sixth Sannox Zoom Prayer Gathering is on Monday 7th September 2020 at 8 pm. As we did last month, we will circulate the Zoom link with instructions as a separate email to our Friends of Sannox, so watch out for that. Please join us. I will open the meeting at 7.45 so we can chat and welcome each other.

5. Restoration of the church and manse

   a. Restoration of the church and provision of the new kitchen and toilets – The restoration of the church is virtually finished (See photos). It looks amazing. The new kitchen and toilets will be finished in two weeks time. Give thanks to God for supplying all our needs.

   b. Music equipment – Central church in Edinburgh has given us a range of equipment for our music ministries – guitar amplifiers, PA speakers and amplifiers, a multi-channel mixing desk and a synth/keyboard to compliment the one we have already been given. Our music worship team will be meeting to plan the future re events and streaming ministries. We believe this is a core activity for the future.

   c. Work Party – The work party we mentioned last month has still not been finalised as we are waiting to see how the rules and regulations ease in the coming weeks. We will let you know as soon as we can about the dates. The main work will involve laying the paths to give full access between the church, Dundarroch, the Gatehouse and the main entrance. There is also painting to be done!

   d. Next phase – the Manse – Ruth and Geraldine, our fund raisers, are developing a funding document to be sent to the grant awarding organisations they have identified. Pray for them as they work on the plan. We now have a cost breakdown for the refurbishment of the manse and will be issuing details of our financing plans soon.

6. Finances – Monthly donations and guest donations – Thanks to all of you who are continuing to support us on a monthly basis during this difficult time. Our monthly regular giving has not declined which is so encouraging. With the re-opening, we are also hoping for an increase in income from guest donations to help us hit our income target for the coming year.

7. Events:
   a. Confirmed dates: Midweek Retreat led by Roy Searle – Monday 23 November to Thursday 26 November 2020 – We are aiming to hold this retreat in the newly refurbished (and heated) church, complete with social distancing. The event is already well attended and we may have to start a waiting list subject to the easing of Covid-19 rules. If you want to attend then please do so by contact Heidi on admin@sannox.org who will advise on the latest situation. The details of the retreat are given below:

i. Theme “Celtic Treasures – Light from the past to inspire and illumine our lives today”

   ii. Content Roy Searle, of the Northumbria Community and an advisor to SCC, will explore the riches to be found in the stories of the Celtic Saints and their relevance to life and faith today. The retreat will run from mid-afternoon on Monday through to after lunch on Thursday. A monastic rhythm of prayer will frame each day with Daily Offices, teaching sessions and lots of time to relax, reflect and enjoy the beauty of the Isle of Arran and the Sannox Christian Centre.

iii. Accommodation If you need accommodation, places are limited at the centre so book soon. 

   b. Bible Study Weekend – Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August 2020 – This has been postponed and we are looking at alternative dates.

   c. Opening of the Church and Open Day – We are looking at arrangements and dates for this event and are monitoring the situation regarding COVID-19.

We bless you, in the name of Jesus, to receive all that the Father has for you and thank you for your continuing support of His work at SCC. Be blessed and protected in all you do for the Kingdom, in the mighty and beautiful name of Jesus.