We have started a monthly Prayer Diary. It has a prayer intention for every day of the month - and each month the focus changes.
If you want to print it out, the December edition can be found here.
The St John’s Parish Prayer 2025
You may wish to use this prayer daily as part of your rhythm of prayer.
Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people here at St John’s. As we seek to do your will, gives us ears to hear, eyes to see, wills to obey and hearts to love. Amen.
Corporate Daily Prayer at St John’s
We pray every day at 9.30am Monday to Friday for the life of the Parish. Everyone is welcome to join us.
Can we pray for you?
If you would like someone to pray for you, whatever it might be this can be done either as part of our worship or privately by our St Luke’s Prayer Cell. Do contact our Parish Administrator to be added to one of our prayer lists:
St John’s Prayer Diary for December 2025
Welcome to our St John’s Prayer Diary for December 2025 with a prayer intention for every day of the month. As it is Kingdom Season in the life of the church, we thought we would focus our prayers this month on Justice.
November
27. Pray that I might act justly, love mercy, walk humbly.
28. For Justice in the Middle East, to both Palestinians and Israelis.
29. For Justice for the victims of all wars.
30. Advent Sunday, praying for hope in the darkness.
December
As we await the birth of the Prince of Peace, we will be focusing on praying for peace this month.
1. For everyone who opens an Advent Calendar today, that it might be a journey into understanding the real reason for the season of Advent and Christmas.
2. For Peace in our World, and for Jesus the Prince of Peace.
3. For Peace in the Holy Lands, and for the success of our Christmas Appeal to support the Anglican Hospital in Gaza.
4. For Peace in the Sahel region of Africa. A growing number of conflicts are taking place in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad, including the Boko Haram insurgency.
5. For those preparing to receiving Communion for the first time on 7th December.
6. St Nicholas, and the Parish of Harpenden as they celebrate their patronal festival.
7. For our Christingle Service and the work of The Childrens’ Society.
8. For peace between Ukraine and Russia. Why not find a news article to pray about?
9. For peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo: The war in the eastern region has escalated, with proxy conflicts between various groups and governments contributing to the violence.
10. For Peace in Myanmar: Internal conflicts continue, particularly in the Rakhine State, which involve fighting between government forces and various rebel groups, including the Rohingya.
11. We pray for peace in Sudan, and those working for peace.
12. For peace for the Kirdish people: Uprisings continue in Iran and Iraq, and there are ongoing clashes with Turkish forces in northern Syria.
13. For peace in Afghanistan: Deadly clashes have occurred between Pakistan and the Taliban government in Afghanistan.
14. For our ‘Blue Christmas’ service today at 5pm, and all who find Christmas a difficult time.
15. For peace between India and Pakistan: There was a brief conflict between India and Pakistan in May 2025, but it remains a source of tension.
16. For peace in Mexico during their drug war: Escalating cartel violence continues, particularly in Sinaloa State.
Traditionally the seven days before Christmas, at Evening Prayer, we pray the ‘O Antiphons’. The antiphons use texts from the Bible, both Old and New Testament, that Christians understand to refer to Jesus Christ, the coming Messiah. We invite you to pray and reflect on these as we journey towards Christmas and that you might find afresh the Christ in your life.
17. O Sapientia. O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other mightily, and sweetly ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence. cf Ecclesiasticus 24.3; Wisdom 8.1.
18. O Adonai. O Adonai, and leader of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm. cf Exodus 3.2; 24.12.
19. O Radix Jesse. O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples; before you kings will shut their mouths, to you the nations will make their prayer: Come and deliver us, and delay no longer. cf Isaiah 11.10; 45.14; 52.15; Romans 15.12.
20. O Clavis David. O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel; you open and no one can shut; you shut and no one can open: Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house, those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. cf Isaiah 22.22; 42.7.
21. O Oriens O Morning Star, splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness: Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. cf Malachi 4.2.
22. O Rex Gentium O King of the nations, and their desire, the cornerstone making both one: Come and save the human race, which you fashioned from clay. cf Isaiah 28.16; Ephesians 2.14.
23. O Emmanuel O Emmanuel, our King and our lawgiver, the hope of the nations and their Saviour: Come and save us, O Lord our God. cf Isaiah 7.14.
24. Christmas Eve, for all our services today and all who will come from our community.
25. Christmas Day, and all who celebrate the Birth of Jesus across the world.
26. Remembering St Stephen, the first Christian martyr, and all who are still killed for their faith today.
27. John, the Apostle, the author of the Gospel according to John. Why not read John 1.1-14?
28. Holy innocents. Lamenting all the innocent children who still die in conflicts today.
29. Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. We pray for Archbishop-designate, Bishop Sarah, as she prepares to take on her new role in the new year and the challenges she will face.
30. Giving thanks for how God has been active in my life in 2025.
31. Praying that I may be ready for what God has in store for me in 2026.