TO KNOW GOD AND TO MAKE GOD KNOWN
Living Hope - a journey through Lent
Week 4 - Thursday
Reading
1 Kings 18.1,41-44
After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year of the drought, saying, ‘Go, present yourself to Ahab; I will send rain on the earth.’
Elijah said to Ahab, ‘Go up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of rushing rain.’ So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; there he bowed himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees. He said to his servant, ‘Go up now, look towards the sea.’ He went up and looked, and said, ‘There is nothing.’ Then he said, ‘Go again seven times.’ At the seventh time he said, ‘Look, a little cloud no bigger than a person’s hand is rising out of the sea.’ Then he said, ‘Go and say to Ahab, “Harness your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.” ’
Reflection
Elijah has been waiting, and hoping, for rain.
Seven times he and his servant have looked to the skies and seen nothing, but on the seventh time, they see a cloud – the thing is, it’s tiny. But, for Elijah, that doesn’t seem to matter, it’s enough for him to expect imminent and heavy rainfall.
Don’t despise the small beginnings, that’s what the Bible tells us. Don’t disqualify the seemingly tiny developments, don’t assume that God isn’t working in the ordinary or moving in the mundane.
Hope can feel tough when we’re continually overlooking the things that God is doing in our everyday experiences. We must learn to see our daily lives – as familiar as we are with them – as the backdrop against which God is doing wonderful things.
Challenge
Today let’s pray that we will be given eyes to see the things that God is doing, giving our attention to even the smallest and most ordinary-looking developments.
Copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2025.
Taken from the Living Hope booklets published by Church House Publishing
Prayer for the Week
Lord, our prayer this week is a simple one: help us to notice you.
Help us to quieten our loud minds and centre our distracted hearts.
Don’t let us miss what you’re up to in our lives. Amen.
Weekly service from the Church of England
The Church of England’s Lent theme for 2025 is Living Hope.
The reflections have been written by Cathrine Fungai Ngangira and Belle Tindall – both contributors to Wild Bright Hope: The Big Church Read Lent Book 2025 (SPCK) – together with Victoria Mason, Everyday Faith Editor for the Church of England.
Our vicar is Rev Elaine Atack
Contact: revelaine@nym.hush.com
PRAYER WALL:
You can write a prayer and light a virtual candle on our prayer wall: https://slfchurch.org/prayerwall
Please pass your requests to Rev Elaine at the Vicarage if you haven’t got internet access.
ONLINE PODCASTS:
Our Parish Hall
Frodsham Parish Hall
Frodsham Parish Hall is owned by St Laurence Church and can be booked by contacting our Booking Secretary: Louise Wright on 07869 265791
or emailing her at saintells@gmail.com
You can go to the Parish Hall Facebook page here
About Us
Who are we?
Baptisms and Weddings
Baptisms and Weddings
We are a warm, welcoming and inclusive Church of England congregation in the small market town of Frodsham. We belong to Inclusive Church and welcome all people to our services.
Normally, our church is open during the day on most weekdays - please see the notice above for this week's times.
You are most welcome to visit.
We have a Church School which you can link to here.
Baptisms and Weddings
Baptisms and Weddings
Baptisms and Weddings
Sunday Services
Baptisms and Weddings
Sunday Services
We have 3 communion services each week - please check our timetable above
Sunday 8am - said
Sunday 10am - with music
Tuesday 7pm - said
Messy Church is at 3pm on the first Sunday of the month in term time.
Still Point (a reflective service) is at 4pm on the third Sunday of each month.
Evensong is sung on various Sundays through the year and will be shown on our timetable which you can see above.
Online donations page and QR code
The work of our church is reliant on people’s generosity. We worship in a beautiful Grade 1 listed building which is open most weekdays between 10am and 4pm and we welcome you to visit us. Please check times in the timetable near the top of this page.
If you wish to make a donation to St Laurence Church you can do so here.
We give to our church in a variety of ways but there are two ways it can be done online, both described below.
YOU CAN MAKE A DONATION BY CLICKING HERE or use our QR code
