One of the best things about St Peter's and the Parish of Oadby is the daily rhythm of Morning and Evening Prayer each day of the week. There are nearly always two or three gathered for prayer - sometimes more. The psalms are recited; scripture is read; prayers are offered. At St Peter's, there is something very special about the bell tolling at 5.00pm. It is a reminder of the day past and the hours to come; our mortality caught up in the eternity of God. Last night, to my surprise and delight, three young people had decided to come to Evening Prayer. To hear them reciting the ancient psalms was something I found profoundly moving. The words of Psalm 11 rang out from the Chancel: "For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds, and those who are upright shall behold his face." (Psalm 11.8). The first reading was from the Book of Wisdom - again demonstrating God's providence over the righteous - "The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God." - while the next reading was the story of Jesus telling the rich young ruler to sell all that he had and follow him. (Mark 10.17-31). In prayer, we prayed for peace and justice in Georgia, Zimbabwe, and Pakistan. We also gave thanks for Monica, mother of St Augustine, whose persistent prayer and yearning for her son to embrace the Christian faith was finally rewarded with his conversion. We remembered all mothers who prayed for their children to find direction and faith in life. I hope that the young people who came and so graciously enriched Evening Prayer by their presence found the experience a postive one. It would be wonderful if others were to discover this gift of daily prayer that has been a feature of St Peter's for the last 730 years. Let us find ways to welcome and invite others to discover this spiritual treasure for what it is.
Michael Rusk
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