“Talk to God about men before you talk to men about God.” 

Those well‑known words from E.M. Bounds capture something simple, profound, and deeply timely.

As we approach Thy Kingdom Come, we are invited once again into a season shaped not by pressure or performance, but by prayer. Sitting between Ascension and Pentecost, these days remind us that the disciples were neither inactive nor anxious. They waited. They prayed They trusted that God was already at work, as He is today in our Diocese.

Thy Kingdom Come encourages us to do the same. At its heart is a very simple practice: to name five people we would love to see grow in faith—friends, family members, neighbours, colleagues—and to hold them before God day by day. Not to fix them, persuade them, or perfect our words, but to entrust them to the loving attention of God.

Prayer changes things. Sometimes it changes circumstances; often it quietly changes us. As we pray, hearts are softened, eyes are opened, and attentiveness to the Spirit grows. We become more aware of where God is already at work, and more ready to join in with what God is doing.

This season is a gift to the whole Church: a shared moment to pause, to hope, and to pray together across parishes, traditions, and generations. Whether you are confident in prayer or finding your way, whether your five names feel close to faith or far from it, God welcomes what you bring. We can pray alone, we can pray in groups, we can pray as a church or we can pray at one of our Diocesan events. However, and wherever, and with whom, please pray!

May this be a season where prayer is renewed, hope is rekindled, and love quietly grows.

Who are your five?

The Revd Canon Matt Barnes

Director of Mission, Evangelism & Parish Revitalisation