I wonder how many of you know the meaning of Ember Cards. I had not heard of them until a few weeks ago.
Our niece, Rachel, is being ordained as a Deacon in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, by Steven, Lord Bishop of Oxford on 1st July 2023. We are very proud of her and she has sent us an Ember Card. These are cards to ask prayers for all those being ordained at this Petertide and for us, particularly, our niece. In the Methodist Church our ordinands are ordained at the Methodist Conference on the weekend 24/25th June.
I have been very impressed by this prayer card and wish I had known about them before. Our ordinands, of whatever denomination, need our prayers especially at this time when their whole lives will be changed – not only a new way of life, but usually a new home in a new area. Often the whole family will move away from their friends, some will move away from family.
On our Ember Card Rachel has put a verse from Jeremiah 17:8:
“They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out roots by the stream.
It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought, it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.”
You do not have to be an ordinand to do what Jeremiah seems to be saying, but use your ways and opportunities to serve Him, do not be anxious, the Lord will be with you, trust in Him.