December, beginning of winter, twelfth, and last, and first of the three coldest months of the year! December solstice marks the shortest day north of the equator and the longest day in the south. Yet, despite the damp, darker days, shorter evenings, and much darker nights, it is still a special time of the year.

For it is at December that the Christmas tree goes up, with its bright, sparkly lights, and jingle bells songs; the warmth of fireplaces, and the delicious scent of spiced hot-toddies.. of cinnamon, cloves, lemon mingled with rum, brandy or whisky.. fills the air around pretty Christmas Markets stalls usually held in the centre of many downtown this time of year.

It has long been acknowledged that though December is not really the authentic time period that the boy Jesus was born, nevertheless, it is the month that has been designated on the calendar for us to commemorate his miraculous birth, and the wonderful stories these offers us.

Christmas stories of angels singing in the highest, as well as of them coming down to earth to speak with humans.  They tell of wise men and astrologers seeing a new star appearing in East, and travelling out with their precious gems of gifts gold, frankincense and myrrh, to offer to the new king.

And it is this Christmas Story that gives the narrative for the endearing nativity scene, where we see Joseph, and a  young mother and her child neatly tucked in warm swaddling clothes lying in a manger in a stable, along with angels, shepherds, and animals.  A Saviour to earth has come. And it is these stories which creates the backdrop for our carols today.

December, there are beautiful festive lights everywhere in lands far, and near. It is the season  for shopping for presents, exchange of gifts, visiting with loved ones and friends, eating grand, and more than usual merriment.

December, represents a time when things of nature sleep, hidden within roots, boughs, clouds, and buildings as well as the realm of soul. And within the hush of this hidden dark there is also an unfolding, as the planet, nature and species, having turned inwards, unveil a freshness, so that out of the dark and hidden appear new inspiration, new directions, and hopefully for us humans, a deeper understanding of what was, what is, and what could be.

Christmas Blog by Lady Dawnecia Palmer, December 2024

A CHRISTMAS PRAYER for December 2024

As we approach the December and the wintery season, and last month of this year, may our hearts be open for a new revelation, a deeper meaning, not just of the Christmas story as an endearing nativity, nor the handing out and receiving of presents, or drinking and eating lavishly and enjoying the company of family and friends. But, may there be a richness of resolve to become all we are meant to be. To do the very best of and for ourselves and our fellow beings, species, and mother earth as our conscience allows; and to all that is LIFE, we call God, let there be glory,  praise, peace, and love. Let us therefore dwell and remain thus, throughout and into the New Year to come. Amen, Ameen, Ashay!

~ A Christmas Prayer written by Reverend Dr Palmer DHW OBA AFP

Dear GOD LIFE LOVE PEACE GOODNESS.

In mercy hear our prayers as it is written and been promised saying “..before you call I will answer.” In hearing today, let peace reign on earth as it is in heaven. May goodness guide the way of the world which has been spiralling through diseases, hatred, poverty, injustices, greed and wars. And cause love to showcase a new dawn. A new dawn of hope on the horizons of our souls, where light and beauty reign. Amen and amen.  ~ Reverend Dr  Dawnecia Palmer,  22nd October 2024

23rd October 2024

Our hearts are once again broken, saddened to hear of yet another murder, through a knife stabbing in Bristol. Our love and heartfelt prayers goes out to family of Luka Bennett-Smith. May they be comforted and strengthened in their loss and grief of their precious beloved. And may Luka’s soul rest in peace. I pray her killer be brought to full justice of the law and be repentant as well prevented from ever doing such a monstrous crime to anyone again.
PEACEMAKERS once again call for a ban on the carrying of knives and dangerous weapons on our streets. Tougher provisions in place to prevent youths getting hold of dangerous weapons, as well more stringent parental responsibility. #LadyDP/RevP

see full story below>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/16-year-old-charged-with-murder/

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGdRFoVw8/

Dear LIFE whom we call God, Light, Love, Source, Goodness, and Truth

For the whole month of September we beseech favour, grace, and mercies throughout

Please help those who are going through the valleys of darkness,  and the shadows of death

To their despair lend the sweet sounds of your comforting words, and feel the under girth of your everlasting arms

As the leaves of trees begins to prepare for changing their colour; even so prepare our hearts to hope, to chance, to dare believe , that our change is also on its way

Teach us patience even on the darkest of days

Help us hold hope when storm clouds looks heavy

And may we ever look to you, hope for the hopeless, light in the valley, and a shelter from the storms

This our prayer this September, a faint whisper, a sincere thought, our soul’s cry! Amen

  ~ Reverend Dr Dawnecia Palmer OBA AFP DHW

Vote of Thanks

PEACEMAKERS Chief  Reverend Dr Dawnecia Palmer wish to thank Avon and Somerset Police Constabulary  Superintendent,

Mark Runacres, Bristol Commander,  and his team of dedicated Officers, for their presence, strength of courage, protection and reassurance of safety to the city, as people feared, prepared, and planned for a possible repeat of last weekend’s protests and  violence.

Protesters

There had been rumours in circulation via social media that on Wednesday 7th August right-wing protesters would launch attacks on Immigration Centres in varioys cities across the UK. An immigration centre that helps refugees in Old Market, Bristol was also named on the list. This brought about fear and concerns within certain groups and communities.  Anti-racism groups and organisations quickly organised for a counter protest to take place an hour before the protest.

Businesses boarded up their windows, and residents were warned not to get involved in violence, whilst women and children advised to stay in their homes.

Patrols 

Earlier in the day, PEACEMAKERS Prayer City Safety Patrols went  door to door, they engaged with residents, passerbys, businesses, and bus drivers, along Old Market and Stapleton Road, advising, listening, reassuring, and praying.

Policing
There were hundreds of police officers stationed in the city, and in and around Old Market, Easton. They had enhanced stop and search powers under Section 60 and Section 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act.

The Prayer

The Patrolers deployed ‘strategic deliverance prayer’ for a baptism of the spirit of peace to cover the city and other parts of UK, to deter racial hatred, violence, and for ‘a no-show’ of right-wing protesters.

No Show

Thankfully, in Bristol as in other parts of the country, the right-wing protesters did not show up. Instead, over a thousand individuals made up of residents, and groups from various communities, coming from across the city, they gathered on the street and pavements in Old Market in solidarity, for fairness and justice for asylum seekers, and all peoples.

SPECIAL THANKS: to

☆God for hearing and answering prayers for peace

☆PEACEMAKERS prayer city safety patrols

☆Organisers for maintaining a peaceful counter-protest gathering in Old Market

☆Journalists and media

Community, Businesses and residents

☆P4E, Empress Nwanye, PT Wales, and Everyone else who prayed and stood for peace

☆Final Thanks with a twist: the right-wing protest did not take place!

We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn about the tragic circumstances in Southport which robbed the innocent lives of  three young victims, girls – Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe.  There were two adults and eight other children wounded in this vicious attack, making it a total ten atempted murders by a 17 year old youth weilding a curved blade kitchen knife.

Our deepest sympathies, love, and prayers goes out to the parents and families of the three girls and for all who were grieviously injured. We will continue to hold VIGIL for them throughout the month of August. Anyone with this link who wishes to leave prayers or heartfelt words are invited use the COMMENTS SECTION below. Comments will be moderated,  we kindly ask that wordings be mindful and respectful.

On Moday 5th August 2024  PEACEMAKERS Patrols leader Reverend Dr Dawnecia Palmer and other Patrol members are expected to meet outside City Hall on College Green at 3pm to pray prayers of peace, for healing and redemption for the  city, in light of the disruptive breakout of violence both on the Green and at Castle Park over the weekend of 3rd/4th August, during protest demonstration held in these two places, as well as across the UK.

PEACEMAKERS believe prayers can and does make a diffrence – and to quote its Commissioner –   ‘if even to create a dent.‘  She Invites anyone who believes in prayer, believes that prayer can make a  ‘good’ difference, wishes to see an end to violence in our city, and  long for safety on our streets and home, to come along to pray.

MONDAY, 5TH AUGUST, 3PM, 2024 PRAY FOR PEACE  AND SAFETY FOR ALL outside CITY HALL, ON COLLEGE GREEN, BRISTOL.

Below is a video produced by   LU LIFE CHURCH which addresses the tragedy and  the unconscious state of violence happening across the  world.

OUR PARTNERS

Our day started out with prayer,  outside the Trinity Tabrnacle Church which is located dircectly adjacent to the Salvation Army building, and Health Centre, on Hassel Drive, Lawrence Hill.  This is a ‘regular’ early morning patrol. The day is bright and warm, oppose to the winter dawn patrols, where fingers and toes feels like icecycles, and that is before beginning patrol.

Everything is quiet and there is almost a sacred hush, except the chirps of birds.  The silence is suddenly interuped by several men arriving outside the nearby Health Centre. They are gathering for their daily dose, which will be admiinstered to them by the professional chemist, when the Chemist opens its shutters, around 9am.  They pace up and down amongst themselves impatainly. Before moving away,  we decided that we would pray for them, but for safety purposes, we would pray for them from where we were accross the road as opposed to praying directly with them.

As we crossed over the main Lawrence Hillroundabout, the windows to the flats were still closed and not a soul about, still we stoped outside the highrise, and offered a prayer on behalf of the many families, young and older, single persons occupying these premises.   We circled the surrounding streets before heading over into the Easton area.Easton was surprisingly quiet with only a few persons in sight. The chemist here were still closed, but a few shops were just opening their shutters.  We stopped to talk with shopkeepers who were stood in their doorways awaiting their customers. One guy was particularly interested and asked ‘what exactly are you doing?’ We explained that we were in the area on patrol as a visible force for good, praying peace and safety for families, businesses, and communities. At this he perked up, becoming even more interested. He chatted with us for a while, and as we  set off on our way, he shouted, ‘prayer is good.’ ‘Only Jesus can change tings round here, you know.’ Stapelton Road at this time of day had recently been astrocious, with many complaits by the residents living there.Seaguls usually make havoc with the contents in plactic bags that are left on top of and on the ground beside trash bins.  Something needs to be done becaue these trash bins are not large enough.

There are also mattresses and other furniture dumped along the roadside. We decided that we need to bring this to the attention of the Bristol City Council street cleaning department.

But all is not negative for Stapeton Road, today, the steps of Kensington Church is clear and clean. There are usually groups of homeless men and  young persons sat outside on it’s steps, smolking weed, spitting, arguing, and chatting very loudly. But this morning all is clear, and there is a sacred hush.as we pause to pray on the steps. and not far up the road from the Church street cleaners alight from a big truck with their brush trolly.  as we walked along we passed this cute florist tucked among the row of shops.  Sadly, over the past few years they have had repeating orders for wreaths and flowers for the many funerals of youths who were  sadly stabbed to death in the area. Passing the florist we headed across to the St. Werburghs area. We saw many things to pray about as well as to report, such as stacks of overgrown areas hiding the off road signs. But we also saw things to celebrate about, such as  Evergreen Primary Accademy.  The  Academy was at one time among Bristol’s 20 worst, but in 2023 was awarded a Good rating by OFSTED! Well worth celebrating, because it managed to succeed despite being surrounded by ongoing graffiti wars, violent street crimes,  postcode turf rivallry, poverty, and postitution.  And it is safe to say there been far less onstreet prostitution in recent times.Large trees stands tall and broad, behind the fence at the end of the school’s playground. The fence runs along the path from Easton’s Warwick Avenue to the cross bridge  for St. Werburghs. The design  of the roof  top of Community Centre from the bridge is interesting and impressive. We stopped to pray on the bridge where a young man was robbed and killed a few years back. Fresh flowers are usually tied to the railings, but today the railings are empty except for old tapes and strings, still atttached to the rails. (see below pic) We entranced into the St Werburghs via Gatton Road, and stooped to pray again at the end of the bridge as well as outside the Community Centre. Patroling along pretty Sandbed Road someone noticed that there were viarious Political Parties and causes advertised in windows. St Weburghs is known for being an ‘arty’ area with giant artworks outside houses  and shop buildings. The park is quiet at this time of the morning, so it was easy to stop and pray aloud in the open air, we were joined by the melodious chirping of birds from the trees above us.From St Werburghs we crossed over to St Agnes. St Agnes is a quietish sort of surburb, back of St. Pauls and bordering Newfoundland Road and the M32 into Town.

There is a tall, thriving Carribean banana plant to the front of one resident’s garden To the centre of this area is an adventure playground, a lovely family park with a modern children play area, an outdoor cafe, and an old countrystyle Church.

Here stopped for prayrs in the family park opposite the church, and it was great to see banner reminders highlighting that St. Agnes is a childrens’ safety area.Through St Agnes Park to St Pauls we see this beautiful muriel. And below, as  the picture shows the streets which are usually alive and buzzing, today they are quiet and deathly still, no a person in sight.

We head further into St Pauls along St Nicholas Road, and if you look closely you will see  two fully grown thriving banana plants  . We prayed on the Green outside St Pauls Learning Cente and Glyn’s Resturant, both were closed.  The last time we prayed here was a Vigil for Eddie, and others who were stabbed and died in the area.

Along Grosvenor Road we stopped for more prayers outside the home of one young victim of stabbing, and again further along at the make-shiff shirne for an older community member, he too was brutally murdered a year ago.  We chatteded with the few community residents and shop keepers that were about.

As we were leaving  St Pauls, the  Community Police Officers were coming on duty. We spoke together for a short while before setting off to final patrol area.  our Final areas ws Fishponds which we transit via the Eastville roundabout.Fishponds, final of my six areas prayer and city safety morning meggathon!

We started the Fishponds Patol on Fishponds Road just above Eastville Park, and made several prayer stops along the way.  We even discoved a new street with around a dozen old-styled terraced houses. We have patroled Fishponds many times over the years and had never knew this street existed, The houses are small and quirky and the front doors low, similar an old welsh villiage house.

Fishponds is a lively up and coming area. It sports a busy librayr, three supermakers accoss from each other, schools, pubs, churches, a community centre, rows of resturants, butcher, newsagents, dentist, surgeries,  several estate agents, a park, post office, a series of second-hand shops, florists, commercial fast foods as well as classic traditional fish and chip shops, banks, barbers, and plenty of buses into the city centre and other areas of the city for the train station, airpor,t and train station.

From patroling streets, we headed onto the cycle path, accessing it from Lodge causeway,  towards staplehill.  We made several prayer points along the track.  The track has numerous  walkers and cyclists daily accessing this route.

The final part of the patrol were small lanes and alleyways secretly hidden behind houses and shops.

And by the end of the morning and after hundreds of munuites on foot, my feet was tired, yet there was a satisfying feeling of hope. Hope that in some small way our visible presence and invisible prayers would have impact and make a difference in the areas we patroled.

A Day in the life of a patroler(narrative and pics)by A PEACEMAKER Prayer and City Safety Officer, Bristol, UK. June, 2024.

Praying this month of May will be a month of hope. That it bring a time of refreshing and renewal, fresh springs of hope for those who are grieving, for any struggling to make sense of it all.

Throughout this month may lives be blessed to see brighter days ahead, their faith and trust renewed, and their wishes long been just a wish, begin to bud and take form.

May LIFE lavish you with renewed strength on awaking each morning, and at the close of each day a pleasant smile of gratitude.

Namaste.

Prayer of Hope for May is written by Lady D Palmer