Prayers of the People/Intercession on Advent
O God, who looked on us when we had fallen down into death, and resolved to redeem us by the Advent of your only begotten Son; grant, we beg you, that those who confess his glorious Incarnation may also be admitted to the fellowship of their Redeemer, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ambrose of Milan
Jesus, Immanuel, Child of Wonder, Lord of Life:
As our celebration of your coming is near, we give ourselves to You who first gave Yourself for us; and we place in your strong and loving hands all we care about and love. Into your hands we place:
Those recuperating in hospitals or confined at home, and all those who care for them: Heal and encourage those who are ill or injured, and strengthen and support their caregivers. Into your hands we place: those who grieve today. Hold them tight in your embrace.
Comfort them with the assurance of the resurrection. Give them what they need to go on in peace. Into your hands we place: Our nation and our world: So filled with anxiety, fear, and confusion.
For the hungry—we pray for food. For the homeless—we pray for shelter. For the naked—clothing. For the lonely—companionship. For the imprisoned—hope. For the addicted—release. For leaders—we ask You to give them wisdom and courage. And for us—we pray for the faith and courage to do what it takes to make a difference.
Into your hands we place ourselves: We ask you to sustain us in hard times, to give us a heart for others and a love for You. These are our prayers, offered with our hands open to you for you to use and for you to fill with all things good, offered in the strong name of Jesus. AMEN
Loving God ~ Father, Son and Holy Spirit: We are a people who are waiting: waiting to celebrate Messiah’s birth; waiting to see what this day–and every day–holds as Your blessings for us; and waiting to see whom we can bless with Your love or from whom we may receive a blessing. And we are waiting for Messiah’s return to clean up the mess.
Now, in the meantime, we come to you with our needs and our worries, our hopes and our dreams, because You have invited us to come saying,“Come unto me, all you who labor and are overburdened.”So in prayer, we come.
We come praying for the church throughout the world … for Palestinian Christians in the town where you were born; for Haitian believers who continue to reach out to those of their countrymen in the midst of civil unrest; and especially for all who bear your name in places where it is dangerous to do so.
Sustain and strengthen them in grace.We come, as well, with prayers for the church in this country … and for this congregation: for its leaders—elders and deacons, and for all who serve in various ministries. We pray that we may all benefit from the various gifts offered in service of Christ; that in faith and unity we may be constantly renewed by your Holy Spirit into acts of mission, mercy and love.
We come praying, too, for peace in our world, and for an end to violence. May there be peace in our homes and in our hearts so that we may live and work together in harmony and with genuine concern for one another. Remind us all that we share your world with others, many who are less fortunate than we are; and enable us to be faithful stewards of both the resources and the gospel which You have entrusted to us.
In addition, we come with prayers for our families, friends and neighbors, that we may serve Christ to one another and love one another as he loves us. Help us to make our homes patterns of your love, places of mutual trust and forgiveness, places of true sharing and caring, of deep joy and peace; and unite us all, one to another in the circle of your love.
We also come with our prayers for all those who suffer from any form of illness. We pray for those who are anxious, sorrowful, or in any kind of need or distress; especially for loved ones and friends who are ill or injured, anticipating or recovering from surgery or who are in any kind of need … praying especially for…[fill in those who need specific prayers]
We also remember in the quietness of our hearts others dear to us. [Pause] We know that you love them and know their every need far better than we do. We ask that you do for them as you see best and bless them with your love and peace. We come with thanks to you for those who’ve died trusting in Christ; and we thank you for allowing us to share life with them. We pray for all those who mourn: grant them the comfort of your presence and the hope of the resurrection. Merciful God–as we wait … hear these, our prayers for the sake of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
In our prayers this morning, when I say, “Lord of all glory,” please respond by saying “Hear our prayer”. Lord of all glory…hear our prayer.
Our God speaks tenderly to His people and cares for them as a shepherd cares for his sheep. Let us therefore bring to Him our thanks and our prayers for our own needs and the needs of others. Let’s pray: Lord our God–Father, Son and Holy Spirit: In this Advent season we pray for Your church globally and locally to herald the good tidings of great joy with a strong voice telling of your glory revealed in Jesus Christ.
We pray for this congregation, for its elders and deacons, for all who serve in various ways. We pray that all may benefit from what we all offer in service of Christ; that together in faith we may be constantly renewed by Your Holy Spirit to serve our community and world in such need. Lord of all glory…hear our prayer.
Lord Jesus, we pray for all nations and their leaders. We pray that in all the uneven, rough and unjust places of the world the way may be prepared for You to bring equality, healing and justice to all whom You love as ones created in Your image and for whom Your Son Jesus died to save. We pray for peace in our world and an end to violence. May there be peace in our homes and in our hearts so that we may live and work together in a spirit of peace and harmony. Remind us all that we share Your world with others, many of whom are less fortunate than us and struggle to survive.
We pray particularly today for the people of the Holy Land where Jesus, Your word made flesh, came to live alongside us. May Your Prince of Peace bring a new spirit of reconciliation among those who have brought division, suspicion and danger into the streets of Bethlehem and Jerusalem.
May the world come to know the peace of Christ, without which societies lose direction and ignore the deep yearning for peace. Lord of all glory…hear our prayer.
Spirit of the Living God: we pray for the towns and neighborhoods where we live, work and worship. We pray that, with Your help, we will show Your glory in how we live and serve You in serving others. If we get overly-busy, stressed or tired…speak tenderly to us, gather us in Your arms and bring us back to a place of rest to focus on the great truth of Advent and Christmas: that You’ve come to us in humility and with patience so we can see Your glory and know Your Salvation in our lives.
May this Advent season prepare us to welcome Christ’s return in the joy of Your new earth and heaven, where waiting is no more, and all our hopes are fulfilled. Lord of all glory…hear our prayer.
God our Father, we pray for all in particular need, for those who suffer any form of illness, for the weak and vulnerable. We pray for all who are anxious, sorrowful, overwhelmed or in any kind of want today. We pray that You would touch them in Your tenderness, grace and love to bring comfort and strength.
We pray especially for loved ones and those known to us who are ill, injured or in any kind of need. We especially pray for…There are others also, who we now remember in the quietness of our hearts. (silence)
We know that You love them, and know their every need, far better than we do. We ask that You do for them as You see best and bless them with Your love and peace; and that You strengthen and encourage their caregivers. Lord of all glory…hear our prayer.
Gracious Lord, we thank You for those who’ve died in faith and who are now with You inYour eternal Kingdom where one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are as one day. We’re grateful to have shared our lives with them; and we pray for those who mourn, that they may find comfort, hope, and new life in Your presence–especially in this time of preparation for Christmas. We give you thanks for… and for the lives of others we hold in our hearts before you in the stillness (brief silence) Lord of all glory…hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father: we bring our prayers to You, trusting in Your great faithfulness and compassion. As we look forward to celebrating again the birth of Your Son, Jesus Christ, help us also to look forward to His return and to prepare ourselves for that day when Your kingdom will at last be established on earth. Merciful God, our Father, please accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, and our Savior Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Gracious and faithful God–our Creator, Redeemer and Comforter:
When we don’t know the way–You show us the way; and when we can’t find a way–You make a way. Thank you!
Thank you for Your gift of a Savior–not a savior who stays distant and aloof, but one who enters the warp and woof of our existence as Emmanuel–God with us; and who then sanctifies every place and time in which we live.
Therefore, we come to You confident You care about whatever concerns us. For those who are infirmed, ill or injured, for those who are recuperating from or anticipating surgery–we ask for your healing, in a word of grace, a touch of compassion, an act from skill or training.
Make those we care for whole physically, emotionally and spiritually. For those who grieve–we ask for your comfort, in the companionship of your Holy Spirit, the encouragement of Your Word, and the warm presence of a friend.
Take them through the way of grieving to a place of peace and hope. When families gather around trees and tables this week, may You birth in them renew joy in your love and life which is ours in the cradle, the cross and the empty tomb. For marriages stressed and stretched by conflict, for relationships broken by hurt or conflict, for families torn apart by everything from pride to envy, selfishness to greed:
Come to rule as the prince of peace to restore, reconcile and renew. Break hard and proud hearts so that “I’m sorry” “You’re forgiven” and “I love you” are uttered afresh. For those uncertain about what lies beyond the New Year–give them the peace that comes from knowing You are in charge–and You are good and You are strong.
For the hungry of our world–provide food and nourishment for the body and the soul; for the homeless–give them a place and a people to call “home”; to the unemployed or underemployed–give them worthwhile work by which they can serve You, and meet the needs of a family; and to nations, including our nation–give leaders wisdom and mercy, and the courage to do what is good, right and just in Your eyes for the people.
For your church–may we be a light on the hill in a dark world, showing the way home to Your kingdom. May those we send out and support in mission be given strength to remain faithful to You and loyal to the gospel. All this … and more … we pray in the name of Jesus, our precious Lord and Savior. Amen.
Loving God: Abba—our Father; Jesus—our Savior; Spirit—our Comforter.
As Advent begins … we take a deep breath, we grit our teeth and steel our nerves anticipating the fast pace of the next few weeks. All around us are those telling us what we ought to want. But what we want most is You–just You; and with You…
We want Your love–and we want to be able to love. We want Your grace—and we want to be gracious. We want Your hope—and we want to be hopeful. We want Your peace—and we want to be peacemakers. Lord—in Your mercy: Hear our prayers. For those who are sick or injured, for those recovering from surgery and for those fighting mental illness, we pray for healing and restoration.
Lord—in Your mercy: Hear our prayers. For those who mourn–we ask your comfort, especially for those whose grief is more acute in the holiday season. For a world in turmoil—where there are wars and rumors of wars, where children starve, where old suspicions and ancient hatreds divide–come, Lord Jesus, as Prince of Peace, Reconciler, and the Lord of all.
For a nation struggling to find our way, for our political leaders from the White House to the local council room–send Your Spirit of wisdom and courage, truth and compassion, to empower and direct each one.
For Your church—make us willing to be different, to be light in a dark world, to be salt in a tasteless and dying world; and enable us to be effective ambassadors for your kingdom, by our speaking and our acting, by our praying and our serving, in a world that doesn’t seek You or know You.
Lord—in Your mercy: Hear our prayers. Meet Your people, Your Body, in this season of waiting and watching. Remind us of who we are and whose we are–and make us one…even as you are One God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is our prayer, offered with faith in the One who has come and will come again to restore all creation. In the name of Jesus. AMEN
Lord—we’re so anxious we can’t wait!
Some of us can’t wait for Christmas to come, while (honestly) some others of us can’t wait for it to be over. We’re not proud of it—but that’s just the way it is today. Nevertheless, we’re glad for these moments to worship You, allowing You to reset our hearts, our minds, and our souls. While it’s so easy to get distracted and lose sight of Your great gifts, may we stop the merry-go-round we’ve made of this season in order to get off and find the hope, peace, and love that comes to us in Jesus—Savior, Emmanuel—God with us.
We pray for those overwhelmed by circumstances beyond their ability to handle and those inundated by cultural expectations of the “holiday season” that can’t be met. Enable them to lean into You in whom all things are possible. Give us strength to do all things well and to do them graciously.
We pray for the ill and injured, those anticipating or recovering from surgery, those in therapy or treatment–Lord heal them! Heal them to Your glory and to their joy.
We pray for those who grieve—whether it’s recent or long past, and whether it’s the loss of a beloved member of their family or a friend, or whether it’s a close friend or neighbor they’ve lost. As the One who overcame death by first submitting to it–I pray for Your resurrection hope and lasting peace to comfort those who have lost a loved one recently. Lord, strengthen all marriages as a sign of Your love for us and our love for You; enable the parents of children baptized this morning–and all parents–to nurture their sons and daughters in faithfulness to You; and walk close to those who have felt the pain of separation and distance in order to bring right and just reconciliations where possible.
We pray for our Christian brothers and sisters whose homes are in lands beyond our sight and outside the borders of our nation. Keep them strong and faithful, truthful and loving as they serve You there. And enable our missionary partners in the gospel to persist—sometimes amidst great opposition and persecution.
We pray for the church—keep us loyal to You in our words and our deeds. Pour out your wisdom and courage on elders and pastors; and give deacons and others a truly compassionate, serving heart. May we be a praying people, Lord; people always learning more of Your true Word, and reaching out to others in grace and truth. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN
Lord Jesus–You’ve come, are coming and will come again.
Whether we know it or not, we live on the edge of Your advent every moment of every day either with anticipation or with anxiety. As if stumbling along a dark path in a thick forest, with only a flashlight at our feet, we see so little … while You see everything, being Yourself the Light of the World. That’s why we put our hands in Yours, follow where You lead us and give to You all the people and experiences that lay beyond our ability to see clearly and our strength to act. In a world tainted by terrorists, we pray for hostages and families in tense hours of waiting.
Protect captives and soften the hearts of their captors. Comfort families and encourage their loved ones. We pray also for young men and women who put their lives on the line, asking Your protection and strength.
Where people are ravaged by AIDS–overseas and in our backyards–make us compassionate and make Yourself known as the Healer and Comforter. Where poverty breeds hopelessness, where hunger causes desperation, where addictions bind the soul and dull the mind, where unemployment saps initiative, where ignorance destroys opportunity–come Lord!
Come with Your compassion and grace, with your strength and love, with Your truth and justice. Through Your Holy Spirit, move Your people to be Your ears that listen,Your hands that serve, Your voice that advocates,Your feet that enter in, and Your arms that love. Where families grieve–comfort them with your peace and your presence as the Resurrection and the Life. Where loved ones are fighting illness, recovering from injury, anticipating surgery–heal them in Your power and love. Where birth makes two people parents and baptism calls them to care for the children–give grace, wisdom, love and all the fruit of Your Spirit and especially patience. Wherever we are tempted to trivialize Your incarnation as a child in Bethlehem, an adolescent in Nazareth, and an adult who had no home to call His own …who came to died that we be redeemed: Remind us of Your great love and compassion. Remind us that Christmas red is the crimson blood shed for us and Christmas green is the evergreen of eternal life. This we pray in Your name, Lord Jesus. AMEN
Loving God~ Father, Son and Holy Spirit: We are a people who are waiting: waiting to celebrate our Messiah’s birth; waiting to see what this day–and every day–holds; and waiting to see who we can bless with Your love or from whom we may receive a blessing. And we are waiting for our Messiah’s return to make whole what is so terribly broken in us and in our world.
Now, in the meantime, we come to you with our needs and our worries, our hopes and our dreams, because You have invited us saying,“Come unto me, all you who labor and are overburdened.”
So in prayer, we come. We come praying for the church throughout the world… for Palestinian Christians in the town where you were born; for Haitian believers ministering amidst devastation; and for all who bear your name in places where it is dangerousto do so. Sustain and strengthen them in grace.
We come, as well, with prayers for the church in this country… and for this congregation: for our leaders—elders, deacons, trustees, pastors, and for all who serve in various other ministries. We pray that we may all benefit from the various gifts we offer in the service of Christ; that in faith and unity we may be constantly renewed by your Holy Spirit and empowered for mission, mercy, and love.
We come praying, too, for peace in our world, and for an end to violence. May there be peace in our homes and in our hearts so that we may live and work together in harmony and with genuine concern for one another. Remind us all that we share your world with others, many who are less fortunate than we are; and enable us to be faithful stewards of both the resources and the gospel which You have entrusted to us.
We come with prayers for our families, friends, and neighbors that we may serve Christ in one another and love one another as he loves us. Help us to make our homes patterns of your love, places of mutual trust and forgiveness, places of true sharing and caring, of deep joy and peace; and unite us all, one to another in the circle of your love.
We also come with our prayers for all those who suffer from any form of illness. We pray for those who are anxious, sorrowful, or in any kind of need or distress; especially for loved ones and friends who are ill or injured, anticipating or recovering from surgery, or who are in any kind of need. We know that you love them, and you know their every need far better than we do. We ask that you do for them as you see best, and bless them with your love and peace.
We come with thanks to you for those who’ve died trusting in Christ; and we thank you for allowing us to share life with them. Merciful God–as we await the coming of Christ, hear these prayers that we lift up in his wonderful name. AMEN