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  Prayers of the People/Intercession on Death

Image of an old Church representing death

Watch, dear Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep [tonight],

and give your angels charge over those who sleep.

Tend your sick ones, O Lord Christ,

rest your weary ones.

Bless your dying ones.

Soothe your suffering ones.

Pity your afflicted ones.

Shield your joyous ones.

And all for your love’s sake, Amen.

Augustine of Hippo, Evening Prayer, Language adapted for Corporate Worship by Stuart Strachan Jr.


God–Father, Son and Holy Spirit: We praise you at the opening of this day of days! Father: You shape and form us so each is unique yet all are in Your image, when You breathe into us the breath of life. We praise You! Jesus, God the Son–Resurrection and Life: You chose to die and rise from the dead to free us from sin and death, and give us eternal life. 

We praise You! Living Spirit, who sustains our life by Your presence: You give us strength, when we are weak; direction, when we are lost; and love at all times. We praise You! We praise you for hope that’s ours because of Jesus’ resurrection: Hope to face life with courage and meet death in peace; Hope to sustain us in dark times, for we know our life’s light comes with the rising Son. 

Therefore, we can pray with expectant hope …For those who need healing in spirit, soul, mind and body; For those who need comfort in grief and guidance when confused; For those who celebrate new life, but who also face the call to parent; For those who are without necessities of life; For those who have no gospel witness in their own tongue and culture. This we pray, in the name that is above every name–even the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN

Richard Herman


Episcopalian Prayers of the People, Form I

Deacon or other leader

With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the
Lord, saying “Lord, have mercy.”

For the peace from above, for the loving-kindness of God,
and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the world, for the welfare of the Holy Church
of God, and for the unity of all peoples, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For our Bishop, and for all the clergy and people, let us pray
to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For our President, for the leaders of the nations, and for all in
authority, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For this city (town, village,                            ), for every city and
community, and for those who live in them, let us pray to
the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For seasonable weather, and for an abundance of the fruits of
the earth, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For the good earth which God has given us, and for the
wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For those who travel on land, on water, or in the air [or
through outer space], let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and
for the sick and the suffering, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For                            , let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the
destitute, for prisoners and captives, and for all who
remember and care for them, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, and for
all the departed, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For deliverance from all danger, violence, oppression, and
degradation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For the absolution and remission of our sins and offenses, let us
pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

That we may end our lives in faith and hope, without
suffering and without reproach, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

Defend us, deliver us, and in thy compassion protect us, O
Lord, by thy grace.
Lord, have mercy.

In the communion of [                            and of all the] saints, let
us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to
Christ our God.
To thee, O Lord our God.

Silence.

The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church (1979)


Episcopalian Prayers of the People, Form V

Deacon or other leader

In peace, let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy”
(or “Kyrie eleison”).

For the holy Church of God, that it may be filled with truth
and love, and be found without fault at the day of your
coming, we pray to you, O Lord.

Here and after every petition the People respond

Kyrie eleison.    or    Lord, have mercy.

For N. our Presiding Bishop, for N. (N.) our own Bishop(s),
for all bishops and other ministers, and for all the holy people
of God, we pray to you, O Lord.

For all who fear God and believe in you, Lord Christ, that our
divisions may cease, and that all may be one as you and the
Father are one, we pray to you, O Lord.

For the mission of the Church, that in faithful witness it may
preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth, we pray to you, O
Lord.

For those who do not yet believe, and for those who have lost
their faith, that they may receive the light of the Gospel, we
pray to you, O Lord.

For the peace of the world, that a spirit of respect and
forbearance may grow among nations and peoples, we pray
to you, O Lord.

For those in positions of public trust [especially                       ],
that they may serve justice, and promote the dignity and
freedom of every person, we pray to you, O Lord.

For all who live and work in this community 

[especially                   ], we pray to you, O Lord.]]

For a blessing upon all human labor, and for the right use
of the riches of creation, that the world may be freed from
poverty, famine, and disaster, we pray to you, O Lord.

For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and all who suffer; for
refugees, prisoners, and all who are in danger; that they may
be relieved and protected, we pray to you, O Lord.

For this congregation [for those who are present, and for
those who are absent], that we may be delivered from
hardness of heart, and show forth your glory in all that we
do, we pray to you, O Lord.

For our enemies and those who wish us harm, and for all
whom we have injured or offended, we pray to you, O Lord.

For ourselves; for the forgiveness of our sins, and for the
grace of the Holy Spirit to amend our lives, we pray to you, O
Lord.

For all who have commended themselves to our prayers; for
our families, friends, and neighbors; that being freed from
anxiety, they may live in joy, peace, and health, we pray to
you, O Lord.

For                         , we pray to you, O Lord.

For all who have died in the communion of your Church, and
those whose faith is known to you alone, that, with all the
saints, they may have rest in that place where there is no pain
or grief, but life eternal, we pray to you, O Lord.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of [the ever-blessed Virgin Mary,
(blessed N.) and] all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another,
and all our life to Christ our God.
To you, O Lord our God.

Silence

The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect, or the following Doxology

For yours is the majesty, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, now and
for ever. Amen.

The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church (1979)