Prayers of the People/Intercession on Elections
Lord: In our times of weakness and our hours of need, Yours is the strength that enables us to carry on,Yours the shoulder we rest our heads upon. When our load is heavy and too much to bear,Yours are the arms that stretch out to help us and the grace that we depend on. When we’re weak and in need, Yours is the voice we hear saying: ‘Come to Me, and find rest for your weary soul.’ So, we come to you today in prayer. Please Lord—heal those we love who are sick;strengthen those who are recuperating, encourage those who care for our loved ones, and may all know that You are the Healer and Great Physician. We especially pray for____________.
Please Lord—comfort all who mourn with the peace of Your presence, that peace which passes all our understanding as it keeps our hearts and minds in love.
We especially pray for the families of _______. Please Lord—in a world gone crazy with hatred and suspicion,replace anger with reconciliation and hatred with understanding. Enable us to live as agents of Your Kingdomin our nation and neighborhoods;and for those serving as missionaries in dark places and dark times—give them courage to let the light of Your gospel shine in and through them with clarity and power…we think especially of those in _______.
Please Lord—guide us as a nation so that we can live up to the best of who we are and who we aspire to be. Allow us to look beyond our selves to see the needs of the neighbor, the stranger and the needy; and raise up leaders in the coming elections with hearts after Your own heart to shepherd this nation in the ways of truth and the paths of righteousness. Please Lord—Empower us as Your church to be different, to be the Salt of the Earth and to be the Light of the World. Give us the heart of our Savior, the mind of the Holy Spirit, and the creativity of our Father that we might be an outpost of Your Kingdom And a colony of heaven on earth.And bless Your Word as it is taught today—please, Lord. May Your Thoughts Be faithfully spoken, heard, understood, believed and lived;so that in all things we might be more like Jesus…
God–our Father, Lord and indwelling Spirit of grace and power: Thank you for hearing us when we pray whether in songs of rejoicing or through tears of sorrow. Thank you for gifts–for the gifts of music; voices to sing, hands to play; ears to hear and hearts to give you praise. Thank you for the gift of our musicians–grant them creativity, joy and energy as they lead us to your throne in worship.
Thank you for gifts of new life–in the birth of a child, the beginning of a marriage, the beginning of a relationship with you or in a coming back home to you. Thank you for a nation where we can worship freely; and on which we ask you to pour your Spirit of holiness and revival, truth and righteousness.
Guide our nation’s leaders–our president, vice-president, representatives and senators, judges and officials. Show them your ways, give them strength to walk in them and courage necessary to lead us in Your paths.
Protect our young men and women serving the military around the globe–may they serve with honor and grace. [And, through the coming election, raise up men and women of integrity and wisdom, truth and justice, people who are after your own heart, to lead us.]
Thank you for your church. Thank you for opportunities to encourage one another, serve one another, forgive one another and work alongside one another in sharing your love and truth with neighbors and friends around the corner and around the world. Give elders wisdom and grace as they lead; deacons, compassion and energy as they serve; and give trustees faith and courage as they guide fiscally. Give us all your love, grace and care to share day by day when we are scattered as well as when we are together.
And bless the church around the world, this day gathered in a storefront in urban America, under a tin roof in Africa, a tent in Asia, and under a tree in South America; in a cathedral in Europe or a mission church in Mexico–show your mighty presence, empower the gospel witness and change the world one man, woman and child at a time.
Thank You, Lord, for caring enough to heal those who are sick or recovering from surgery, and for protecting and curing those who will have surgery this week. Thank you for the good news of life over death, resurrection over crucifixion, and hope over despair–for we can then pray with confidence that you comfort those who mourn.
Finally, we thank you for the gospel–the Good News of new life in Christ Jesus for all who trust in Him. Thank you for our preacher who proclaims the gospel–and for the opportunity we have to hear, believe and receive it for ourselves. All this–and more–we pray, with thanks and praise, in the powerful name of Jesus. Amen.
Lord–Creator, Savior and Sustainer:
You called our names and we answered.
When we were lost–You found us.
When we were sick–You healed us.
When we were blind–You opened our eyes.
When we were dead in our sin–You died to give us life.
Knowing we are dependent on You for our salvation, for our life, in all our relationships, wherever and whenever we may be we turn to You today asking that, in your mercy, you hear our prayers and answer them.
You died and rose for our healing: so we pray for those who are sick, injured, or impaired in body, mind, emotion or soul. Restore them by the touch of your hand. You died and rose to give us life in the face of death: so we ask that you comfort those who mourn, and take to yourself those who died believing in You.
You died to unite various peoples together in Your church: so we pray for your church: whether here, near or on the far side of the sea. Give us all sufficient faith and courage to boldly live and declare Your gospel.Pour out Your Spirit and bring fresh power and new life to this church and to all our people.
You died for the world: so we pray for nations in turmoil–strengthen your followers in those lands and bring peace in place of warfare. We also pray for our own nation: for our elected leaders–that you give them wisdom according to your Word, moral convictions, the courage to follow in Your way, and the will to lead us there. Even now, we pray for your leading in the coming elections: save us from self-interest and pettiness; strengthen our commitment to justice, truth and grace.
This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Father–nothing escapes your notice, is beyond your care or too hard for you to take on, whether it concerns nations or individuals. You have a heart for all the world–not just our little piece of it. So we pray for your world: may your truth and justice, righteousness and compassion guide elections not only in our own country–but also in other parts of the world.
In places convulsed by conflict–bring a just and lasting peace. We pray for those who serve you as cross-cultural missionaries. Keep them faithful to your truth and your ways; enable them to effectively share the Good News of your Son Jesus. For all Christian churches, and for this church, we pray you will lead us.
And where you guide, provide resources to do your will and witness well to the new life you give in Jesus. Give our leaders a kingdom vision, godly wisdom, and risk-taking faith to lead where you call us to go. We ask you to comfort the grieving–whether the loss is recent or long ago. Console them with the assurance of eternal life and the hope of the resurrection.
In addition, we place in your strong hands, your compassionate hands, your healing hands, those who are sick or injured, recuperating from or anticipating surgery, and those in treatment or therapy–heal them, Lord. Heal bodies in pain, and minds that are disturbed. Free the addicted and restore the depressed. Heal broken emotions and broken bones. And especially, heal our loved ones. And, Lord, strengthen and encourage their caregivers. Thy will be done! This is our prayer, offered in the strong name of Jesus. AMEN
Good and Gracious Lord, You hold us in the palm of Your strong hand, working all things for our good and to Your glory. There’s no place we can go that escapes Your notice and is hidden from Your loving attention. We’re amazed by Your power and in awe of Your grace: You take what’s inadvertently or intentionally evil and bend it to Your will and ways.
So, remembering Your wondrous grace and awesome power, we open our hearts, lifting our burdens and cares to You. For our world, we pray: For peace: end the warring madness that threatens to destroy all.
For the victims of natural disasters and for social and political unrest around the globe: Protect the poor and needy from exploitation. Give food to the hungry and freedom to captives. For our nation, we pray for justice and honesty for elections in states and cities, that individuals with a heart for your ways of truth would find their way into office.
We also pray for our nation’s president, vice-president, congressmen and senators – that they would lead us in Your ways of justice, righteousness and truth. We intercede also for those who have been touched by the grief of loss this week. We pray on behalf of friends and family, brothers and sisters in Christ who are ill or injured, recuperating and recovering; we ask Your healing power and restorative touch for them.
May they know Your presence to comfort and encourage. May they rise up to call you “Blessed” for Your goodness in their lives. For the anxious among us – give them confidence and peace. For those feeling the pain of broken relationships – bring Your reconciliation, love, forgiveness and grace. To the lonely – be a friend and bring a new friend.
For the hopeless – show them a way and give them a light in the darkness. For all of us, never leave us nor forsake us, remind us always of your love and power. For all this, and more in our heart of hearts, we pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
Prayer for an Election
Almighty God, to whom we must account for all our powers and privileges: Guide the people of the United States (or of this community) in the election of officials and representatives; that, by faithful administration and wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our nation be enabled to fulfill your purposes; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church (1979)
Prayer for Times of Conflict
O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church (1979)
Prayer for those who Influence Public Opinion
Almighty God, you proclaim your truth in every age by many voices: Direct, in our time, we pray, those who speak where many listen and write what many read; that they may do their part in making the heart of this people wise, its mind sound, and its will righteous; to the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church (1979)