Prayers of the People/Intercession on Family

Father God–You invite us to come as a child to his/her daddy. You invite us to open our souls to You. You invite us to lay our desires before You. You are fond of us, Your children–so we come to You humbly, lovingly, yet confidently. We pray for your world–which You created and called “good”. Now we see it so riddled by war and hatred, infected with hopelessness and despair, confused, having lost its way, and refusing to walk in Yours.

Shine Your light in the dark corners of the earth: Ignite your followers as lamps to show the Way. Encourage disheartened missionaries. We pray for our world and nation. Heal our land! Let Your justice roll down like a mighty river, to cleanse away injustice. Replace suspicion of neighbor with trust. Guide our leaders in Your ways, and give us all the courage to follow Your paths. Grant your wisdom and strength to our President, Vice President, Legislators and judges. Lord, Revive Your church in America! Make us all salt in a dying and tasteless culture.

Make us light in places where night has fallen. And, pour out Your Spirit on this church–Empowering the ministry You’ve already given us and lead us in new avenues of reaching this community, and the World, with the good News of Your Son Jesus Christ. We ask Your comfort for friends and loved ones who mourn.

Walk with them through the valley of the shadow. Give them Your peace which passes all understanding. We pray especially for … We pray for Your healing for those who are ill, injured, recuperating from or anticipating surgery: Heal them in body, soul and spirit. Protect them from anxiety; buoy them with hope. We ask Your healing grace especially for ….All this, and more, we confidently ask You to hear and grant, to the glory of Your Son, our Savior–Jesus–Amen.

Richard Herman

Father–Father of the Lord Jesus and our Father: You’ve blessed us beyond imagination. You redeem us, forgive us & lavish Your gifts on us: Thank You. You choose us, when we wouldn’t choose ourselves, and You seal us with your Holy Spirit; Thank You. Not leaving us alone, You give us a family, a really big family …your family.

Thank You for Your grace & generosity toward us. Father: take our eyes off ourselves and our small world. Enable us to see You, Your church and Your world–a world too big for us to make a difference, but not You. So we bring the world to You. We bring those who haven’t seen or heard Your Good News in lands without a gospel witness: send workers into the harvest.

We bring those who serve You there–keep them faithful in what they do and say, may people see, hear and feel Jesus touch them.

We bring those in the long process of clean-up and rebuilding their lives. Give them hope. Provide help. We bring our nation, with all our faults, foibles and flaws, as well as all our hopes, dreams and aspirations. May we live up to creeds we espouse, commitments we make and values we declare.

Forgive us for trusting ourselves–our wealth, our power, our smarts and actions–and not You. Humble us before You. Make our ways right and true, holy and just. We bring loved ones who are ill, asking You to heal them; those who mourn, to comfort them; those who are alone, to comfort them; those despairing, to encourage them; the confused, for you to guide them; and those in need, we ask you to provide for them.

We bring our church to You; make us a true colony of heaven, showing the world your kingdom in our compassion and in our passion for the lost, the poor, the weak and forgotten. Make us one: one spirit–in your Spirit; one mind–filled with Your thoughts; one heart–which breaks over what breaks Your heart; and one action, moving in your presence. And we bring ourselves, just as we are, to You. Take us. Remake us. Fill us. Use us. Mold us into the image of Christ Jesus. This we pray … to your glory and our joy, in the name of Jesus. AMEN

Richard Herman

God–Father, Son and Holy Spirit–You know what it’s like to be many and one at the same time. In You, we too are many … yet one. You’ve made us one body—a single family unified for one purpose; with one baptism—giving us a single identity. You’ve given us one Spirit—Your Spirit; and one hope—in the same future. And, with one faith we trust You for our salvation, our one Lord, Jesus Christ.

So together, with one voice and a single heart, we hold varied anxieties and hope, concerns and commitments, and give them to You. For those we love who are ill or injured, anticipating surgery or recovering from it–we pray healing of body, peace of mind and trust in You.

For families who gather this week–we ask safety in travel, joy in shared times; and where reconciliation is needed to bring a marriage and family together, we ask You to give grace, humility, forgiveness and growth in love and trust. For those who can’t be together this week–we ask peace.

May Your grace give reason for thanks in shared memories. For our nation–so blessed by You over the years, we offer thanks: for freedom, for abundance of resources, for the ability to worship You unafraid. Yet, we’ve also grown proud of our power, our wealth and our technologies. Forgive us for turning to other gods to lead and protect us; and for when we’ve trusted ourselves too much and You too little.

For our world, so splintered by national interest and suspicion, by prejudice and hatred: we pray for understanding and empathy, justice and compassion between peoples. Strengthen Your missionaries, keep them faithful in serving You as they declare and live Your gospel as lights throughout a dark world. For Your Church, for this church–we thank You. Thank You for Your people who love us as we are, who care for us when we hurt, who lift us up when we fall, who are there when we are in need. Thank You for a church that’s faithful to proclaim and demonstrate Your truth with grace and compassion. Thank You for ministries that quietly change lives, for leaders who faithfully serve and for all who sacrificially give of themselves. So, with thanksgiving in our hearts, we pray all this, in Jesus’ Name. AMEN

Richard Herman

God of grace, wisdom and hope—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—from whom every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name. You created us in Your image, making us for relationships …giving us meaningful work …and putting us in families to nurture and care for one another; and to show Your love to the world.

Today is Father’s Day … or so we’re told. For many of us this can be a hard day. For some, it’s because their father was not a dad who demonstratedY our love, patience and care; theirs was a father who did not protect them from pain, but was instead a source of pain through neglect or abuse, or who didn’t love and care for their mother; or may have even abandoned them.

Lord God—be the Father they’ve always wanted but never had; may they hear Your voice telling them: “You are my beloved; and with you I am well pleased.” May they know Your tender compassion—mindful of our weakness and frailty, to protect and encourage.

For others, today is a hard day because they’ve stood at a bedside sometime this year to say“good-bye” to a father they love as he died. In the grief that this day stirs, bring comfort, reassurance and healing peace. Allow memories to be treasured and shared with thanksgiving; stories that bring laughter or even tears …both coming from love given and received.

And for those for whom today is precious, may love be experienced, joy be felt, wisdom be shared, gratitude be expressed, and the words “I love you” spoken.

Lord—encourage faithfulness in men…enable them to live into and out of both sides of love: the tough and the tender, the strong and the sensitive, and so reflect Your love to those they call family, friends, colleagues and neighbors.

We give thanks and celebrate family love—for marriages that have endured and we thank you for those beginning new.

Thank You for the gift of children and grandchildren. Thank You for graduations that mark the end of one life chapter and the commencement of another.

We also pray today for families who’ve been touched by grief. We pray for families of one–that the church family might embrace, encourage, support and love each. We pray for broken families–that understanding might bring forgiveness, and, when possible, forgiveness bring reconciliation, but in all things, we ask that love would prevail. And, we pray for blended families–that grace might allow new love to form, re-form and to last. However, ours are not the only families we pray for today, Lord.

We pray for missionary families, serving You joyfully and sacrificially. We pray for families whose homes, cities and nations are torn apart by war and ethnic conflict. We pray for refugee families, seeking new homes and lives in places where they are welcome and safe. We pray for the families of those who shoulder the burden of leading nations and cities; the burden of protecting and serving at home and abroad.

In it all, we come back to You, our good and loving heavenly Father: may You continue to be faithful…and enable us to be faithful in turn. All this we pray in the name of the Son, our Savior and Lord—Jesus the Christ. AMEN

Richard Herman

Thank You, Lord, for the gifts of life, of love and of care that come from You, wrapped in our moms and step-moms, in our grand-moms, great-grandmas, daughters, sisters, and aunts.

We’re grateful for the good gifts they’ve given us …The lessons taught and learned. The hugs shared and tears shed with us. The late nights and early mornings given in love. The faithful life shown and the gospel-told. Thank You Jesus for these special women in our lives.

Why are we so blessed while others are alone–who’ve lost a mother’s love to diseases like AIDS, to divorce, to distance or death? Comfort those whose table will have an empty chair where a mom sat last Mother’s Day; and those who still feel a loss after many years.

For all our loved ones who are ill-by Your grace, we pray for healing and wholeness to ….

For all who mourn–by Your grace, we pray for comfort; whether the grief is fresh or lingering.

For marriages, once good and strong but now disintegrating–by Your grace, we pray for understanding, reconciliation and restoration.

For alienated kids–by Your grace, enable them to come home.

For our world, so full of hatred and war–by Your grace, we pray for peace and hope.

For your church—often too much like the world—by Your grace, we pray for You to set us free, to make us more like you and less like the world, to make us a pure light that shines in the dark world like stars on a clear, dark night.

We pray this all, in Your name. AMEN

Richard Herman

Gracious God–Giver of all good gifts: We praise You.

You give us the wonder of creation and You give us life.

We praise You, Father.

You give us forgiveness of our sins with salvation and eternal life.

We praise You, Jesus–God the Son.

You give us Your own living presence with gifts of power for life and spiritual gifts for service.

We praise You, Spirit of the Living God.

We celebrate the gifts of our children, Your expression of hope for our future.

We celebrate the gifts of families, into which you place us; and the gift of Your family, the church. We celebrate new life and we celebrate new families begun in marriages.

We celebrate your covenant faithfulness witnessed in baptism.

Time and time again, You’re faithful to us; which is why we thank you and praise you. It’s why we trust You with what weighs heavily on our hearts. We pray for those who need your protection and healing.

For all the hospitalized, ill, injured and recuperating–strengthen their bodies, encourage their souls, restore their health physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

We pray for all who mourn–for our friends and loved ones. We pray Your peace and comfort for them. Restore their hope and bring Your people alongside them to give a helping hand and a supporting shoulder.

We pray also for our world so filled with suspicion, hatred, isolation, envy, greed, and fear. Bring peace out of war. Replace prejudice with understanding, hunger with food, thirst with water, homelessness with shelter, rejection with acceptance and compassion. Give national leaders wisdom–enable them to be just and compassionate, courageous and honest.

May your kingdom come … soon. For the church–we pray. Make your people daring, faithful, and true; and enable us to love, really love–each other, our neighbors and the world so that all may know Your gospel is true because they can see Your gospel in action. Encourage our missionary friends, serving You in distant places and different cultures. All this, and more, we pray to Your glory. AMEN

Richard Herman

Episcopalian Prayers of the People, Form VI

The Leader and People pray responsively

In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.

Silence

For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who
are alone.

For this community, the nation, and the world;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.

For the just and proper use of your creation;
For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.

For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the
needy.

For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.

For [N. our Presiding Bishop, and N. (N.) our Bishop(s); and
for] all bishops and other ministers;
For all who serve God in his Church.

For the special needs and concerns of this congregation.

Silence

The People may add their own petitions

Hear us, Lord;
For your mercy is great.

We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life.

Silence

The People may add their own thanksgivings

We will exalt you, O God our King;
And praise your Name for ever and ever.

We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in
your eternal kingdom.

Silence

The People may add their own petitions

Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;
Who put their trust in you.

We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.

Silence may be kept.

Leader and People

Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
in your compassion forgive us our sins,
known and unknown,
things done and left undone;
and so uphold us by your Spirit
that we may live and serve you in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Celebrant concludes with an absolution or a suitable Collect.