Prayers of the People/Intercession on Food
Creator of heaven and earth, you have studded the sky with stars and made it bright with lights, enriched the earth with fruits to satisfy our needs, given to humankind the clear light and the shining stars to enjoy, the earth’s produce to feed on.
We pray you, send us rain, abundant, plentiful, fertilizing; and make the earth yield fruit and to spare; for we know how you love us, we know your kindness. Hear our petitions and prayers and bless the whole earth, through Jesus Christ. May glory and power be yours, in the Holy Spirit, now and age after age. Amen.
Serapin of Thumis, c.339
We thank You, God our Father, for Your grace, mercy and love, expressed today through Your Word and Sacrament; and we ask You to help us to pray and to know what to pray. You give us all good gifts:
You give us Your Son, the true bread of heaven, the food of eternal life. You give us Your Spirit, to live within us as living water welling up into new life and hope.
You give us Your Word—to reveal Your love, character, and purposes, and to guide and direct us on our life’s journey. You give us Your Church—fellow-believers, companions with us in the way, as friends when we are lonely and encouragers when we are discouraged. You give us healing when we’re injured or ill physically, spiritual, emotionally or mentally.
So we ask: please restore all who need your healing touch; and strengthen those who give care and aid. You give comfort when we mourn, peace when we are in distress, hope when we feel disheartened, strength when we feel weak, and You give Your Son for our salvation.
We thank You and praise You! So now, we ask you to strengthen us in Your service by the spiritual nourishment we will receive today in Your Word and sacrament, in the fellowship of Your people, and through the commission of Your Son so that our daily living before a watching world, may show our thanks to You, draw people to You and Your kingdom, and that You may gain all the glory. This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN