Prayers of the People/Intercession on The Church
As the broken bread, once scattered upon the mountains, has been gathered together and made one, so may your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into one kingdom;
The Didache, adapted, taken from A Manual for Worship, Ed. John E. Skoglund, Judson Press, 1993.
O God, we pray for the church, which is set amid the confusion of contemporary life and is face-to-face with a great new task.
Be with your church, O God.
Grant the church a new birth through the labor of repentance. Put upon its lips the ancient gospel of God.
Be with your church, O God.
Help it to boldly proclaim the coming of the kingdom of God.
Be with your church, O God.
Fill it with the prophet’s scorn of tyranny, and with a Christlike tenderness for the burdened and the oppressed. Give it faith to defend the cause of the people.
Be with your church, O God.
Let it cease from seeking its own life, lest that life be lost. Make it courageous to give up its life to humanity, as did the crucified Christ, in whose name we pray.
Be with your church, O God. Amen.
A Manual for Worship, Ed. John E. Skoglund, Judson Press, 1993.
you have called us to be the church of Jesus Christ.
Keep us one in faith and service,
breaking bread together,
and proclaiming the good news to the world,
that all may believe you are love,
turn to your ways,
and live in the light of your truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray for peace.
Triune God–Father, Son and Holy Spirit: our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer; you created, redeemed, and sustain all who call on Your name in any language, place and time. We come to you as Lord of all … and our Lord …with thanks for the life of grace you give us as we live amidst this tumultuous world.
Where fear grips us—give us faith to overcome fear; and give us love—Your perfect love—to cast out fear. For those who are sick—give them Your best: healing, strength, good help, and hope.
For those who grieve—comfort them with your presence, and with the love of Your people, in the joyous expectation of resurrection life in You. For our nation: we ask you to raise up leaders who will bring out the best in us and who can further the cause of righteousness, justice and truth for all… not just for some.
And for Your church—for this church: We want to be compassionate toward the poor, as you are. We want to declare the Gospel, as you call us. We want to be bold and courageous in our living it, as your Spirit gifts and empowers us. Help us, Lord, to be more like You.
Lord: hear our prayers—those spoken and those left unspoken, for we offer them all in the name above every name, the name of Jesus. AMEN
God of nations and Lord of all creation: You were there at the beginning of time and at our beginning, and You will be there at the ending and when we finally come home. There is no time You are not there, no place you are not present and nothing You cannot do.
It’s because You are strong and You are loving that we can turn over to You what drags us down. We ask that You heal our friends and loved ones who are ill or injured, recuperating or rehabilitating from surgery or sickness… whether physical, emotional or mental.
We also hold up to You those families who grieve, whether the loss is recent or lingering, encourage them, comfort them, sustain them and keep them from despair by the hope of eternal life that comes through faith in You.
For those with loved ones serving overseas in the military–guard their loved ones who serve, protect them from anxiety and despair, comfort those who have lost loved ones in war, and bring the remainder home safely.
Where there is unrest, division and war–bring peace and justice. Where there is poverty and despair–give food and water, clothing and shelter; and restore dignity and hope. Where children are abused, neglected and mistreated–watch over them, give them hope and give them kind adults who will show Your love. Set the addicted free of the bondage that will otherwise destroy them … and their families. For our nation, its leaders and legislators, judges and officials–we ask not just for Your blessing, but that You will guide them, showing them what is good and right to do, and then give them the strength and courage to lead us in your ways.
For Your church–make us a colony of heaven, a body of people who make Your love, Your joy, Your hope and Your peace visible. Enable us to be both loving and truthful, gracious and holy, in such a way that others are drawn to You. All this, and more that we have not spoken aloud, we pray … in the name of Jesus. AMEN
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
Jesus–Savior, Friend, and Lord: When we’re lost, confused and anxious–You are our Way. When we misunderstand–and are misunderstood, when we are lied to and lied about, and when we lie or believe the lies–You are the Truth. And when we feel drained of vitality, or afraid of death and dying–You are our Resurrection and the Life.
You guide us, speak to us the Truth in love and You give us hope … always. For that we praise You, now and forever. And because of that, we come to You with all we are and aren’t, knowing You’ll help us, and those we care about. We pray for friends and loved ones who are ill or injured, recovering and recuperating: Mend their affected bodies.
Quiet their anxious minds. And assure their fearful hearts; for You are our Great Physician. For those who grieve losses, recent or long past: Give them the gift of thanksgiving in good memories and positive influences. Cover any lingering hurts with Your love. And surround them with Your gift of peace, given in Your resurrection.
For those in depression’s darkness–be the Light of their world. For those lacking life’s essentials–be the Giver of Bread; and move the hearts and hands of your people to express your care with love in action. For those whose relationships are strained, damaged or broken–be their Mediator and Reconciler, bring them back to their heavenly Father and to one another.
We pray also for Your church–meeting today to worship joyfully under spreading trees in Africa, reverently in European cathedrals, hopefully in storefronts on the streets of cities in the Americas and even secretly enthusiastic in places where it’s a crime against the state to name Your name. Wherever we are–keep Your church faithful to the Truth you declare, loyal in the Way you give us to live, and joyful as we live for You. May we grow in our love for You and for one another, so that the world might know that You are our Lord, we are Your people …and that the same can be true for them, too.
For your world–we pray the Gospel would be known from pole to pole, horizon to horizon; and that between nations: peace would overcome war, hope replace despair, love conquer hate, and understanding supplant suspicion. Now, for us here this morning–we pray for ears to hear Your voice to the glory of Your name, Jesus; for You are our Lord and Savior. Amen.