Prayers of the People/Intercession on Witness
Gracious and Merciful God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit: When we wouldn’t love—You did. When we couldn’t do right—you could. When we wouldn’t give—You gave and gave all of yourself.
So we come to You with all our needs and hopes; confident that You won’t turn us away. We come to You with our hopes for all we love who are sick or injured, recovering from or anticipating surgery—Heal, them, Father … Please.
Restore weak knees, damaged hearts and frail lungs. Overcome cancer that attacks and conquer viruses that weaken. Fortify hope that has sagged, and dispel discouragement that threatens. Support caregivers who come alongside in love and caring. Please … And do it all for Jesus’ glory and their joy.
We also come to You today alongside friends who’ve lost loved ones—who need Your peace in turmoil, who need Your light for the darkness and faith to face death with the power and wonder of Your resurrection.
Be to them the Risen One who is the Resurrection and the Life—the Giver of Hope and Peace. We pray for our nation—for we are in need of wisdom, discernment, guidance and courage. Raise up leaders who are strong, willing and able to do what’s good for all, not just what’s politically shrewd for themselves, what’s right and righteous rather than what is simply expedient.
Protect those devastated by fire, flood or drought—and bring out of disaster something good. Bless Your church, Lord. Enable us to make a real difference as representatives of Your kingdom, as a heavenly counter-culture in a world crushed by our sin and the Enemy of our souls.
Enable us to give hope to the hopeless; to live and speak the truth to those confused by the world’s lies and fabrications. Make us willing to be different from the world so that as salt and light You can use us to declare your gospel with our lips and our lives.
We pray for all who seek Sabbath rest and renewal away from the press of the usual crowded schedule and hectic pace, that they may find it in your faithful provision. This … and more … We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Savior. AMEN
Loving God ~ Father, Son and Holy Spirit: We are a people who are waiting: waiting to celebrate Messiah’s birth; waiting to see what this day–and every day–holds as Your blessings for us; and waiting to see whom we can bless with Your love or from whom we may receive a blessing. And we are waiting for Messiah’s return to clean up the mess.
Now, in the meantime, we come to you with our needs and our worries, our hopes and our dreams, because You have invited us to come saying,“Come unto me, all you who labor and are overburdened.”So in prayer, we come.
We come praying for the church throughout the world … for Palestinian Christians in the town where you were born; for Haitian believers who continue to reach out to those of their countrymen in the midst of civil unrest; and especially for all who bear your name in places where it is dangerous to do so.
Sustain and strengthen them in grace.We come, as well, with prayers for the church in this country … and for this congregation: for its leaders—elders and deacons, and for all who serve in various ministries. We pray that we may all benefit from the various gifts offered in service of Christ; that in faith and unity we may be constantly renewed by your Holy Spirit into acts of mission, mercy and love.
We come praying, too, for peace in our world, and for an end to violence. May there be peace in our homes and in our hearts so that we may live and work together in harmony and with genuine concern for one another. Remind us all that we share your world with others, many who are less fortunate than we are; and enable us to be faithful stewards of both the resources and the gospel which You have entrusted to us.
In addition, we come with prayers for our families, friends and neighbors, that we may serve Christ to one another and love one another as he loves us. Help us to make our homes patterns of your love, places of mutual trust and forgiveness, places of true sharing and caring, of deep joy and peace; and unite us all, one to another in the circle of your love.
We also come with our prayers for all those who suffer from any form of illness. We pray for those who are anxious, sorrowful, or in any kind of need or distress; especially for loved ones and friends who are ill or injured, anticipating or recovering from surgery or who are in any kind of need … praying especially for…[fill in those who need specific prayers]
We also remember in the quietness of our hearts others dear to us. [Pause] We know that you love them and know their every need far better than we do. We ask that you do for them as you see best and bless them with your love and peace. We come with thanks to you for those who’ve died trusting in Christ; and we thank you for allowing us to share life with them. We pray for all those who mourn: grant them the comfort of your presence and the hope of the resurrection. Merciful God–as we wait … hear these, our prayers for the sake of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Lord God–Father, Son and Holy Spirit: we hear your Word and sing your praises. We meet at the Table and partake of your Sacrament–the gospel made visible. You call us to yourself, and you send us out into the world, as lights into a dark place, and as salt into a flavorless one. Please hear our prayers…
For the sick, ill and injured–we ask you to heal them, body and spirit, mind and soul; and strengthen their care-givers.
For the grieving–we ask you to comfort them with your hope and peace, and by the Good News of Your resurrection and our new life in You.
For those celebrating new beginnings–a child’s birth, a new job, a new school, a new marriage–all are blessings, but all are change and change is hard. Lord: give each one guidance when they are confused, grace with others and with themselves, and assurance that they are not alone–that You are with them; so they don’t need to be afraid.
For the suffering–we ask you to provide food for those ravaged by famine, water for the drought-stricken, shelter for the homeless, justice for the oppressed, and protection for the weak.
We pray especially for children: for those affected by HIV/AIDs, for those orphaned by disease or war, for those who are mistreated and abused… we ask you to intervene with power and love, hope and peace.
And may your church welcome and bless the little children wherever they are in need. For our nation–we pray for its leaders to be guided by Your truth and justice, holiness and grace; may they lead well. And may we follow well: doing justice, loving mercy and walking humbly with our God. Protect those serving and living in dangerous places–soldier and civilian, ours and others.
For your church–we ask you to kindle passion for Your Gospel and a love of those who don’t know you. Inspire a deeper love for you and for others, with a revived faith that trusts you enough to go beyond our own natural limits and abilities ,to risk so that you get the glory. All this and more we pray in the name of Jesus, Your Son and our Lord. AMEN