I was tasked by the Board of Lutheran CORE to formulate a response to the
ELCA draft social statement, “Women and Justice.” These are my own impressions and thoughts,
however, and ought not to be construed as The Official Stance of Lutheran CORE
on this statement.

Observations

I begin with two editorial observations. First: For a statement that is
centered on justice, and which mentions the word justice several hundred times,
it’d have been helpful to put the definition right up front at the beginning,
not simply hyperlinked to the glossary entry. After the first few dozen
repetitions, “justice” becomes a blur-word.

Second: The brief section on immigration touches on timely concerns but
is almost perfunctory.

Next, I have a few observations that don’t fit neatly in the categories
I’ll use shortly.

Interchangeable
or Not?

The document rightly complains that female bodies and physiology were
often ignored in medical studies. But transgenderism, which it supports as a related
“justice category,” posits an almost ontological change, as if male and female
bodies are interchangeable. The document wants to have it both ways. If
women are assumed to be “just like men” but that doesn’t fit a narrative, it is
a sign of sin and injustice. If women are discerned to be “not just like men”
but that doesn’t fit a narrative, it’s also a sign of sin and injustice.

Next: Although “justice” becomes a blur-word, there are a few
exceptions.  In lines 999-1025, the
discussion of “gender justice” speaks of living out our faith in God by love
for neighbor, with God’s grace healing and covering all our brokenness.
Similarly, in lines 522-530 there’s a reasonable description of “neighbor
justice.”  (Although how this differs
from the Golden Rule, aside from trendier language, is unclear). It’s hard,
though, to see in this draft how God’s revealed Word is greater than the sum of
feminist, intersectional, and “gender/sexual justice” language. It’s as if the
ELCA is trying to improve on what God SHOULD have said and commanded, if he’d
just been as “woke” as the This Church.

Explicit
Silence?

In the list of sins and injustices committed primarily against women, sex
trafficking and sexual abuse are rightly condemned. Oddly, neither prostitution
nor pornography are explicitly mentioned. Granted, they are specific examples
of the objectification, abuse, and commodification of women’s bodies, but they
are also the most lucrative, widespread, and pernicious examples thereof.
Perhaps the drafters wrestled with how they might have to treat a pronouncement
of This Church’s “public theologian,” Nadia Bolz-Weber, who recently opined
that there is such a thing as “ethically sourced porn” which can be enjoyed and
commended.

Scriptural
Imposition

The draft statement names real evils that injure real people. Lines
1013-1014 properly state, “Being freed in Christ involves being freed from all
that tries to replace Jesus Christ as Lord in our lives….” The document then
names “systems of patriarchy,” apparently all of them, as examples of sinful
bondage. It lifts up, as an example of the justifying freedom in Christ, being
“freed to recognize God’s work in creation through… human expression through
gender. We are enabled to see that humans are not simply gender-based opposites
and that we are not created in a hierarchy.” Elsewhere (Section 3) the document
states: “We believe God creates humanity in diversity, encompassing a wide
variety of experiences, identities, and expressions, including sex and
gender” (emphasis added). “Contemporary science” and “neurological
research” are trotted out to debunk “idolatrous” distortions of Scripture,
especially a binary interpretation of “male and female He created them.” There
is no citation from Scripture explaining how “God’s diversity in creation”
includes multiple sexual orientations or gender identities. This notion is
being imposed on Scripture for ideological purposes.

Stand
Under Scripture

This leads to the final section of this essay: more “thematic”
critiques. A fine theologian and churchman (can I still say that?), the late
Lou Smith, warned of the perils of simply trying to understand Scripture,
rather than to “stand under” it. The former puts us in control, using
our own criteria for dissecting, analyzing and judging Scripture. We treat it
as a “dead letter,” or as a merely human document, subject to our standards for
approval, critique, and judgment. The latter reminds us that Scripture
is God’s Word, sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing heart and soul, mind
and flesh, revealing our sinfulness and God’s remedy. It’s therefore something
that has authority over us, whether we approve of it or not.

“Women and Justice” belongs firmly in the former camp.

Problems
within the Scriptures?

Section 16 states: “While God’s Word of Law and Gospel speaks through the
Scriptures, there are words and images, social patterns, and moral beliefs in
them that reflect the patriarchal values of the cultures and societies in which
they arose. Their continued misuse contributes to maintaining hierarchies and
patterns of inequity and harm.… Our tradition’s complicity in patriarchy and
sexism is connected to such biblical interpretation and to the nature and focus
of some of the Lutheran theological tradition. We confess that there are
problems within the Scriptures themselves and that our theological
tradition has led to a theological understanding of humankind that is overly
male-identified. These problems even become idolatrous as deeply rooted but
false beliefs” (emphasis added).

The statement comes perilously close to declaring much of Scripture to be
sinful, or at least to aiding and abetting the sins of idolatry and
patriarchalism. It doesn’t quite cross the line, as it identifies sinful
material as the product (and hobby-horse) of misogynistic males, intent on
preserving their privilege and thereby contaminating, obscuring, or defying
God’s intent.

Scriptural
Authority

This does considerable violence, though, to any notion of Scriptural
authority. Section 16 continues: “The Word of God is first and foremost Jesus
Christ, God incarnate. Secondarily, we encounter the Word as Law and Gospel in
preaching and teaching. The Canonical Scriptures are the written Word of God,
which proclaims God’s grace and sustains faith in Jesus Christ…. The Word of
God is living and active, and we take the written form of the Word of God as
the authoritative source and norm for faith. In its use as Law, it provides
guidance and reveals human brokenness. In its use as Gospel, it reveals God’s
love and promise.”

Jiggering
the Parameters

Once again, the statement tries to have it both ways. Yes, Scripture is
held “within the ELCA” as authoritative. But apparently the only way to discern
“authoritative Scripture” is to jigger the parameters. God’s Word speaks
through Scripture. Law is contrasted with Gospel love. “Guidance” softens
“God’s will.” Sin is recast as “brokenness.” In this diminished and muted
framework, the Gospel is reduced from “forgiveness of sin, and life from
death” to “God’s love and promise.” The upshot is that the social
statement jettisons anything that a feminist/intersectional arbiter might
declare to be offensive, misogynistic chaff from the “real” Word of God. This
is Marcionism for the Woke Generation.

Shockingly
Incurious

There is another problem with the philosophical and theological
underpinnings of this social statement. The drafters are shockingly incurious.
They show no interest in asking, “If patriarchy is universally evil, why did
God routinely work within it? God explicitly condemned many evil
practices. Why not this one?” They do not wonder if at times, patriarchy might
be “the best of a bad lot” of options for sinful and broken human beings to
live as a community of men, women, and children.

They insist the scandal of Jesus’ particularity as a male has no bearing
on his work. They do not ponder why Jesus routinely used “Father” language.
There is no engagement with any rationale for “male images” for God the Father,
except to warn of abuse and misuse by those who are so inbondage to the sins of
patriarchy and sexism that they clearly think of God the Father as literally
male: genitalia, patriarchal privilege, and all: “When Christians rely almost
exclusively on male images and language for God, the images and language become
literal understandings of God. This is poor theology because God always exceeds
human understanding. Taking male images of God literally can also lead to
idolatry, meaning we idolize or hold onto only the male ima-ges” (lines
966-973).

God
is Opposed to Idolatry

There is no discussion of how God’s self-revelation in Scripture
repudiates the blatantly sexual, copulating deities of surrounding cultures, or
of how the “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” stands adamantly opposed to the idolatry,
fertility cults, and sacred prostitution that were rampant in the Middle East
and entirely too seductive to the people of Israel.

No one examines how relationships within the Trinity help us learn right
relationships with others, male or female. There is no discussion of the
nuptial imagery used for the relationship between God and Israel, or Christ and
the Church, except to tie it to oppression, sexism, and patriarchy. The
possibility that this divine/human intimate relationship could challenge,
purify, and be a model for marriage and family life is not on This Church’s
radar.

Victimhood
Instead of Justice?

There is no exploration of how Father language for God might transform
the sinful ways human fatherhood and masculinity are sometimes expressed. No
thought is spared for how matriarchies might foster other, equally harmful
pathologies, or how intersectional feminism might be a form of idolatry,
detrimental to women and men. No one seems to wonder whether intersectionality perpetuates victimhood instead of promoting justice.

Still
Idolatry

There is no interest in exploring why sexual sins in Scripture are
deemed real, even deadly sins. In the Bible, rape, incest, fornication,
adultery, homosexual activity, and prostitution are flatly condemned. They are
linked to idolatry. Why? Surely this is not simply another instance of male
hegemony!

In lines 570-575, we read, “We must continue the task of embracing our
unity and diversity so we welcome and uplift people of every sex and
gender—indeed, every body—in our work together as the Body of Christ in the
world. God’s love feeds the Body of Christ so that it might live in love.” No
one questions whether gender dysphoria or same-sex attraction should ever be
considered anything other than God’s intention and good gifts, to be celebrated
and incorporated into the Body of Christ without comment except “it’s all good.”
No one wrestles with the possibility that “God’s love” be more than sheer
affirmation and welcome, with no dying to self, repentance, forgiveness, or
transformation involved (except for the sins of male privilege and the failure
to rejoice in the marvelous diversity of sexes and genders in God’s wondrous
creation). I ask what, apparently, none of the drafters or leadership in the
ELCA has asked: what if This Church has gotten this all wrong?

“De-privileged”
Scripture

It may be a lack of curiosity. Or it may be the determined resolve to
brand such questions as dangerous manifestations of patriarchal privilege.
There’s certainly no attempt to wrestle with difficult passages of Scripture,
much less to consider whether any of them might reflect the will of God.
They’re merely “de-privileged.”

Egregious
Examples

Additionally, only egregious examples of sexism are cited as entirely
representative of most of the early church fathers. Church history, liturgy,
and ministry are seemingly unrelieved by non-misogynistic practices and
pronouncements. “The Christian Church as an institution, including the Lutheran
tradition, has been complicit in these sins” (lines 440-441). Even the
classically Lutheran notion of the “theology of the cross” is deemed
problematic because it might be perceived as abusive, demanding subservience
and suffering – especially by women.

Blanket
Condemnation

As far as I can tell, there is not one “positive” citation from the early
church fathers, the history of the Western church, the theological “Great
Tradition” that encompasses orthodox Christian thought, or much of Lutheranism
(except for the somewhat convoluted parsing of Law and Gospel, and of
justification by grace through faith, mentioned earlier). Even with qualifying
phrases (“continued misuse;” “can also lead to”), it’s not hard to read the
statement as a thoroughgoing condemnation of Scripture and Tradition from the
earliest stories of the Old Testament until the #metoo moment.

Contradictions

This leads to some genuinely contradictory statements. For example, in
lines 367-372, a perfectly fine observation is made: “The differentiation of
humankind into male and female, expressed in Genesis 2, communicates the joy
found in humans having true partners, true peers: “This at last is bone of my
bones and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23a). God creates community and family,
not a hierarchy…”

 Dishonesty

But then it goes awry: … “not a hierarchy based on race and ethnicity,
ability, social or economic status, or sex (what our bodies look like biologically)
or gender (how people express themselves)” (emphasis added). The document
rightly states that the very possibility of family is grounded in God-given
sexual differentiation between peers. But didn’t the writers remember that
they’d identified science as the proper arbiter of sexual and gender identity
and insisted that both are fluid human constructs? God’s Word, or science:
which is given precedence? And is it not simplistic and misleading – to the
point of intellectual and scientific dishonesty – to state that sex is defined
as “what our bodies look like” and gender as “how people express
themselves?”

Additionally, there are two sidebar graphics (see lines 727-747 and
1048-1060), illustrating how societal attitudes, religious beliefs, and laws,
policies and practices lead either to gender injustice or justice. It’s
presupposed that societal attitudes precede and shape religious beliefs.
Together, they shape unjust or just laws and polities which create communities
of injustice or justice for women and sexual minorities. Referring to lines
1048-1060, on forming a just society: “Working together, we can begin to
transform the circle of injustice…. Individuals and groups can challenge
harmful social attitudes and practices, reject sexist religious beliefs, and
work to change laws and policies that justify and reinforce patriarchy.”

The
Obvious Question

Nobody seems interested in what to me was an obvious question: If we
believe that God’s Word truly is “lively and active,” the “source and norm of
faith and life,” as this document states, then why is the revelation of
God’s word never considered the starting point for transformation of society? Why
is “religious belief” always secondary?How does all This Church’s
earnest language about Scripture as foundational allow the Word of God to COME
FIRST to challenge, forgive, and transform sinful human attitudes, and then to
change unjust laws and create a just community?

Let me conclude with this: If the Draft Social Statement on Women and
Justice is approved by the ELCA, then This Church neither understands, nor
stands under Scripture. And the tragedy is, it seems incurious and unconcerned
about what that means for the very real women and men it purports to care
about, and for.

Editor’s Note: This 4 page article by Pastor Cathy Ammlung originally appeared in Lutheran CORE’s January 2019 newsletter. It is a must-read for anyone trying to digest the 76 page statement that the ELCA will vote on at its Churchwide Assembly in Milwaukee in August 2019.

Click here to read the article.

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Cycle C: Transfiguration of Our Lord, March 3,
2019

Let us draw near
to the Light of Christ, offering prayer and supplication on behalf of the
Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence

Father, today we kneel in awe and adoration before the
divine majesty your Son revealed at his Transfiguration. But sometimes, our
devotion grows cold, our prayers and worship become perfunctory, or our
attitude toward Jesus becomes “he’s my best buddy, he’s there for me if I need him.” Enlighten our mind to
always catch a glimpse of his glorious presence. And kindle our hearts and
spirits to worship and obey him with holy fear, deep joy, and fervent love.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

O God beyond
all praising, we worship you and adore your glory, revealed in the
transfiguration of your beloved Son. Grant that your Church may obediently
listen to his word; hold fast to him in its heavenly calling; preach him alone
as the way of salvation; and thus proclaim to the whole world his blessings
without number and his mercy without end.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Grant to
your persecuted people a firm confidence in the hope that has been established
through the steadfast obedience of Christ their Lord. Give them grace to triumph
through their sufferings and rise to serve you even in the presence of those
who trouble them.  Bless, we beseech you,
all missionaries of the Gospel; our sister congregations and dioceses; and {our
larger church body}.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Let the
radiance of our Beautiful Savior fill the hearts and sanctify the ministries of
this congregation. Make our worship into a joyful duty, and our service into a
sacrifice of praise. Use us to lead others to Jesus, that with us, they may worship,
honor, bless and adore him.

Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.

You have appointed your Son as King of
creation and Lord of the nations. Teach our leaders to praise your name; to
love justice and righteousness; and to seek those things that make for peace.
Come to the help of those whose lives are troubled by sorrow and hardship; and
draw all people into the glorious and gentle rule of Christ their Savior.

Lord, in your mercy, hear
our prayer.

We lift our hearts to you on behalf of all
whose lives are clouded by any sort of affliction or sorrow, including: {List}.
Let the light of Jesus’ countenance heal and cheer them. Let all who care for
them do so with tenderness and compassion; and grant that together we may
praise you for your unending mercies.

Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, our Beautiful Savior, those who
have died trusting in your promises now see you face to face. We thank you for
bestowing this blessing upon them, especially {List}. Continue, we pray, to
show to us your amazing love; and though we are your unworthy servants, bless
us with those good gifts that will sustain us and others in this life. Bring
us, in your good time, into that endless life and light you share with all whom
you have redeemed; and give us voices there to sing unceasingly, “Glory and
honor, praise, adoration, now and forevermore be thine!”

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For all these things, dear Father, and for
whatever else you will for us in your wisdom and compassion, we pray in the
name of Jesus, our Savior, Lord, and King. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Cycle C: 7^th Sunday after Epiphany,
Proper 6, February 24, 2019

Let us draw near
to the Light of Christ, offering prayer and supplication on behalf of the
Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence

Loving Father, forgiveness is the hardest thing we must ever
do – but refusing to forgive is ultimately worse. Thank you for that great,
hard gift of forgiveness that you have bestowed upon us in Jesus. Cause the
power of that gift to work deep within us. And though it be hard, teach us how
to forgive – and to ask another for it – so that we may be restored to you, and
to those who are separated from us by their sins or our own.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Make your
Church unflinching in exposing sin, humble in confessing it, and unceasing in
forgiving all who repent of it. Let it never re-brand sin as virtue, but let it
never scorn or reject those who stumble. Make it wise and faithful in
instruction, exhortation, and counsel, and make it gracious and tender in restoring
and healing all who seek to turn from their sin and toward you.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Bless all
counselors and pastors, and others who work to repair relationships and restore
community. Help them to listen deeply and speak wisely; to seek your will for
the people in their care; and to model your love in the way they serve others.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Embrace the
people of this congregation with your holy and forgiving love. Make us eager to
seek out those estranged from us, and patient in the work of reconciliation. Let
all we say and do shine with love for Jesus, and with Jesus’ love for everyone
we meet.

Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.

Give rulers of nations, and all in
positions of authority, a love for justice tempered with mercy. Remind us all
that revenge may destroy both parties; that “strict justice” can divide rather
than build up communities, and that mercy and forgiveness, though difficult,
can bring healing and reconciliation.

Lord, in your mercy, hear
our prayer.

Restore the faith and the health of all
who are burdened by suffering of body, mind, or spirit – especially {List}. Give
them the joy of your saving help; and restore them to fellowship with all who
love them.

Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, we commend our beloved
dead into your care, trusting your promise of mercy. Keep us, we pray, in your
care as well! Help us to seek and to bring your mercy to the lost, the broken,
the estranged, and the despairing. Sustain us with your never-failing grace, so
won for us by the death and resurrection of your dear Son and lavished upon us
by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit. Reconcile us, through Christ, to you and
to each other, until we are welcomed into your eternal Kingdom and reunited
with all your people, there to praise your goodness forever and ever.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For all these things, dear Father, and for
whatever else you will for us in your wisdom and compassion, we pray in the
name of Jesus, our Savior, Lord, and King. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Cycle C: 6^th Sunday after Epiphany,
Proper 5, February 17, 2019

Let us draw near
to the Light of Christ, offering prayer and supplication on behalf of the
Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence

Heavenly Father, thank you for grafting us in our Baptism to
Christ, the Tree of life rich with abundant fruit. Thank you for immersing us
in the streams of living water, the Spirit flowing from your Son’s pierced
side. Thank you for raising us to new life in him – a life that delights in
him, meditates on him day and night, and produces the sweet fruit of
repentance, mercy, and goodness.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Plant your
Church amidst those streams of living water, so that its proclamation, worship,
teaching, fellowship and charity may bring life and healing to many people.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Father, we
pray, as you have commanded, for our enemies, and for everyone hostile to your
Word. Soften their hearts, forgive their sins, heal their souls, and lead them
in repentance, humility, and faith, to the foot of your Son’s Cross. Give us
the grace to welcome them there as our sisters and brothers, fellow debtors to
your lavish and amazing grace.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Keep this
congregation in your care, and cause all that we do to be in conformity to your
will. Use us to share the forgiveness and mercy of Jesus with everyone we
encounter, especially the people we don’t much like. Water us daily with the
gifts of your Holy Spirit, so that we grow in grace and in fruits that nourish
all who hunger for your goodness.

Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.

Guide all our earthly leaders in pathways
of godliness, righteousness, and integrity. Give them grace to delight in your
Law, and to use their authority and power for the benefit of the lives
entrusted to their care. And help us all to refrain from scornful, inflammatory
words and actions that sow the bitter seeds of discord and violence.

Lord, in your mercy, hear
our prayer.

Bring healing to the bodies, minds,
hearts, and relationships of everyone who is burdened by sin, sickness,
suffering, or sorrow. Especially we plead on behalf of: {List}. Cheer their
spirits, renew their hope, and encourage and sustain their loved ones and
caregivers.

Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.

Thank you, Father, for the lives of all
your faithful people who are now at rest in you. Thank you for their witness,
example, and goodness towards us. Nourish us on our pilgrimage with your Word;
refresh us with your Spirit; guide us by your Son’s Cross; and keep us constant
in faith toward you and in love for one another. Bring us, in your good time, into
the Resurrection-life he has won for all whom you have redeemed by his blood.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For all these things, dear Father, and for
whatever else you will for us in your wisdom and compassion, we pray in the
name of Jesus, our Savior, Lord, and King. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Cycle C: 5^th Sunday after Epiphany,
Proper 4, February 10, 2019

Let us draw near
to the Light of Christ, offering prayer and supplication on behalf of the
Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence

Thank you, dear Father, for seeking and sending us, even
though we, like Peter, are sinful mortals! Thank you for providing every
spiritual gift necessary, so we can faithfully follow Jesus and fearlessly
proclaim the Gospel of repentance and forgiveness he bestows.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Do not let
your dear Son depart from your Church, though it is sinful and broken. Bless,
purify, forgive and transform it, so that it may fish for all those who do not
know Jesus; draw them to his Cross; and teach them to love and serve you with
all their heart.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Bless every
missionary and evangelist who boldly speaks your Word to those who have never
heard or heeded it. Protect and strengthen them and let their words and deeds
show forth the strong saving love of Jesus to everyone to whom they minister.  

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Your Son called
Peter, James and John to follow him, and now calls the people of this
congregation to do likewise. Equip us with faithfulness, boldness, humility and
compassion; keep us focused on your Word; and use our words and our work to
bring many to faith in Christ their Savior.

Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.

Give right judgment to the leaders of
nations and captains of industry, to educators and scientists, military and
emergency personnel, to medical and social workers, and to all who exercise
authority and responsibility for their communities. Use them to keep those in
their care righteous, healthy, and safe. Strengthen the hearts of every person,
so that we give generously of time and treasures when our neighbor’s need is
great.

Lord, in your mercy, hear
our prayer.

We ask your dearest blessing upon those
who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, especially: {LIST}. Free them from bondage
to sorrow, sin, and suffering; and raise them to health and wholeness.

Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.

We commend into your care our loved ones
who have died and are at rest in you. Comfort those whose grief runs deep. Help
us to be so gentle, patient, and kind to one another that we may indeed endure
all things that afflict us in this mortal life. Lead us at last, with all whom
you have redeemed by the love revealed in your Son, into your Kingdom, where faith
becomes sight, hope becomes joy, and your love is our all in all.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For all these things, dear Father, and for
whatever else you will for us in your wisdom and compassion, we pray in the
name of Jesus, our Savior, Lord, and King. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Cycle C: 4^th Sunday after Epiphany,
Proper 3, February 3, 2019

Let us draw near
to the Light of Christ, offering prayer and supplication on behalf of the
Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence

Heavenly Father, even as we thank you for your Word, we
confess that it can sometimes seem stern and even offensive to us. And yet, in
Jesus we have your full assurance that every Word which proceeds from your
mouth is good. In him, your never-failing love is fleshed out for us. Fill us
with your Holy Spirit, so that we can thank you for every Word you speak to us,
and can model, however imperfectly, your perfect and eternal love for your
people.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

You have
appointed prophets and martyrs, pastors and bishops, teachers and ordinary
saints to speak your word and to lead all people to new life in Christ. Grant
that the Church may speak your word boldly, act fearlessly, and in all things
mirror your love, revealed to the world in your beloved Son.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Hear the
prayers of your suffering Church; rescue your servants from the hand of the
wicked and the grasp of the unjust and the cruel. Be their rock and their
refuge; fill their mouth with your praise; and drive out the demons of hatred
and unbelief from their persecutors.  

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Let this
congregation overflow with words of praise to you, and deeds of love toward
others. Help us to be rich in patience and kindness; and to be lacking only in
resentment, irritability, and self-promotion. Let our families, friends,
neighbors and communities truly know we are Christians by his love, which
touches them through us.

Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.

Grant that the leaders of the nations,
most especially our own, may heed your words and seek to do your will. Teach
them to love justice, and hate cruelty; to rejoice in truth and reject
wrongdoing; and to wield authority in the knowledge that they must give an
account of their deeds to you, the Lord of all nations. Give us ears to hear
the cries of all who are victims of poverty, injustice or violence; and give us
the heart and the strength to answer them well.

Lord, in your mercy, hear
our prayer.

With authority and power, Jesus drove out
demons, healed the sick, and forgave and raised up people tormented by the
power of sin and death.  We pray in his
name for all who are afflicted in body, mind, or spirit, and especially for: {List}.
Be their rock, their strong deliverer, and their hope. Strengthen all who care
for them; and grant them the joy of your salvation.

Lord, in
your mercy, Hear our prayer.

We commend into your care our loved ones
who have died and are at rest in you. Comfort those whose grief runs deep. Help
us to be so gentle, patient, and kind to one another that we may indeed endure
all things that afflict us in this mortal life. Lead us at last, with all whom
you have redeemed by the love revealed in your Son, into your Kingdom, where
faith becomes sight, hope becomes joy, and your love is our all in all.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For all these things, dear Father, and for
whatever else you will for us in your wisdom and compassion, we pray in the
name of Jesus, our Savior, Lord, and King. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Cycle C: 3^rd Sunday after Epiphany,
Proper 2, January 27, 2019

Let us draw near
to the Throne of Grace, offering prayer and supplication on behalf of the
Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence

Lord God, thank you for your Word, given to us as Holy
Scripture as the sure foundation for our life as your beloved community. Thank
you for your Word made flesh in your well-beloved and only Son, Jesus Christ.
Shape us more perfectly into his image. Send us with your Word of life to all
who are blinded by the distractions of life, deafened by the voices of pleasure
and power, lamed by the sufferings of life, imprisoned by sin, and impoverished
in body, mind, or spirit.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Make your
Church a place where all your Word – Law and Gospel, lament and praise, history
and exhortation – are faithfully proclaimed, eagerly heard, and gladly heeded. We
pray also for our sisters and brothers who are persecuted for Jesus’ sake. Do
not let us despise or ignore their suffering or their testimony. Say to them,
“Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Build up the
Body of Christ in this congregation. Help us to claim, develop and share the gifts
you have given each of us; to encourage and rejoice in the gifts of others,
whether those gifts seem small or great to us. Let all be done to glorify you
and to share your mercy with those around us.

Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray, therefore,
on behalf of shut-ins, the physically and mentally challenged, the frail, and
all those of our congregation and acquaintance whose gifts are often overlooked
or despised, even by themselves. Grant that, following our Lord’s example, we
may honor them; and that we may rejoice together as fellow members of his Body.

Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.

Teach your commandments and precepts to
all who take counsel for the nations; to our military; and to first responders.
Grant them wisdom, integrity, and common sense, so that their citizens may live
peacefully, work fruitfully, and enjoy the blessings of liberty, justice,
health, every other good thing you have provided for the benefit of all.

Lord, in your mercy, hear
our prayer.

Your Son came to proclaim healing, sight,
freedom and the good news of the Gospel to all who are in bondage to the powers
of sin, evil and death. We lift before you the needs of all who need to hear,
feel, and truly experience his strong saving love, including: {List}. Visit
them with your salvation; heal their bodies and revive their hearts; and let
them rejoice you.

Lord, in
your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Thank you, heavenly Father, for receiving
into your Kingdom those who died trusting in your Word – especially {List}.
Keep us close to your dear Son, that we may hear his Word of life, and feed on
it; that we may be filled with his Spirit, and share it; that we may be knit
into his Body, and rejoice in it. Keep us faithful unto death, and then say to
us, and to all your people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do
not mourn or weep, and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your
strength, forevermore.”

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Graciously hear, and generously answer our
prayers, most holy Father, in accordance with your wisdom and mercy for us, and
in the name of your dear Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Cycle C: 2^nd Sunday after Epiphany,
Proper 1, January 20, 2019

Let us draw near
to the Throne of Grace, offering prayer and supplication on behalf of the
Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence

Holy God, thank you for loving your people so passionately
that the best human analogy is that of a wedding, and of the love between a
bride and bridegroom. Forgive us when our brokenness and wrongheadedness
prevent us from rightly hearing these words! Thank you for the healing and
forgiveness – even of our bodies and relationships – that you bestow in Jesus.
Thank you for your Holy Spirit, who constantly forms us, body and soul, into
his image and his bride.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Adorn your
Church with faithful teaching and preaching; with deeds of mercy,
reconciliation, and generosity; and with worship that befits the adoration and
delight of a bride for her beloved. Overshadow your persecuted servants with
your Holy Spirit, so that they may bless the Name of Jesus their Lord, and so
that their tormentors turn away from cursing his Name.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Give the
wedding-presents of joy and faithfulness, forbearance and forgiveness to all
married couples. Bring healing to homes fractured by sin and suffering. Gather
those who are single – by choice or circumstance – into your loving embrace.
Form us all into your big, boisterous, and blessed family.

Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord, for
many of our congregations “we are family” is very literally true! Bind us
together with the cords of your love, and not merely our kinship ties and
traditions. Make this congregation a place where many are adopted into your
family, and where the bounties of your blessings are freely and lovingly shared
with all whom we invite to join us.

Lord, in
your mercy, hear our prayer.

Let your steadfast love and righteousness
dwell in the hearts of our elected and appointed leaders; in the minds of all
who take counsel for the nations; and in the actions of everyone in positions
of authority in our society. Give us grace to share the gifts and skills you have so generously
bestowed – especially with the poor and lonely, the suffering and the
sorrowing.

Lord, in your mercy, hear
our prayer.

We plead on behalf of everyone who
struggles with pain, grief, addiction, fear, remorse, doubt, and despair. We
lift before you this day the needs of: {List.} Give them the hope and courage
they need to cling to you in times of trouble. And give to those who care for
them a double portion of your compassionate and loving Spirit.

Lord, in
your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Thank you, heavenly Father, for all our
beloved dead who clung faithfully to your promise of salvation. Dry our tears
and ease our sorrow. Give us grace to live in faith toward you, and with
fervent love for one another. Then, by your great mercy, gather us, with all
whom your dear Son is pleased to call his bride and his beloved, at the table
of that marriage feast which has no end.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Graciously hear, and generously answer our
prayers, most holy Father, in accordance with your wisdom and mercy for us, and
in the name of your dear Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Cycle C: The Baptism of Our Lord, January 13, 2019

 

Let us draw near to the Throne of Grace, offering prayer and supplication on behalf of the Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence

Heavenly Father, thank you for revealing a tiny portion the mystery of the Holy Trinity in the Baptism of your beloved Son. Thank you for uniting us to him, in the power of the heaven-descended Dove, and naming us your beloved children in our own Baptism. Give us grace to live lives well-pleasing to you, and let all of our thoughts, words, and deeds cry “Glory!”

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Increase the faithful witness, worship, and works of your Church. Through its proclamation in word and deed, let the whole world hear the thunder of your voice and the beauty of your holiness. We also pray on behalf of our sisters and brothers who suffer greatly for confessing Jesus as Lord. Renew the promise you made to our ancestors in the faith, that the flames of persecution should not burn them, nor the waters of death carry them away from you.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Bestow your blessing on all who are baptized or reaffirming their baptismal covenant today. Stir up your Spirit in them, that they may be freed from sin, united to Christ, and named as your children forever.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Bless the people and the ministry of this congregation. Make us dead to sin and alive to you in Christ. Burn away the chaff from our hearts; gather up and sanctify all that you have cleansed; and use us to share with family and neighbors the new life we have in our Savior.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for our country and for our world. Establish among us such peace, concord, and righteousness, that all people may glorify your Name and enthrone Christ in their hearts as the Prince of Peace. Keep watch over those who, to protect us, walk through the floods of violence and the flames of war.  Conform their decisions, words, and actions to your will; bring them home safely and soon; and bring healing and hope to the wounded and their families.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Say to all who suffer in mind, body or spirit, “Do not fear, for I am with you.” Especially we name before you: {List}. Gather them from the far reaches of suffering and sorrow; restore them to all who love them; and remind them always that they are precious in your sight.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We remember before you those who are dear to us and whom you have delivered from the waters of death. You have called us by name and made us your own in Baptism. We therefore pray: keep us united with your beloved Son, and strengthen us by your Spirit to daily walk in the newness of his life. At the last, say to us and to all whom you name as your own, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.’

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Graciously hear, and generously answer our prayers, most holy Father, in accordance with your wisdom and mercy for us, and in the name of your dear Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.