Prayers of the Church, 15^th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 19 – September 13, 2020

Let us approach the throne of grace on behalf of the Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence is kept.

We are your debtors in so many ways, heavenly Father! We sometimes forget how even our trifling sins can, if unrepented and unforgiven, run up a soul-crushing “tab.” Thank you for being so willing to cancel our debt. Keep us ever mindful of the costly generosity of your beloved Son. Give us his grace and strength, to willingly forgive the debts of those who have wronged us.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Teach your Church how to be a school for forgiveness and an outpost of your “Mercy Hospital.” Give it leaders who explain and practice forgiving. Make its worship an encounter with your forgiveness. Equip its members to pray for and share the forgiveness you give through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

How difficult it must be for your people to forgive when they are being tortured simply for believing in Jesus, who prayed for his enemies even from the Cross! Give them a double portion of his Spirit, so that they may bless and not curse; forgive and not revile. Let persecutors repent from their evil and ask forgiveness from those they have wronged.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Make the people of this congregation rich in mercy, abounding in kindness, tireless in good works, and joyful in praising you, the source of all mercy.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bless our schools, colleges, seminaries, and home schools as they embark on a strange and difficult journey this fall. We don’t know how COVID will affect students, teachers, and families. We do know that children need to be in school, but we want them to be safe. Guide and protect us all, and help us to make prudent decisions, even though sometimes we will make mistakes.

We pray for all who are crushed beneath a load of debt. They can do foolish or dangerous things to seek relief. Help them to ask for help, forgiveness, and a wise solution. Help those to whom they are indebted to move beyond anger and self-interest, into the uncharted yet blessed waters of mercy. Remind them how indebted they are to you, for you forgive their debts of sin.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Be merciful to this poor broken world. Help our leaders to rule with justice tempered with mercy and compassion. Bestow on all of us a spirit of patience, forbearance, humility, and kindness. Teach us to outdo one another in showing mercy and righteousness.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We pray for everyone seeking to be Jesus’ disciples, especially as he teaches them the hard path of forgiveness and self-sacrifice. Fill them with your Spirit. Help them to rightly and wisely share your Son’s costly grace, even with people who are obnoxious, obstinate, or oblivious.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Renew the life and health of all who are afflicted in any way by the powers of sin, evil, sickness, or death. Especially we plead on behalf of: {List}. Heal all their infirmities, dear Lord; and crown them with your mercy and loving-kindness.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Most holy Father, you show goodness and mercy toward those who die trusting in you. Thank you for redeeming their lives from the grave. Make your ways known also to us; renew our strength; and take away our sin. Lead us in the pathways of your loving-kindness, and teach us to forgive rather than to pass judgment upon one another. Grant that whether we live or die, we know that we are yours. Raise us to that perfect and glorious life which you bestow upon all whom you have redeemed.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Conform our prayers to the heart of Jesus, hear them through the interceding of your Holy Spirit, and grant them in accordance with your gracious will. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, 14^th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 18 – September 6, 2020

Let us approach the throne of grace on behalf of the Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence is kept.

O dear Lord, why do we always get these hard readings on a holiday weekend? We want to take a break from talk of sin and reconciliation, discipline and hard conversations. Please help us to thank you for the guidance and promise your Son gives us, even in such awkward encounters. And fill us with your Spirit, so we are equipped to put into practice what Jesus has given us for such times.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Make your Church courageous in warning people of their sinfulness, and humble in confessing its own sin. Help it to graciously offer forgiveness to any who turn to you. Give it the lovely righteousness of your Son, and make it his dwelling-place, and an outpost of your Kingdom.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Hear the prayers of your faithful people who suffer persecution, torture and even death because of Christ. Do not let the waters of hatred overwhelm them; and grant them grace to persevere in faithfulness.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bless this congregation with humility, gentleness, and wisdom. Help us to speak even hard truth with such love, that others seek the forgiveness, mercy, reconciliation and life that comes from Christ.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Lord, there are families, congregations, and communities in which people have hurt one another badly. They struggle with betrayal; anger; and hatred. They need encouragement to confess and repent when they have done wrong. They need courage to forgive when they have been wronged. They need help to relearn trust and concord. Refresh them with your Spirit; nourish them with your Word; and bestow on them such grace and mercy in Jesus Christ that they may accomplish those things that are needful, to your glory and for the sake of their fellowship.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

You have given great honor to those entrusted with worldly power and authority. Give them also the wisdom to know that they must give an account of their stewardship to you, the King and Lord of all nations. And give them the desire and the strength to accomplish your will for the good of all people entrusted to their care. Teach us how to settle differences peacefully; and to act honorably, speak respectfully, and live justly.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Sin can distort Paul’s words about how those who bear the sword carry out your wrath against wrongdoers. Guide, strengthen and bless those in the military and law enforcement, to be worthy instruments of your will. Help them to bring safety, freedom, and justice to those who suffer at the hands of evildoers. Heal their bodies, minds, and spirits when they are victims of evil. By their labors, lay the groundwork for peace to grow and flourish.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

There are so many people whose lives are shadowed by suffering! We lift their names before you, especially {List}. Grant them health, hope, guidance, and the joy of your presence in their lives. Fill all who care for them with compassion; and bestow your salvation upon them all.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your “little ones” who, though they have died to this world, live eternally in your embrace. Give us the grace to live as your little ones, too.  Help us to trust and obey you. Help us to aid, warn, and forgive each other. Give us your mercy, and for Jesus’ sake, lead us into your Kingdom. Grant us the joy of seeing your face and of worshipping you in the company of all you have redeemed.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Conform our prayers to the heart of Jesus, hear them through the interceding of your Holy Spirit, and grant them in accordance with your gracious will. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, 13^th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 17 – August 30, 2020

Let us pray for the church, the world, and all people according to their need.

A brief silence is kept.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Peter! Last week we thanked you for his witness. Today we thank you – not that he stumbled, but that even as Jesus rebuked Peter, he still loved and forgave him. Lord, we know you will rebuke us, sometimes sharply, when we are a stumbling block and unwitting agent of Satan. Give us grace to repent and humbly take up our cross again, following Jesus alone.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Grant that your Church never be a hindrance to your Son nor a stumbling-block to those whom he came to save. Center its life and proclamation in the Cross of Jesus. Cause it to follow wherever Jesus leads, even unto death. By its witness and example, draw many hearts to repentant faith in Christ, and to the desire to overcome the world’s evil with his good.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We pray for our sisters and brothers in Christ whose cross-bearing is no figure of speech but the reality of their lives. Let them not be overcome by evil; and keep them steadfast in their faith. Give us the desire and the opportunity to speak in their defense, pray on their behalf, and provide for their needs.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Help this congregation to live out the words of Saint Paul: Let our love be genuine. Make us abhor evil but hold fast to the good. Teach us to love and honor each other. Let us serve you fervently. Make us joyous in hope, patient in tribulation, and constant in prayer. Give us grace to be generous and hospitable, and to bless even our persecutors. Help us to rejoice with the joyful and to weep with the mourners. Teach us to live in harmony, and to not be wise in our own sight. Give us grace to repay no one evil for evil; to do what is honorable; and, so far as it depends on us, to live peaceably with all. And grant that we are not overcome by evil, but that in Christ, we overcome evil with good.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Keep in your dearest care all victims of violence and injustice, especially when evil has been done to them in the name of religion. Stir up all your true servants to give them aid, comfort and shelter; for you are glorified by deeds of goodness, mercy, hospitality, and peace, not by acts of cruelty, violence or hatred. And fulfill your promise to deliver them from the hands of the wicked.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Give integrity, wisdom, and humility to those entrusted with power and the authority over communities, corporations, and nations. Help them to do what is honorable, just, and generous. Help everyone to find honorable employment, and the means to support themselves and their loved ones. And help our society to provide just and timely assistance when people cannot work.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Strengthen and help the many entrepreneurs, employees, and businesses facing massive challenges to stay open, let alone flourish. So much rides on the goods and services, the wages and products, the stake in the wellbeing of communities, that they provide! Help us to value their contribution to our common welfare, and seek ways to help them to prosper justly and creatively, for the good of all.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Deal mercifully with all whose lives are shadowed by suffering, sorrow, or any kind of adversity. Especially we pray for: {List}. Have pity on them and redeem them; turn their sorrow into gladness, and their pain into shouts of thanksgiving. Give them gentle, wise, and compassionate caregivers, and reunite them with all who love them.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Father, receive our beloved dead into your never-failing embrace. Help us to love each other with true affection; to live peaceably and honorably; and above all, to cling to Jesus and his Cross. Lead us into your promised Kingdom which you have prepared for all whom you have delivered from the power of sin and death. And there let us bless you and live together in your peace forever.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Hear our prayer, O Father, and grant all that glorifies you and builds up your people. This we ask for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, 12^th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 16 – August 23, 2020

Let us pray for the church, the world, and all people according to their need.

A brief silence is kept.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Peter! Thank you that he was so very human, and yet you graced him with faith to confess Jesus as your Son and Messiah. As you used him, we ask that you would also use us, to do your work of forgiving, confessing, and proclaiming Jesus as Lord to a disbelieving world.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Establish the Church upon the solid rock of Christ, and on the faithful witness of your apostles. Make the Church truly the one body of Christ upon this earth; and do not let the gates of hell prevail against its faithful proclamation and teaching. By your Holy Spirit, make it wise, gracious and steadfast in your command to rightly forgive and retain sin; and use it to bring many to a saving faith in Jesus their Savior.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Keep safe your servants who are persecuted for naming Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. Visit them with your righteousness and draw near with your salvation. Grant that our words and deeds may never hinder or tarnish their witness. We also pray for missionaries, seminarians, and theologians entrusted with rightly proclaiming your word.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Conform the people and programs of this congregation to your good, acceptable, and perfect will. Help us to not think too highly of ourselves, but with sober judgment to use our talents according to the grace you have given each of us. Build up the body of your beloved Son among us through sound preaching, faithful teaching, generous giving, cheerful service, and loving kindness.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bless all those who have instructed and shaped our faith – parents, grandparents, pastors, Sunday School teachers, and all those whose love for Jesus shines brightly through their lives and their example. Thank you for the saints whose confession of Jesus as Lord has been a blessing to others, and has formed the unseen foundation of our own faith. Use us to encourage, instruct and guide others in lives of discipleship and service, to your glory and for the building up of your people.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Teach the world’s rulers listen to you, the giver of justice and the author of salvation. Conform their decisions and deeds to your righteous will, so that they care for the lowly and give hope to all who cry out to you. Heal the divisions that fracture families, communities, and nations; and help us to live at peace with our neighbors.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bless all who risk their lives to protect, defend and rescue others. Give them the gifts of valor, loyalty, wisdom, and competence; and help them to use those gifts according to your will and for the benefit of your people. Heal their wounds of body and mind; reunite them swiftly with their loved ones; and crown their labors with the blessing of your peace.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Graciously answer the prayers of everyone who calls upon you for help, including: {List}. Keep them safe in the midst of all that troubles them; increase their strength within them; and let them lift up their eyes and see the light of your salvation.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Most gracious Father, we praise and glorify you because your love endures forever. In your great mercy, draw near and make good your purpose for us. Keep us steadfast in faith, bold in witness, generous in sharing, cheerful in helping, gentle in exhorting, frequent in forgiving, and constant in thankfulness to you, our rock, and our salvation. Lead us into presence of Christ our Lord. Give to us, and to all whom he has redeemed, eternal joy and gladness; thanksgiving and the voice of song.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Hear our prayer, O Father, and grant all that glorifies you and builds up your people. This we ask for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, 11^th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 15 – August 16, 2020

Let us pray for the church, the world, and all people according to their need.

A brief silence is kept.

Dear Father, we are so slow to see others as your beloved children! Thank you for all the Syrophoenician women, men, and children in our world. Soften our hearts to lead people different from ourselves into Jesus’ presence. Help us to discover that in his embrace, we truly become sisters and brothers to him, and to each other.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Fashion your Church into your holy house of prayer upon the earth. By your Holy Spirit, show it how to rightly welcome all people into its midst.  Through your Word and holy Sacraments, draw many close to your beloved Son: to hear, to pray for, and to receive his promised mercy, forgiveness, healing and salvation.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

There are many who refuse your mercy, reject your Son, and persecute your servants. Forgive them and soften their hearts. Strengthen Christians who suffer because of Jesus, to speak, act, and pray with humility, boldness, graciousness, and steadfast endurance.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Make this congregation a true house of prayer. Fashion us into people of prayer. Transform our ministries into expressions of prayer, offered to you on behalf of the world and our neighbors.  Help us to welcome them with humility and compassion, and make us willing to walk with them along your sometimes-hard road of repentance, forgiveness, obedience and service.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

O God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we pray for our elder brothers and sisters in the faith, your people Israel. Grant to the Jews lively faith in you, fervent love for others, and joyful obedience to your holy Law. Let us, together with them, see the consummation of your promised mercy, which was entrusted to Abraham, and was ratified in the death and resurrection of his offspring and yours, Jesus of Nazareth.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Forgive and heal the shameful divisions and warfare that make impossible even the most basic hospitality, justice, or safety for too many of your people. Teach our rulers to seek the health, safety and prospering of everyone entrusted into their care. Increase concord, cooperation, and kindness between those of different backgrounds or beliefs. And teach everyone upon this sad and sin-shadowed earth to look beyond those things which divide, and to cling to your holy and merciful will to heal, redeem and save all who will receive you.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Lord, as schools approach opening day in a world clouded by pandemic and upheaval, we pray for students and teachers, parents and aides. Keep them safe, and help them flourish. Bless our seminaries and Christian colleges and schools with faithfulness to Jesus and love of neighbor, of wisdom, and of virtue.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

In healing a Gentile woman’s daughter, Jesus showed that your mercy and salvation are for any who call upon your name. And so, we are bold to pray for all who are distressed by afflictions to body, mind, or spirit – especially: {List}. Be gracious to them, and bless them; and show them the light of your countenance. Draw them, and all who care for them, ever closer to your Son; and bestow upon them the joy of your saving help.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Thank you, dear Father, your fullest healing has been granted to all who died trusting in your promised mercy; and so we commend them into your care – especially those near and dear to us. Keep us united with them by our common faith in your Son. Keep us united with our fellow pilgrims by our Spirit-led love for one another. Grant us, with everyone redeemed by the merits of Jesus, the unmatched joy of life in your house – not as pet dogs under the table; nor as strangers or as guests; but as your children, at home with you forever.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Hear our prayer, O Father, and grant all that glorifies you and builds up your people. This we ask for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, 10^th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 14 – August 9, 2020

Let us pray for the church, the world, and all people according to their need.

A brief silence is kept.

Holy Father, we bow in adoration before your majesty. We stand in awe of your wisdom, power, and goodness. And we thank you for your strong saving love, made real for us in your dear Son. Send us your Spirit, so we boldly obey his commands and humbly crave his mercy.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Send your Church into every corner of the world to preach the Gospel of salvation through Christ alone. By your Spirit, give it humility, faith, and courage to proclaim your holy Word with faithful clarity and winsome charity.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Give such endurance and faith to all who are persecuted for being Christians, that even their tormentors might repent, call upon your name, and be saved.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Protect this congregation from storms of contention, controversy, and confusion. Shelter us in your arms, and help us trust your guidance. Help us to say in word and deed, “I love you, O Lord my strength, O Lord my stronghold, my crag, and my haven. My God, my rock in whom I put my trust, my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my refuge; you are worthy of praise!”

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We pray for everyone who is overwhelmed by winds and waves of adversity, grief, and suffering. We know they sometimes feel abandoned by others – and even by you. Give us grace to encourage, strengthen, and aid them. Help us to take their hand and walk with them, even across their stormy seas, towards the nail-scarred hands of Jesus, who alone can lift them up and save them.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Shield us from natural disasters and manmade catastrophes. Storms, floods, tornadoes, droughts, and earthquakes threaten many lives; and human malice and stupidity destroy many more. Come down, O Lord, on the wings of wind; scatter our enemies and deliver us from our anguish! Speak your word of peace upon the troubled earth and every human heart; and reign undisturbed as King and Lord of all.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Clothe with righteousness and wisdom all your servants who risk their lives in defense of life and liberty. Be their stronghold, shield, and refuge. Make them models of justice, integrity, and service.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Lord, many people can say with the Psalmist, “The breakers of death rolled over me, and the torrents of oblivion made me afraid.” We lift them before you – especially: {List}. Save them from every affliction that threatens to undo them. Lead them to a place of safety and shelter, healing, and hope. And bless everyone who is entrusted with caring for them in any way.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Thank you, dear Father, for your servants who now rest from their earthly labors – especially those whose death touches us most closely. Give to us, who still sail life’s stormy seas, faith to call upon you in confidence and hope. Give us love to encourage and help our neighbor in distress. And give us hope, that clinging to your Son for dear life, we come safely into your embrace. Grant that we, with all whom you have redeemed, may sing with joy and worship you forever.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Hear our prayer, O Father, and grant all that glorifies you and builds up your people. This we ask for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, 9^th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 13 – August 2, 2020

Let us pray for the church, the world, and all people according to their need.

A brief silence is kept.

Heavenly Father, thank you for daily bread that nourishes soul and body. Thank you for the Bread of Life, Jesus your Son. Give us this bread always. Help us share with those who are famished.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Feed your Church with the Bread of Heaven. Refresh it with living water. Heal it with the wine of forgiveness. Nourish it with the milk of your kindness. Then, send the Church into the world, to invite those who do not yet know you to drink from the waters of salvation and feast on the bread of life.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We pray for Christians around the world who are imprisoned and killed because they name Jesus as Lord. Bestow on them your steadfast love and, so that they may be bold, faithful, and gracious in their witness to their Savior. Help us to serve, defend and provide for them however we can.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Make the people of this congregation hungry for your truth and thirsty for your mercy. Let us feast upon Jesus in Word and Sacrament. And then, make us overflow with holy love, so we eagerly share him with those who need it most.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

There are so many hungry people! Bless every food pantry, community garden, meal program, and aid organization that feeds the hungry. Help us to endow poor communities with skills and resources, to feed themselves and be a blessing to many others.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Teach the leaders of the nations to incline their ears to you; to rightly lead their people; and to seek that good which endures. Give them the desire and the means to provide food, jobs, education, and safety for those entrusted to their care. And grant to all people those good things which sustain life and hope.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Jesus’ disciples learned his power by obeying his command to feed the people. We are his disciples, too. We’re sometimes overwhelmed by the size of the task: so many hungry, hurting people! And we’re daunted by our resources: we’re so small, old, limited, untutored! Give us the obedient hearts of the first disciples. Help to follow Jesus by little steps: Sitting, praying, listening, sharing, gathering. Remind us that Jesus will take, break, and bless our small gifts, and use them to feed a world starved for him.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Grant refreshment, strength, and healing to everyone who struggles with any sort of adversity. Especially we lift before you the needs of: {List}. Give compassion and competence to all who care for them. And hasten the day when they may joyfully say, “You remembered us in our low estate, for your mercy endures forever; and delivered us from our enemies, for your mercy endures forever.”

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, keep in your care all who have died trusting in your promises. Turn our sorrow into joy, and our tears to laughter. Have compassion on us. Nourish, sustain, guide, and protect us. Teach us to care for each other tenderly. Gather us around your Son, to receive every good gift from his wounded hands. Let him lead us, and all your people, to the festal table you have prepared. There may we eat and drink and gaze upon him, our heart’s desire, forever.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Hear our prayer, O Father, and grant all that glorifies you and builds up your people. This we ask for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, 8^th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 12 – July 26, 2020

Let us lift our hearts, hands, and voices in prayer to God on behalf of all people.

A brief silence is kept.

Dear Father, thank you for giving to your Chosen People Israel the gorgeous pearl of your holy Word in Torah, Prophets, and Writings. Thank you for enfleshing your Word most perfectly in the great Pearl beyond all price, your dear son Jesus. Thank you for making us, through him, into your pearl your hidden treasure, your beloved people!

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Make the Church lovely with Jesus’ goodness. May it always treat your Word and Sacraments as precious, living treasures, not as dusty relics or as optional bric-a-brac. By the gracious power of your Spirit, draw many to faith in Jesus, so they may never be separated from your love.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We pray for our persecuted sisters and brothers, who face “tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword.” Make them more than conquerors through the Cross of Christ; and soften the hearts of those who torment them.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Keep this congregation in your care, knowing that nothing can separate us from your love for us in Christ Jesus. Use our words and deeds to share that love with those around us who need it most.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bless your people the Jews. You chose them not because they were great but because you loved them; and from them you brought forth the pearl of great price, even Jesus Christ your dear Son. Enfold your people in your protective and loving embrace; and bring them and us into the fulness of joy you have prepared for those who love you.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Establish your justice among the nations, O Lord; and do not let the scepter of evil hold sway over us. Establish your justice among rulers of countries and captains of industry; among leaders in every field of inquiry and endeavor; and among your people everywhere. Turn our hearts from evildoing and crooked ways; and fix them firmly upon faith toward you and fervent love toward one another.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We pray for justice, concord, and safety to flourish in this land. We pray for wrongdoers to be held accountable for their deeds, and to repent of them. We pray for wise words, not inflamed rhetoric, from our leaders. We pray for constructive decisions, not rash actions or empty gestures, from those entrusted with authority. We pray for those who risk their lives on behalf of others, that even in difficult circumstances they exhibit integrity and valor. We pray that in all circumstances, your will be done.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We pray for the sick, injured, dying and bereaved; for the troubled, confused, lonely, or despairing; and for everyone who struggles with the tribulations of this life – especially {List}. Help us to show them, in word and deed, that though the world seems against them, you are for them; you love them; you justify them; and you shall indeed make them more than conquerors.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Most Holy Father, we remember before you our departed loved ones. Remember your faithfulness and loving-kindness to us, though we are in the thousandth generation of those whom you have named as your own. Teach us to eagerly seek and dearly treasure your Son, our Pearl of great price. Whatever trials we endure in this life, grant that blessed outcome promised to all who love you. In your great mercy, bring us into your Kingdom. There, with all the redeemed, may we rejoice in your love and delight in you forever.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Receive and graciously answer our prayer, heavenly Father, for the sake of your dear Son; and by the power of your Holy Spirit, give us the strength and will to accomplish whatever you call us to do. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, 7^th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 11 – July 19, 2020

Let us lift our hearts, hands, and voices in prayer to God on behalf of all people.

A brief silence is kept.

Holy Father, thank you for stating what we constantly ignore or forget: that every one of us is a weedy field! Thank you for giving us Jesus’ strong, wise words to stand against the “cancel culture” that seeks only to uproot and destroy. Thank you for his patient, grace-filled tending, that alone can “cancel” our sins and heal our flawed lives and broken hearts. Thank you for your promise to gather us in, from every race, kindred, tribe and nation, as your treasured, holy, precious, and redeemed people.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

You are the first and the last; beside you there is no god. Give your Church the faith and courage to proclaim that in Jesus, crucified and raised from the dead for the forgiveness of sins unto eternal life, you have revealed your nature and your heart to the whole world.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Come to the aid of all who suffer abuse, scorn, and deadly violence because they name a crucified Jewish carpenter as the one, true and only God. Grant that their faithful witness and grace under fire should bear radiant witness to that precious truth.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We look at our congregation, and into our own hearts. We confess that we are fields sown with weeds as well as wheat. Forgive us. Deal mercifully with us. By the grace of your Spirit, help us to bear one another’s faults with patience and gentleness. Remind us that you alone will make us pure, holy, and good, by conforming us to your dear Son.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We pray for our enemies – especially those who hate us because of our faith in Jesus. We pray for all who deny and despise him. We pray for all who do not know him, or who only know a shriveled, distorted image of him. Soften their hearts; enlighten their minds; and fill them with your Spirit, so they may repent and believe in the Good News.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We know there are no perfect rulers or programs – only sinful people in a fallen and death-shadowed world. Therefore, we groan in travail, pleading that you would free us from bondage and futility. We cry out for redemption and righteousness; for healing and wholeness; and for your Sabbath rest, your Shalom. Until then, make us humble, gentle, and wise; and heal the evil we have caused.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Your Son’s parable counseled letting weeds and wheat grow together. Yet for the sake of your people, we must stem the spread of deadly weeds: violence, injustice, and hatred. Therefore, we plead on behalf of those in the military, police, security, intelligence, and first response. Give them wisdom, integrity, and honor, so that by their labors, those they serve may have a measure of justice and safety.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Sickness, sorrow, and adversity take root in every life. We cannot uproot them all, yet we know you desire abundant life for your servants. And so, we are bold to pray for everyone who suffers, and especially for: {List}. Speedily grant them health, hope and comfort; and in the fullness of time, complete in them and in us all, the full and perfect healing that you have promised in Christ Jesus.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We thank you, heavenly Father, for those who have gone before us and are at rest in you. We pray for one another, especially those whose grief runs deep. Teach us to pray confidently, knowing that you have made us your children. Teach us to care and share, encourage and challenge, comfort and forgive, knowing that you will prosper your handiwork. And gather us to yourself as your rich and fruitful harvest in Christ Jesus, so that with all your forgiven sinners, we may abide with you forever.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Receive and graciously answer our prayer, heavenly Father, for the sake of your dear Son; and by the power of your Holy Spirit, give us the strength and will to accomplish whatever you call us to do. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, 6^th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 10 – July 12, 2020

Let us lift our hearts, hands, and voices in prayer to God on behalf of all people.

A brief silence is kept.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the simple images of seeds and soil. Thank you for using what we’re familiar with to point us to deeper truths. Thank you that we don’t need a Ph.D., a corner office, or a million Twitter followers to bear rich fruit, to your glory and for the nourishment of people famished for your healing and life-giving love.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Fill the Church with the Holy Spirit. Make it beautiful with holiness and rich with wisdom. Let your Word take root in it and accomplish that which you purpose. Draw all flesh into its courts; hear their prayers; forgive their sins; and accomplish their salvation.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Grant patience, courage, and gentleness to everyone who is persecuted on account of Jesus; and do not let their witness to you return to you empty. Uproot the stones and weeds from the hearts of their tormentors, so that they may bear the fruits of repentance and be saved.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Deal mercifully with this congregation. Make our words, deliberations, and ministries faithful and fruitful. Uproot the deep-rooted weeds and remove the stubborn stones of sin from the fields of our lives. Break down the hard-trodden paths of worldly customs. Make your Word grow so richly that many hearts may be nourished through our presence in your world.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We praise you for favorable weather and fruitful earth; for the fields and orchards, flocks and herds, streams and seas which nourish us all. Bless farmers and ranchers, fishers and shepherds, gardeners and all whose knowledge and effort helps to protect, preserve, and wisely use the gifts of creation. Help us to be generous stewards of your bounty, sharing with all who are in need.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We pray for this nation, beset by troubles and strife, yet still our beloved country. Reform its laws, purify its speech, instruct its leaders, and soften every heart to see one another as your beloved children, created in your image and redeemed at great cost by your dear Son.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

You intend for us to live in joy and peace; yet in this sin-darkened world, violence, injustice, and evil threaten so many. We pray for those tasked with defending life and liberty. Conform their actions to your will, so all may enjoy the fruits of safety, concord, freedom, and justice.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bring healing and hope to everyone who is afflicted by sorrow, suffering and sin – especially {List}. Lead them out of their darkness into the brightness of your saving love. Grant peace to their hearts and joy to their loved ones, that together they may praise your awesome deeds of salvation.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Thank you, dear Father, for all who have died trusting in you. Lead and guide us, who still walk a road that is stony and desolate, overgrown with the thorns of sin and briers of violence. Refresh us in this wilderness. Give us nourishment for our bodies, hope for our hearts, and your Spirit to abide with us along life’s way. Crown our years with blessing. By the merits of your dear Son, gather us safely to yourself, where with all whom you have redeemed, we may sing with joy forever.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Receive and graciously answer our prayer, heavenly Father, for the sake of your dear Son; and by the power of your Holy Spirit, give us the strength and will to accomplish whatever you call us to do. Amen.