Prayers of the Church, 6^th Sunday of Easter, Cycle A (May 17, 2020)

Let us pray to our risen Savior on behalf of the Church, the world, and all people according to their need.

A brief silence

Thank you, Jesus, for your faithful servants who have openly proclaimed what otherwise would have been hidden to us: that you are true God and true man, crucified and Raised from the dead for the forgiveness of sin unto eternal life. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to teach, comfort and guide us in your Way forever.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Grant that your Church always worships and proclaims you as the Redeemer of the world. Fill it with your Spirit, so it is always ready to make a defense to anyone who questions the hope that is in it. Cause it to speak and act with gentleness and respect. Above all, kindle in the Church such love for you that it beautifully keeps your commandments and draws many to faith in you.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Come to the aid of your persecuted disciples throughout the world. Fill them with such faith, hope and charity, that, when they are slandered, those who revile their good behavior in you may be put to shame.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Give a double portion of your Spirit to missionaries of the Gospel. Use them to bring many to faith in you. Guide and direct discipleship coaches, spiritual directors, and all who teach the faith to the next generation of believers. Bless all they do that glorifies your name.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Give the members of this congregation the observant eye and quick wit of St. Paul, who proclaimed your Gospel to skeptical Greek philosophers. Though we may not speak with his eloquence, help us to relate to people around us with words and stories that resonate with them. Help us to share the hope that is in us, and the love you bear for them.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Graduation approaches for many of our young people – and for many who have returned to school later in life. Give them wisdom as well as knowledge; focus as well as confidence; and righteousness as well as competency in their chosen fields. Use their skills to better this world, and keep their eyes fixed on the world to come.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

The nations do not know you, dear Lord; and they suffer because they are starving for your Word of life, truth, forgiveness and salvation. Unleash your Holy Spirit throughout the world, so that our leaders seek to obey your Father’s will; and all those who blindly serve “an unknown god” may learn to love and serve you, their Redeemer and Lord. Teach all of us to seek peace, do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly in your sight.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Deal gently with all who are afflicted by pain, confusion, sorrow, remorse, or despair. Heal every hurt they have sustained. Especially we pray for: {List}. Attend to the voice of our prayer for them .Bring them into a place of refreshment, health and hope. Give compassion, wisdom and patience to everyone who cares for them; and sustain them with your gracious Spirit.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Most holy Savior, we bless and adore you. You have promised life and salvation to all who trust in you. We commend to your care our beloved dead. Do not leave us as orphans, grieving as those who have no hope. Draw close to us, and keep us in your care. Fill us with your Spirit forever. Make us abound in faith and good works, and help us to share these gifts with gentleness and respect. Gather us with all your saints into your mighty arms. And lead us into the life, light, and love you share with your Father and the Holy Spirit forever.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We praise and magnify you, dear Jesus. Accept our prayers and lay them at the feet of your Father, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns gloriously as our Lord and our God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, 5^th Sunday of Easter, Cycle A (May 10, 2020)

Let us pray to our risen Savior on behalf of the Church, the world, and all people according to their need.

A brief silence

Thank you, Jesus, for being the Way to your Father’s house, the Truth that sets us free, and the Life which raises us out of sin and death. We bless and adore you for being, above all, the Love that will never let us go. Give us grace to share your love with everyone we meet, especially those who have lost their way, strayed from the truth, and are haunted by death.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Make the whole Church on earth into your house of living stones: holy, precious, your prized possession and beloved Body. Cause its words and deeds to proclaim the excellence of your salvation. Use it to call many people out of darkness into your marvelous light.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Like Stephen, there are many even today who are persecuted and tortured for proclaiming you as Lord. Give them the grace and strength that you gave Stephen: to fearlessly speak your truth in love; to forgive and pray for their enemies; and to remain faithful to the end.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Lord, we want to be your disciples, but are dismayed at the prospect of ridicule, rejection, or persecution. Give us grace to be like Stephen, always praying for others to repent and believe in you. Let us always build up faith in you alone, our Head and Cornerstone.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We thank you for calling to your service everyone in this congregation who supports the ministry of Word and Sacrament through their faithful work. Fill them with your Holy Spirit; prosper all they do to further the proclamation of the Gospel and the care of your people; and give them joy in serving you and your people.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

You care tenderly for your people, especially the littlest who are laid in your arms. We therefore ask your blessing upon mothers, foster mothers, and all who act with a mother’s love. Give them your own patience, steadfastness, tenderness and wisdom. Share your deep gentleness and strong love as they care for their children.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Remind the rulers of the nations that you alone are King of the nations. Humble them. Teach them to use the authority and power you give them: to care for the poor and needy, the widows and orphans, the imprisoned and oppressed, the hungry, blind, and homeless. Make us all beautiful with your righteousness and compassion; and frustrate the way of the wicked.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Guide, protect, and strengthen all who defend life and liberty here and abroad. Prosper all their works that make for safety and justice. When they are wounded, bring healing, hope, and peace to them and to their loved ones. When their task is done, bring them home in honor, and help us to benefit from their knowledge, skills and experience.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bless, heal, comfort and sustain everyone who cries out to you for help – especially: {List}. With the Psalmist, cause them to say, “Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help; whose hope is in the LORD their God; who keeps his promise forever.”

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, we hear your promise at funerals: “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”  Therefore we entrust into your keeping our beloved dead. Give us grace to believe your promise; to grow in holiness; and to encourage, correct, serve and support one another throughout our earthly life. Be for us, and for all whom you love, the Way to your Father’s house; the Truth which sets us free from bondage to sin, evil and death; and the Life which eternally transforms us into your likeness.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We praise and magnify you, dear Jesus. Accept our prayers and lay them at the feet of your Father, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns gloriously as our Lord and our God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, 4^th Sunday of Easter, Cycle A (May 3, 2020)

Let us pray to our risen Savior on behalf of the Church, the world, and all people according to their need.

A brief silence

Thank you, Jesus, for being our Good Shepherd – even though we balk at being compared to sheep! Thank you for giving us abundant life, even as we walk through death-shadowed valleys.  Thank you for knowing us by name, even though we sometimes forget yours. Claim us and guide us every day, in spite of ourselves, until we are safely in your house forever.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

You are the Good Shepherd. Defend the Church from peril, provide for its needs, and lead it in paths of righteousness. Through its ministry, lead many to hear your voice and follow you.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

You are the Faithful Shepherd for your people who are set upon by wolves and persecutors. Protect, guide, and bless them. Give them such grace under pressure that their enemies’ hearts may repent of evil deeds.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

You call your sheep by name. Bless the work of theologians and seminary professors. Help them to identify and train faithful “holy sheepdogs,” called by you to help tend your beloved flock.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

You are the Good Shepherd of this congregation. Lead us with your Word. Prepare our table with your Body and Blood. Teach us to do your will with glad and faithful hearts. And use us to lead many into your safe keeping.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Lead our children, especially teenagers, in paths of righteousness and holiness. Defend them from every enemy that tempts them to stray from your side. Channel their energy, idealism and curiosity into ventures that glorify you and lift up others.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

You are the Gate of your sheep. Protect the people of every nation from false shepherds; from rulers who care nothing for their welfare; and from all the threatening dangers of this world. Bring peace in places of violence; rich pasture in places of poverty; and true righteousness in places of injustice.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

You are the Rod and Staff of all who stand in harm’s way on behalf of others. Guide, protect, and strengthen them. Prosper all their works that make for peace, safety and justice; shelter and strengthen their loved ones; and bring them home safely and soon.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

You are Shepherd who leads us through dark valleys shadowed by suffering. Be the strong Guide and sure comfort of all who call upon you, especially: {List}. Fill them with your abundant life; keep them steadfast in faith; and strengthen and bless all who care for them.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, you prepare a table for us in the presence of our last enemy, death itself. Thank you for leading home all who listened to your voice in their earthly life. Be our Good Shepherd, too. Teach us to hear your voice, nourish us at your Table, and defend us from our great Enemy. Fix our eyes upon your Cross, and lead us through the valley of death’s dread shadows. Bring us into your Father’s house, where with all whom you claim as your dear flock, we shall receive the abundant life which you share with your Father and the Holy Spirit.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We praise and magnify you, dear Jesus. Accept our prayers and lay them at the feet of your Father, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns gloriously as our Lord and our God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, 3^rd Sunday of Easter, Cycle A (April 26, 2020)

Let us pray to our risen Savior on behalf of the Church, the world, and all people according to their need.

A brief silence

Thank you, Jesus, for walking with us on our Emmaus roads. Thank you for speaking, not over our heads or with overwhelming displays of majesty, but with clear words that bring Holy Scripture to fruitful life in our hearts. Thank you for making yourself known to us in the breaking of the bread. Thank you for your patient kindness when we are sad and bewildered.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

You ransom and purify your Church with your own precious blood. Grant that the Church should constantly glorify you, live in glad obedience to you, and preach your Gospel to all.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Hear the cries of those who are persecuted on account of you, and rescue them from suffering and sorrow. By their humble trust in you, cause the hearts of their tormentors to be cut to the quick, that they may turn to you and be saved.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Grant that the teachings and testimony of missionaries, seminary professors and students, and theologians of the Church, cause many hearts to burn with repentance, faith, and joy. Prosper the words and works all who walk in paths of discipleship, to your glory and for the building up of your people.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bless this congregation with your dear presence. Cause our hearts to burn within us as we hear your Word. Come to us in the breaking of the bread at your holy Table. Kindle sincere affection and love between us all. And make us eager and tireless in telling our family, friends and neighbors about your love for them, which has triumphed over sin and death.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Be the companion, comfort, and sure defense of everyone who is far from home and family. Some are working.  Give them satisfaction and fair wages for their labor. Some serve in the military, or stand in harm’s way in times of danger and disaster. Fix their hearts firmly upon doing your Father’s will. Some are exiled, or flee abuse or terror. Grant them mercy, safety, and hope. Some are imprisoned. Give them repentant hearts and transformed characters. Some are in hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, or rehab. Bless them with healing according to your merciful will. By your grace, grant that they all may find a true and eternal home with you.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Heal the suspicions, cruelty, and self-centeredness which afflict this “crooked generation” – the people and leaders of every nation. Teach us reverent obedience to your Father, who judges impartially according to our deeds. Cut our hearts to the quick when we see hurts and injustices visited upon our neighbors. Give us strength to help however we can; and make all of us slow to condemn and swift to show mercy.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We plead on behalf of all who suffer in body, mind, heart or spirit – especially: {List}. Rescue their lives from death, their eyes from tears, and their feet from stumbling. Be gracious and compassionate to them, so that they may walk again in the land of the living, and praise your steadfast love towards them.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

With gratitude and affection, we remember your servants whose death is precious in your sight. Stay with us who still walk the long Emmaus roads of this earthly life, for we, too, are your servants, whom you have redeemed. Bestow the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit upon us. Deliver us from the bonds of sin and sorrow; and teach us to love each other. Lead us, dear Jesus, into your Father’s house. There, with everyone whom you have delivered from death, we will lift your Cup of salvation; eat your Bread of Life; behold you face to face; and adore you in the power of the Spirit forever.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We praise and magnify you, dear Jesus. Accept our prayers and lay them at the feet of your Father, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns gloriously as our Lord and our God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, 2^nd Sunday of Easter, Cycle A (April 19, 2020)

Let us pray to our risen Savior on behalf of the Church, the world, and all people according to their need.

A brief silence

Dear Lord Jesus, when news seems too good to be true, we hesitate to lose our hearts to it. We’re afraid we might be losing our minds, too! Like Thomas, we want proof before we commit. Forgive our fears, strengthen our faith, and remind us, again and again, that your Good News is too good not to be true.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Breathe your Holy Spirit upon the Church, and fill it with your peace. Test and purify the Church, so that you are constantly praised, honored and glorified in all it says and does. Use it to bring many to a sure and joyful faith in you, the Author of salvation.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Breathe your Holy Spirit upon Christians who are persecuted for naming you as Lord, so that they act and speak in ways that glorify you. Soften the hearts of their enemies. Give them the faith of the apostles, who rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor on account of your holy Name.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bless this congregation with the imperishable inheritance that you have won for all who trust in you. Make our faith genuine and our worship joyful. Increase our love for you and for one another. Let our words be gracious and our deeds be generous. In all things, may our lives be filled with your holy love.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Show yourself in mercy, forgiveness, and power to those who doubt, disbelieve, or have become disillusioned about the Gospel of truth. Give to each of us a gentle and encouraging spirit, that we lead them closer to you. Give us simple, faithful words and loving, holy lives. Give us grace so that we do not become stumbling-blocks in their journey from disbelief to saving faith in you, their Lord and their God.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Your glory is proclaimed in the heavens and throughout the universe, Lord Jesus. Cause this world, so broken and wounded by sin, suffering and sorrow, to also praise you. Turn every heart, especially of the rulers of the nations, to seek your will. Bestow the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, so that we might accomplish it.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Give wings to the words of your missionaries, and bless and guide the teachings of all within our seminaries, colleges, and schools. Help them to speak and to live the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection with confidence and charity.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We lift before you everyone who has been grieved by various trials to body, mind, heart or spirit, including: {List}. Lead them safely through their suffering and restore them to life, hope and love. And though they do not now see you, give them grace to rejoice in your saving love for them, with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

O risen Savior, we entrust into your care our beloved dead. Comfort all whose grief runs deep. Fill our hearts with hope, joy, and unshakable confidence in the precious inheritance you have stored up for all who trust in you. Breathe your Holy Spirit on us, so that we may forgive one another and live together in your peace. Bring us into your presence, where we may gaze upon your glory and goodness, and may forever adore you, our Lord and our God.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We praise and magnify you, dear Jesus. Accept our prayers and lay them at the feet of your Father, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns gloriously as our Lord and our God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayers in a Time of Pandemic

Feel free to use some or all of the following, for online streaming services,

private devotions, mailings to congregants, etc.

Let us draw near the Throne of Grace, humbly beseeching God’s mercy for all people in this time of suffering and fear.

A brief period of silence may be kept.

Most holy God, you are the source of all goodness, wisdom, mercy, and life. If we never before knew how much we need those great goods – how much, rather, we need you – we know now. This isn’t just about our private fears or personal concerns, nor only our church or community or nation. This is about ever person on the face of this planet.  How vulnerable we all are, gracious Lord! How interconnected we are – and not just by social media, party affiliation, or various identity labels. No, we’re bound together by our common humanity and, through that, by the possibility of infection, illness, and death by a virus.

Father, bind us together by something even greater and stronger! Bind us together with “cords that cannot be broken,” because they are forged by your Son as he hung on a bitter Cross for the sake of the whole world. Bind us together with him in a fellowship of suffering: suffering with, and suffering for, our sisters and brothers according to the flesh. Bind us together in a fellowship deeper than our differences and stronger than death. Bind us together in Christ, crucified and risen from the dead for the salvation of all.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bestow your Spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and might upon all who take counsel for the nations in this time of crisis. Give them every spiritual, moral, intellectual, and social resource they need to act for the good of the people entrusted to their care. Let them be courageous, competent, collaborative, and compassionate as they ponder what course to take.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Thank you for the brilliant and dedicated scientists who seek to understand the infection’s nature, to slow or prevent its spread, and to mitigate the suffering it causes. Thank you for doctors, nurses, and everyone from housekeepers to cooks, from dialysis and inhalation technicians to emergency room personnel, who are truly risking their lives for the sake of us all. Bless and strengthen them. Keep them safe from all harm – and grant them rest when they need it, for their own health’s sake.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We plead on behalf of the many people who are quarantined and isolated because of exposure to the virus; for everyone who is already ill; and for those who are at the greatest risk of severe illness or death. Hide them under the shadow of your wings, and grant them healing and hope.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Lord, give courage, patience, and ingenuity to everyone whose job or business is endangered by the quarantine and uncertainty. Help us to support one another, and to patronize, as we can, local small businesses in our community. Give lending institutions, landlords, and creditors the spirit of generosity and compassion, so that personal and communal suffering is not made worse by evictions, foreclosures, fines, and bankruptcies.

Most gentle and gracious Father, we pray for families with children in these difficult days. Some have only one parent. Some are already stressed by things ranging from drugs to physical abuse, from illness of body, mind, or spirit to financial fragility. Lord, some of those households will be like pressure cookers, and the children might suffer most when it “blows.” Let your Spirit brood over those troubled waters. And give us eyes to see and hearts to respond as helpfully and often as we can.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Forgive, enlighten, and cause salutary repentance among the ignorant and flippant, the malicious and careless, the conspiracy theorists and the social Darwinists, the heedless young and the “it can’t happen to me” folks of all ages. Give them the common sense that you have given to guppies and fruit flies, Lord! Help us all to think beyond our own convenience (or lack thereof); our own risks or losses; our own plans or fears. Help us to think about the least of these, our Lord’s (and our) sisters and brothers, who are vulnerable in ways we really can comprehend, with your help!

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We pray for the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church throughout the world, and for our own little portion within it. Many of us cannot worship together or receive the Holy Sacrament, your own Medicine of Immortality. Many of our pastors, priest, deacons and deaconesses, monks and sisters and lay religious, are unable to care for their flock – your flock – as they usually do. Keep us steadfast in faith, courageous in hope, and unflagging in charity. By the power of your most Holy Spirit, keep us united with your beloved Son, our common Lord and Savior, the Shepherd of our souls, and our Good Physician. Increase in us the hunger for your Word, for prayer, and for acts of forgiveness and compassion. Use us, as we are able, to further your purpose and will, and to share your unchanging love – especially among the poor, the ill, the struggling, the dying.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We pray for everyone who, even in this time of common suffering and crisis, refuse to turn to you. We might think that a pandemic is a board of sufficient strength to impart faith when whacked upside an unbelieving head, and we are astonished when it isn’t so! Let our words, actions, and lives be as lanterns filled with the presence and love of Jesus. Let everything we say and do be signs of your grace and mercy. Lord, we are bold to pray: Redeem this time of pandemic, so that many hearts may be softened, and many lives may be overwhelmed by a flood of repentant faith in Jesus, their Savior, Lord, and God.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We know that other needs continue to be urgent, dear Father! We ask the Spirit’s help in remembering them before you. And, for the sake of your dear Son, we pray that you may heed all our prayers and graciously answer them in accordance with your will,  to your glory and for the welfare of your people.

AMEN.

Prayers of the Church, Easter Day, the Resurrection of Our Lord (April 12, 2020)

In joyful confidence, let us pray by the power of the Holy Spirit to the Father of our risen Lord Jesus, on behalf of the world, the Church, and one another.

A brief silence

Thank you, dear Father, for the forgiveness, peace, and salvation won for us by your beloved Son. Tune our hearts to sing his praise. Purify our spirits so we may behold his fair beauty forever. Fortify our minds to learn the depths of his love. Open our mouths to proclaim his victory over our ancient enemy. Direct our hands – one to clasp his nail-scarred hand, the other to draw a fellow sinner closer to his loving embrace. Fill our lives with your Spirit, so that in all things, we bear witness to Jesus’ triumph over sin, death, and the devil.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Adorn your Church with the festal garland of faith, hope, and love. Look kindly upon its worship of your risen Son. Give it concord within its house, and peace within the world. Make it radiant in faith, lovely in holiness, and beautiful in charity. By its words and deeds, bring many to know and adore Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Fill our persecuted sisters and brothers with faith, courage, and joy. Let their faces shine with confidence in the victory of Jesus over everything that torments them. Let that light shine on their enemies, so they see the truth of Jesus’ Lordship, and turn to him in repentant faith.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Feed the people of this congregation with the milk and honey of sincerity and truth. Make us lovely with your mercy, forgiveness, and goodness. Use us to draw many who are afar off into your welcoming embrace, so together we sing: “Christ is risen! Alleluia!”

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We ask your blessing upon visitors in our midst. Some may be discouraged or distracted, puzzled or doubtful, bitter or disbelieving. You love them all for the sake of your dear Son. Give us fitting words and loving hearts, so we share the hope that is in us on account of Jesus’ resurrection. Give them new, or renewed, faith in Christ, for he is their hope and heart’s desire.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bestow your peace upon this weary and war-sick world. Teach all who wield authority and power, in any field or enterprise, to use those gifts wisely and humbly. And give to all – especially those who are poor, forgotten, grieving, or despairing – a foretaste of the joys you have prepared for all who love you.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Even in this season of gladness, good men and women must risk their lives to protect others and stand against the forces of chaos and hatred. Shield, strengthen and direct them, dear Lord. Let their words and deeds accomplish your will. Keep them safe; support their loved ones; and speed the day when was shall be no more.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Grant that Jesus’ triumph over sin and death may bless all who are bowed down in suffering of any kind. Especially we lift before you the needs of: {List}. Turn their mourning into singing, and exchange their sackcloth of sorrow for the mantle of praise and the garment of joy.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

O most kind and loving Father, your crucified and risen Son has promised to lead your chosen people through the bitter portals of death itself. We thank you for the lives and the faithful witness of those who have already gone “farther up and farther in” to your glorious Kingdom of light. Let your Son accompany us along our pilgrimage, to lighten our load and illuminate our path. Let your Holy Spirit fill us with confidence and compassion. And let us, with all the redeemed of every time and place; every race, nation and tongue, stand before your throne and sing your praise in strains of triumphant gladness for ever and ever and to the ages of ages.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We praise and magnify you, most holy Father; we entrust our prayers and petitions to you in the strong name and for the dear sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, The Vigil of Easter, April 11, 2020

Let us, with joyful confidence, pray to our risen Savior for the Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence

Lord Jesus, “thanks” is too small a word! We hear the long story of salvation, and are humbled by your forbearance toward your wayward people. We enter into the mystery of your death and resurrection in our Baptism. We feast on the sweetness of your victorious life at your Table. “Thanks” is too small a word, except that your Spirit searches our hearts and in that small word, utters what we cannot express for all you have done, and all that you are.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Fill the Church with light of your crucified and risen life. Make it resplendent with holiness, charity, and truth. Let it shine the light of your love upon those who dwell in the shadows of sin and death, so with one voice we sing, “Christ is risen, Alleluia!”

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Shatter the hateful words and malicious acts of all who persecute your followers. Raise up your suffering servants, and grant them courage and joy. By their faithful witness, lead their tormentors to repentance, so together they sing: “Christ is risen! Alleluia!”

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Feed the people of this congregation with the milk and honey of sincerity and truth. Make us lovely with your mercy, forgiveness, and goodness. Use us to draw many who are afar off into your welcoming embrace, so together we sing: “Christ is risen! Alleluia!”

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Clothe the newly baptized in the festal robes of faith and innocence. Lead them in the pathways of faith toward you and fervent love toward others. And teach them to constantly sing: “Christ is risen! Alleluia!”

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Let peace and righteousness kiss; let mercy and healing overflow; and let wisdom and faith abound throughout the world. Grant that all people, in every nation, might come to saving knowledge of you, their Shepherd, Healer, and Lord, so that with one voice they sing: “Christ is risen! Alleluia!”

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Keep safe those who risk their lives on behalf of others. Equip them with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the sandals of peace, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, so that they accomplish your will in places of danger and injustice, and may rightly sing: “Christ is risen! Alleluia!”

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Raise up all who sit in the shadows of pain, despair, grief, and death. Bring comfort and forgiveness to those who cry out for mercy. Bestow your reconciling grace upon all who are estranged from you and from their loved ones. Grant them and all who love them, your perfect peace, so together all may sing: “Christ is risen! Alleluia!”

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

O risen Lord Jesus, those who died trusting you already experience the Easter morning that knows no end. Wipe away our tears, banish our doubts, and fill us with courage and joy. Give us loving hearts, gracious words, and tireless hands to help one another along the way. Lead us through the waters of death, as if on dry ground. By your grace and favor, let us stand with you and with all whom you have redeemed, in your promised Kingdom that has no end, there to sing for all eternity: “Christ is risen! Alleluia!”

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Grant to us all that is in accordance with your will, dear Jesus, and accomplish your salvation among us; for you are risen from the dead and dwell in majesty with your Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, Good Friday (April 10, 2020)

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

A brief silence

Forgive and save your Church, O God, for heeding anything that distracts it from knowing, proclaiming, and sharing the love of Jesus, its crucified and risen Redeemer.

          Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

Forgive and renew pastors, bishops, theologians, and other church leaders when by treacherous words and shameful deeds they crucify Christ anew, and turn people from his salvation.

          Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

Forgive and guide each of us in this congregation, for the small and great ways in which we fail to love you with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, and do not love one another as Jesus has loved us.

          Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

Forgive and challenge everyone who says they believe in you, but have more pressing obligations than worship, prayer, forgiveness, or service in your name.

          Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

Forgive and enlighten all who believe in other gods, or who have limited and distorted notions of who you are.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

Forgive and rescue all who say they are “spiritual but not religious,” or who are fascinated by the occult or dark spiritual arts.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

Forgive and teach those who do not believe in you at all, especially those who persecute believers.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

Forgive and bring to repentance our enemies, personal and communal. Forgive all who slander, lie, and spew hate, as did their spiritual ancestors toward your beloved Son.

          Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

Forgive and transform all who break promises, break laws, and break hearts, especially when we still struggle to forgive.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

Forgive and energize all who whine, complain, make excuses, and shift blame to others.

          Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

Forgive and reform everyone who seeks to divide, not build up; to sow suspicion, not trust; and who insists on their own way at any cost.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

Forgive and liberate those who are enslaved by their desires, passions, fears, addictions, or by their attraction to evil for its own sake.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

Forgive and heal all who are caught in snares of illness and pain, depression and anxiety, regret and shame.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

Forgive, save, transform, and redeem all of us – for if we are honest, we know we must number ourselves in the great and miserable fellowship of sinners. Forgive, dear Lord, forgive us who despair; who seek revenge; who are cruel and selfish; who are bored and apathetic; who are thoughtless, clueless, heedless, merciless, and faithless.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy and hear our prayer.

By the suffering and passion, of your holy and beloved Son; by his prayers from the Cross for our sake; by his sinless death and his descent into the depths of hell for the sake of sinners; by his glorious resurrection and ascension, and by his promise to come again as victorious Lord of all, forgive us our sins, heavenly Father. Crucify our sins and burn them in hell; but hide us, your poor sinful creatures, in the life-giving wounds of Jesus, and shelter us in his outstretched arms. Anoint us with the same Spirit he committed to you with his dying breath. Raise us, in the power of that Spirit, to share in the glorious resurrection life of Christ. And speed the coming of that great eternal day when everyone whom you have forgiven and healed, transformed and redeemed, is made fit to stand together before your throne, there to praise and adore you in the unity you share with your Son, our Savior and Lord, and with the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayers of the Church, Maundy Thursday, Cycle A (April 9, 2020)

Let us pray to our merciful God on behalf of the Church, the world, and one another.

A brief silence

Most holy and blessed Lord, we adore you.  We bless you for your love and mercy. We thank you for the Medicine of immortality, graciously offered at the Last Supper and marvelously extended to each of us. We thank you for being so humbly and lovingly washed by Jesus, and called his friends. Help us love one another as he loves us.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Father, fill the Church throughout the world with your Spirit, so it more perfectly loves you and the people your Son came to redeem.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Guide our seminary professors and students, all missionaries of the Gospel, and everyone walking the path of discipleship. Fill them with your Spirit, so they more perfectly proclaim Christ, and him crucified.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Strengthen our persecuted sisters and brothers in the faith. Fill them with your Spirit, so they more perfectly bear witness to the holiness and love of Jesus.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bless this congregation. Fill us with your Spirit, so we more perfectly reflect the servant-love of Jesus to one another, and to our neighbors.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Kindle the faith of all who will be baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ at Easter. Fill them with your Spirit, so they more perfectly follow in his footsteps.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bestow wisdom upon all who have authority and power in our world. Fill them with your Spirit, so they more perfectly accomplish your will for the good of the people entrusted to their care.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Grant courage and integrity to all who risk their lives for the sake of others. Fill them with your Spirit, so they more perfectly establish safety and peace in this troubled world.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We plead on behalf of for everyone who is sick, grieving, estranged, ashamed, addicted, abused, confused, or despairing, especially: {List}. Fill them with your Spirit, so they more perfectly cling to Christ, their life, their health, and their salvation.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, this day we share a foretaste of your eternal feast, prepared for all whom you have redeemed by the passion, death, and resurrection of your dear Son. Fill us with your Spirit, so that we more perfectly take up our Cross, follow Jesus wherever he leads, and encourage one another along life’s way. Bring us, through the merits of Christ, into your Kingdom, where with him and the Holy Spirit, you reign in the joyous glory of heaven’s endless day.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

For these things, dear Father, and for whatever else is needful, we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.