for Pentecost 17, Year C
As people of faith, we accept our interconnectedness with all people, and all creation. And so we unite our hearts in prayer for those in need. Let us draw near to the divine and to one another through our prayers of intercession. There is a responsive line at the end of each section. I will say “Eternal One,” and please respond with “we lift our prayers in faith.”
Pray with me.
Eternal One, we lift our prayers in faith.
Source of all Life, creator of the earth and all that is in it, we lift our prayers of thanks to you. For the beauty of the earth that surrounds us, for winds that bring autumn coolness in the north and warm spring zephyrs in the south. Thanks be to you, creator of the heavens and the earth, to whom all things belong.
Eternal One, we lift our prayers in faith.
Source of all being, our life span is short, at any moment to be taken from us. Free us from greed, and fill us with generosity. Strip us of our fear and strengthen us to love one another as you have loved us.
Eternal One, we lift our prayers in faith.
For those who struggle to find adequate food and clean water, clothing and shelter and the other basic needs of life, we pray that governments and agencies, including the church, will reach out to change the course of their history for good, sharing from the abundance held by others. Grant us the courage and generosity to be part of the solution working with local charities and organizations reaching out around the globe.
Eternal One, we lift our prayers in faith.
We pray for places torn apart by violence and for places which look to violence as a solution. We pray for countries feeling threatened by their neighbours. Amplify the calm voices calling for peace and reconciliation that they might be heard, that hardened hearts might be softened, that ancient divisions might be mended. We pray for those who sacrifice so much for the good of many, who risk even their lives for the cause of peace. Open our hearts and pocketbooks to be active peacemakers, too.
Eternal One, we lift our prayers in faith.
We pray for travelers. We pray for refugees looking for safety and welcome, and for students who have left the familiar to study in distant places.
Eternal One, we lift our prayers in faith.
For those who have known illness and pain, suffering and worry, we pray for an over-shadowing of your mercy upon them. For …[add other names] . Encircle them and their families with your comforting embrace.
Eternal One, we lift our prayers in faith.
We pray for those who have been visited by loss and grief. For… [add names of bereaved] and all who mourn. Illuminate their darkness. Comfort and strengthen them.
Eternal One, we lift our prayers in faith.
In this moment of silence, hear the joys and concerns on our hearts. [silence]
Eternal One, we lift our prayers in faith.
Giver of hope, we lift our prayers in faith looking always toward peace and goodness.
