Intercessions

Lighting a candle is a prayer – Hereford Cathedral, UK

When I lit a candle in Hereford Cathedral, I picked up a card that reads: The shrine of St Thomas of Hereford: a place where pilgrims have left their prayer for hundreds of years. Lighting a candle is a prayer When we have gone it stays alight — continuing our prayers of thanksgiving and intercession […]

Liturgies responding to climate change — Operation Noah, UK

Operation Noah –‘faith motivated, science informed and hope inspired’ Operation Noah, an ecumenical Christian UK charity provides resources responding to ‘the growing threat of catastrophic climate change endangering God’s creation.’ True to their self-definition as ‘an inclusive group,’ there are usually two versions of each resource available: one incorporating inclusive language and imagery and a […]

Prayer for interfaith relations – Helen Heath, Australia

Creator God, God of love and compassion, of all new beginnings, You beckon us to another year of service for the community. But in our world, we are sadly aware of: .communities who are not at peace with each other; • areas in the world where hatred, war and poverty destroy community living; • places […]

Reign of Christ Sunday Intercessory Prayer — Tod Gobledale, UK

As we enter into this intercessory time—thinking and praying for others—let us first seek to still our spirits’ restlessness. I invite you to close your eyes and breathe slowly and deeply. Inhale, filling your lungs…. Exhale, emptying your lungs…. Inhale, fill your lungs…. Exhale, empty them…. Inhale… Exhale. Pray with me. Jesus, they hanged you […]

Prayers for the world, Psalm 121 & Luke 18.1-8 — Ana Gobledale, UK

Written for nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year C Psalm 121 & Luke 18:1-8 (the widow and the unjust judge) Where whence comes our help? Our help comes from God, the Eternal One, who made heaven and earth. Join me in our prayers of intercession. Pray with me. God, you are, indeed, our help in times […]

Group Prayer for our world (intercessions) – Lewisham, UK

Thank you for meeting us on this day to worship and praise you. We pray for families and those affected by recent natural disasters [insert relevant references from current news]. We pray for the leaders of government relief agencies that will be involved in aiding the communities. We pray also for the weak and vulnerable […]

Prayers for Palestine & Israel — Jan Sutch Pickard

A prayer for the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel (third week of September) God, loving Parent of all humankind, You are our Peace. In Jesus you embodied peace with justice – And you still do— Peace at its most down-to-earth, Peace, which can still prevail In the face of all the […]

Prayers of the people – Garden Street Methodist Church, USA

Sharing joys and concerns of our members are led by an individual, or those present are asked to share their joys and their concerns using the microphone that is passed around the worship room. The responses are started by the worship leader after each person completes their prayer item. The leader will determine if the […]

Mourning the massacre in New Zealand

Words from around the world… What words can be uttered when our thoughts and imaginations are shattered? What words do we say aloud when we gather to worship? What words bring sense to this senselessness? Perhaps the silence between the words will offer the needed time for sighs and tears. From the United Church of […]

Prayers for Our World, opening words – Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson, USA

Gracious God, giver of peace, planter of justice, spirit of love, we lift up to you our world – giving thanks for its beauty and majesty, for its many creatures and peoples, for its bounty and flourishing. In our thanksgiving, we also remember those who struggle day in and day out simply to survive, those […]

Angel Intercessions — Ana Gobledale, UK

‘Do not be afraid’ — words of the angels Prayers of Intercession This was originally written for a worship service marking the opening of a week-long Angel Festival. It might be used during Advent, particularly at a Blue Christmas or Longest Night service. The word ‘angel’ is not always popular, or sometimes over-popular! How can […]

Water of life, renew the world and us — United Reformed Church Assembly, UK

This response may be used throughout prayers of thanksgiving and intercession. It was originally used at the United Reformed Church Assembly in 2014. Leader: Water of life, All: Renew the world and us.

Prayers of the People — United Church of Christ, USA

Prayer items are listed before the prayer starts, bringing the news of God’s gathered people into the light. This allows time for the experience of surprise and concern to arise in the hearts and minds of all, and a time of resettling as the congregation continues with the prayers. This family news is shared in […]

God of righteous anger, a prayer — Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson, USA

This prayer has been written in response to the cover-up of sexual abuse revealed within the Roman Catholic Church in Pennsylvania USA. Items italicized might need to be updated to be more relevant to today’s worship. God of righteous anger and holy healing, We pray for our world For Ireland and Pennsylvania and Roman Catholics […]

Prayer for our world — Ana Gobledale

Living, loving God, thank you for the world around us, your splendid garden creation entrusted into our hands. Please grant us the wisdom to be faithful stewards of your earth: • Keeping air and water clean • Being mindful of energy consumption • Growing foods to share with all your people, our sisters and brothers […]

Prayers arising from Amos 7 — Ana Gobledale, UK

God of the prophets, we lift our prayers to you. Prayers of intercession for Eighth Sunday of Pentecost, Year B Amos 7:7-15 Ready-to-print copy: PDF Prayers of Intercession – Amos 7,7-15 WORD Prayers of Intercession – Amos 7,7-15 A different responsive line might be chosen, e.g. God of the prophets, we lift our prayers to […]

Prayers for 1 July, Pentecost 6, Year B — Ana Gobledale, UK

Prayers for our World (Intercession) In response to Mark 5:21-43 We turn to God, reaching out through our prayers of intercession, lifting up those near and far, known and stranger, trusting that even if our entreaties but touch the hem of the divine garment, they will be heard. Pray with me. God, thank you for […]

Refugee Prayer, Ruth 1 — Nicola Robinson, UK

Ruth 1: 1 – 5 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land …. Hospitable God, who teaches us to welcome the stranger; we pray for all refugees and immigrants: those who have been displaced through famine, those who have been displaced through climate change, those who have been […]

Born from the water, a responsive prayer — David Hookins, UK

Born from the water, we pray to you, creator God, for your world, which human hands have seized and scarred. Give us your eyes to see its beauty, your love to care and your courage to take action. Born from the water, we pray to you, saving God, for your church which seeks to do […]

Prayers for our world (intercessions) – Katherine Baxter, UK

A responsive prayer of intercession Within our darkest night, Let your light shine. God of all creation, you hold the depths of the earth in your hands. You are closer to us than the air we breathe. Fill our souls with your wonderful love and light. Give us strength and courage to reflect that love […]

Reconciling prayers of intercession for Reformation Sunday — UK

God of Grace, shepherd us Reconciling Prayer for Reformation Sunday – WORD Reconciling Prayer for Reformation Sunday – PDF Using a sung or spoken response: Shep-herd us, O God, beyond our wants, be-yond our fears, from death in-to life. Click here for music. God of grace, shepherd us. Sung/spoken response: Shepherd us, O God, […]

Prayers for Today — Caren Clarke, UK

Originally written for the fifth Sunday of Lent – Year A (2020) Eternal One, we thank you for this opportunity to worship together. Please help everyone here today, to learn something new about you… We pray for peace throughout the world and for everyone’s heart to be filled with love, so that we […]

Weekly prayers for the countries of the world — Global Ministries, USA

A prayer each week highlights an area of our world in greatest need. Click here to read and access these timely and relevant prayers written by staff and missionaries serving Global Ministries (a joint ministry of the United Church of Christ USA and the Christian Church – Disciples of Christ, USA). A related photo and […]

Prayer response to violence, 1 John 4:20

Adapted from a prayer written by Revd Terri Hord Owens, USA, originally forged in response to peaceful demonstrations and violent response in Charlottesville, North Carolina USA. God of Love, our hearts break at the violence in our world, the loss of life, the dishonoring of children of God, the vile insults hurled and the wounds of […]

Prayer for Healing Service — Tod Gobledale, Australia

Originally written for an Order of St. Luke Healing Service in Melbourne, Australia Gracious God, loving parent, you watch over us like a mother with her children. You have created a world for us with a richness, a beauty beyond description. As another spring blossoms around us, we are awed again by the splendour of the […]

Prayers of Intercession — Caren Clarke, UK

Eternal One, thank you for this opportunity to worship together. Please help everyone here today, to learn something new about you… We pray for peace throughout the world and for everyone’s heart to be filled with love, so that we can all live together in harmony, whatever our differences are. We pray especially for refugees […]

Prayer of Intercession for Father’s Day

Mother Father God, creator and sustainer, we thank you for nurturing us like a mother. We praise you that your care and protection surround us like a father. On this Fathering Sunday, we remember all the people who have nurtured us, especially the important men in our lives, those who have seen, not just with […]

Prayer following a bombing — Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson, USA

Holy God, Today we pray for the people of (area effected by bombings)… For parents whose children will never return, For children, youth and young adults whose safe world has been shattered, For first responders who arrived on the scene To care for the injured, the traumatised, the deceased. Gracious God, We give thanks for courage and […]

Easter season intercessions — Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson, USA

Individual candles may be distributed to be used at the close of the prayer. Hope of all hopes, God of new life, of resurrection, we come before you this Easter season, our hearts rejoicing in you. And yet, despite our joy and hope, we feel the darkness around us. God, may we know your healing […]

Breath of Life, hear our prayer: intercessions (Lent 5 Year A)

Prayers of Intercession arising from Ezekiel 37:1–14 Valley of dry bones John 11:1-45 Resurrection of Lazarus Click here for a ready-to-print Word document: Breath of Life – Prayers of Intercession, Lent 5 Year A Join me in a moment of silence to reflect on those things in your life that feel lifeless. […]

Prayer for London — Moderators of General Assembly, UK

The moderators of General Assembly (United Reformed Church in Great Britain), Alan Yates and Kevin Watson, offer a prayer for us all, in the aftermath of the attack on Westminster , London, Wednesday 22 March 2017. A prayer for the world God of the world,Our hearts go out to all those directly or indirectly affected by […]

Good Shepherd, Guide us in love — Ana Gobledale, UK

Prayers for our world — inspired by Psalm 23 Let us turn our mind and thoughts to others. We will lift up prayers for our world, our nation, our community and our church, responding with the phrase: Good Shepherd, Guide us in love. Pray with me. . Good Shepherd, we hear the cries and joys […]

Litany of Hope for Earth Day — Eco-Justice Ministries, USA

This litany was first used at an ecumenical Earth Day service in Denver, Colorado USA, sponsored by Eco-Justice Ministries and the Colorado Council of Churches. Biblical references include: Lamentations 1:20 (Holy Week), Psalms 5:1 (Sixth Sunday of Pentecost, Year C), Psalms 31:14-15 (Holy Week), 25, Psalms 71:14 (Holy Week), Romans 15:13 (Second Sunday of Advent, Year A) We have […]

Intercessory prayers — adapted from Christian Aid resource, UK

This multi-voice responsive prayer might incorporate groups of readers or individual voices. Group/Voice 1 states the facts about the suffering in our world. Group/Voice 2 lifts up those taking action to improve the situation and change the world. Group/Voice 3 voices a prayer request. Leader: Through our faith, we reach out to God, interceding […]

Street Pastor Song — David Ouston, UK

Written by David while he served as Co-ordinator for the Isle of Wight Street Pastors, this song was inspired by an interaction with a young man on the streets of Ryde. This video recording might be played as an integral part of a worship service.

I cannot…, a Prayer of Intercession — Lawrence Moore, UK

At the end of each section, pause to allow participants time to reflect and fill in the names of places and people as appropriate, silently or aloud, as appropriate for the group. I cannot take bread and forget those who are hungry…. I cannot take wine and forget those who thirst for justice…. I cannot […]

Epiphany Prayers of Intercession — Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson, USA

Loving God, We gather as your people this morning Seeking your presence, your comfort and your love. In this Epiphany Season of light Shine your light upon us – Into the recesses of our spirits, Those places where we experience anxiety, depression, fear and despair. This morning, we lift up in particular all among us […]

Spirit of Unity, hear our prayer — Ana Gobledale, UK

A prayer for our church, community and world, originally written for Trinity Sunday Spirit of Unity, hear our prayer. We pray for your Church in all its many forms and manifestations: for the churches in our neighbourhood; For [church name], [church name] and our own church, [church name], We pray for those […]

Prayers to help counter fear — Worship Ways, USA

Perfect love casts out fear. — 1 John 4:18 Pastoral Prayer Holy One, We live in fearful times. Suicide bombers, terrorists, climate change, economic crises— these are overwhelming realities. Hold us in our fears. Sometimes candidates in elections may prey on these fears. They paint pictures of disaster—especially if we vote for their opponents. Help […]

Prayers of the people — Jo Clifford, UK

Written for Seventeenth Sunday of Pentecost, Year C Note: There’s an invitation for all to say the line in bold. The prompt is always “Amma”. Abba You are our mother and our father And we try to believe you love us Abba, Amma, Remind us we are not alone Abba We don’t always seem to […]

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