Month: February 2022

Lord Jesus, you are the True Vine and we are the branches.

By your Spirit, produce the fruit of love, joy, peace, and patience in us for others to taste and see. Keep us from hanging on to love for ourselves. Prune all selfishness from us and fill us with your love.

God of Peace, have mercy on your earth and supply its needs. Where people are hungry, give food. Where people are in distress, comfort. We hold before you the peoples of Ukraine… and the people of Russia. Hear the rising cry for help. May peace rather than missiles and weapons of war rain down in your world. Rain down peace in every nation, in every home, in every heart. Where people are in distress or in trouble, bring order and peace. And turn the whole world to you in faith, repentance, and praise.

Lord Jesus Christ, as you abide in us and we abide in you, may your love flow freely to friends and family and those who stand in need of healing, hope, and wholeness.

Heal those who are unwell.

Grant hope for the despairing.

Pour peace upon the troubled and the fearful.

Minister patience and calm to those awaiting surgery, tests, or the doctors’ call.

We pray for wisdom for all who carry the weight of decision making.

We pray for justice for all who face of oppression,

We pray for stamina as we continue to journey this pandemic

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for hearing us and caring for us in all our needs. Constantly intercede for us before our heavenly Parent. We ask all this in all the holy names of God. Amen.

We hold in prayer all those who grieve. May they know the peace of Christ.

We pray for all who stand in need of healing for emotional, relational, physical, and spiritual pain. May your healing grace hold the wounded and those who love them. May all those who are struggling receive the care and support they need.

We also pray for our Households of Faith. May each know the deep peace of Christ. Surround each one with comfort and joy, Whether at work or rest, bless their hearts and home with overflowing love. We give thanks for each household of faith. May your bright blessing be poured out upon them. Amen

The invasion of Ukraine has shaken the nations. The human cost of war is too great to bear.

In response, I have included a prayer offered by Ann Voskamp.

May we join our hearts in prayer, petitioning the Prince of Peace with our heartfelt prayers for peace – peace for the world, peace for every nation, peace in cities, peace in neighbourhoods, peace in our homes, peace in our hearts.

In the face of pain, may the people of God be found at their post, on their knees in prayer.

Because we know prayer isn’t just the least we can do,
and prayer isn’t all we can do,
but prayer is ultimately the most important work we all can do.

Because it’s calling on the One who slays all the dark, wins us all back from the mess, and cuts right through all the impossible knots of desperate things.

Where there is an invasion on earth, may our prayers war an all-out invasion on the powers and principalities, “against the rulers of the darkness of this world,” (Eph. 6:16).

Though missiles rain from the sky this morning, rain down Your mercy, Lord.

Though black smoke rises, our prayers rise higher, surer, greater.

Though explosions shatter and gunfire rattles, we hold our ground in the face of pain and we move toward the suffering, our hands reaching with bold solidarity.

Ours is a tired world, Lord, weary of suffering, weary of the dark, weary of all the heartbreak, ours is a tired world, weary for hope — raise us up with the indomitable certainty that this world is a broken one and You alone are our unwavering hope, King Jesus.

Lord, hear our cry:

Comfort children who cry terrified, give courage to mothers who gather to calm, strengthen leaders who stand steady to find a way to peace.

For those who need to flee — may they find our arms a safe haven.

For those who are hungry — may they find our open hands offering bread for today and living bread for all eternity.

For all the limping, weary and wounded — may they find us holding on to each other, because when we live like we all belong to each other — we answer so much of the longing in the world… even our own.

And for all those who despair, both near and far — may they find our hands and feet today to be those of King Jesus, we who get to be His very body of peace in a hurting world today. Amen

Vine of life,

in Your branches we are gathered

taking shelter in the shade of Your strength.

With thanksgiving

we celebrate the growth and hope

we have found in placing

our roots in You,

for in life You nourish us

and Your Holy Spirit encourages us

to reach our full potential in the gifts we have been given

that others may know of Your love.

Lord,

make us more than sour grapes and unripe olives.

In the hardships of the world

may we look beyond the bitter politics and divisions

to find Your love

at the core of our relationships.

There may all people work with what we have in common

that we might grow to be a people of respect and trust.

May our branches bow

with the weight of the fruit you provide.

Help us to look beyond our own needs,

to recognize those

who are hungry for food, love, and justice.

May we offer others the shelter needed

under the weight of Your branches

so they find a rest from the cold and darkness,

the pain and loneliness of this world.

Instead may Your Spirit enable us

to value the gifts and talents of all.

May our leaves soak up Your light.

When we meet those who are worn down

with illness, loneliness, grief and abandonment,

may the light of Your presence shine

in the encounters they have with others

that all might know Your compassion.

Gardener of all life,

as You trim and shape us for Your purpose

may we place our prayers into Your hands

and trust that new seeds may grow

from tired and empty thoughts. We offer all of our prayers in Jesus’ name. Amen

Surround and keep safe our loved ones in long-term care.

We pray for all who stand in need of healing for emotional, relational, physical, and spiritual pain. May your healing grace hold the wounded and those who love them. May all those who are struggling receive the care and support they need.

We also pray for our Households of Faith. Whether at work, at school, at rest, or at play bless their hearts and home with overflowing love and care. We give thanks for each household of faith. May your bright blessing be poured out upon them. Amen

Jesus, on the night you were betrayed,
you took a towel, and washed our feet.
We confess that we are reluctant to think of you
doing such a humble task, all for us.
Like Peter, we protest.
We fail to see how love takes the lowly way,
how it is worked out in a thousand small acts of kindness,
a thousand humilities.
For ourselves we prefer the grand gestures,
love that can be seen and applauded,
love that first and foremost makes us feel good.
You showed a different way.
Jesus, Towel-bearer, Foot-washer, Cross-carrier,
you have set us an example
We long to follow you, wherever you lead us.

Jesus, your ministry was up close and personal

Open our eyes with your healing grace that we may see our privilege in the world and how it is embodied as power over others….

Open our ears with your healing grace to hear the rising cry for help from oppressed and hopeless people

Soften our hearts with your healing grace as we serve and are served.

We pray your healing grace for family, friends, and our siblings in Christ who stand in need of healing, hope, and wholeness.

May comfort surround the grieving……

May patience sustain those awaiting tests or surgery dates…..

May protection surround the most vulnerable….

May peace hold the anxious, the worried, the unsettled……

May joy be the strength amidst difficult decisions……

May hope burn bright as we seek your desires for our congregation.

We pray that our lives will reflect your love in our words, in our actions,

In our thoughts, as we served and are served in Jesus’ name.

Surround and keep safe our loved ones in long-term care.

We pray for those who struggle with mental illness, anxiety, and addiction and those who love them. May all those who are struggling receive the care and support they need.

We also pray for our Households of Faith. Whether at work, at rest or at play, may their lives overflow with goodness and grace. May laughter, love, and joy overflow in their hearts and in their home. Amen

Listening God,

you hear our prayers before we speak

yet welcome our praying;

therefore we come with confidence to lay our requests before you.

We pray for Christians everywhere,

for our denomination and congregation

for strength to persevere in faithfulness.

we pray for the whole people of God.

We pray for the earth and all living creatures.

for regions and species at risk,

and for the sharing of resources.

We pray for the wholeness of creation.

We pray for those who are overcome by violence,

for victims of injustice or oppression,

and for those in poverty or pain.

We pray for all who need healing and peace.

We pray for those who endure trials,

for those who are dying

and for those who mourn.

We pray for all in need of comfort and hope.

We also pray with rejoicing and ask for your bright blessing

We rejoice with those who rejoice and we mourn with those who mourn.

Surround and keep safe our loved ones in long-term care.

Over these past weeks covid has spread significantly. We pray for all frontline workers, the sick, the isolated, the dying, and the recovering. Grant strength for mind, body, and spirit as we continue to journey this pandemic season.

We pray for those who struggle with mental illness, anxiety, and addiction and those who love them. May all those who are struggling receive the care and support they need. We also pray for our Households of Faith….. Whether at work, at rest or at play, may their lives overflow with goodness and grace. Grant them deep measures of peace, contentment, resilience. Listening God, you have heard our prayers, those spoken aloud and those that reside deep within. We rest in the comfort of your care, as we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.