“For what shall we pray?” is a weekly post inviting individuals, groups, and congregations to lift up our world in prayer. This resource is prepared by a variety of leaders in the ELCA and includes prayer prompts, upcoming events and observances, and prayer suggestions from existing denominational worship materials. You are encouraged to use these resources as a starting point, and to adapt and add other concerns from your local context. More information about this resource can be found here.
Prayer prompts:
For peace among nations, especially between Israel and Palestine, Russia and Ukraine…
For victims of and responders to the runway crash in Tokyo, Japan…
For relief and recovery efforts following an earthquake in western Japan…
For continued tensions and disruptions among those traveling the Red Sea…
For all victims of gun violence…
For renewed commitments to compassion, collaboration, and equity across political divides…
For astronomers, physicists, photographers, and all artists who reveal the beauty and mystery of the cosmos to us…
Events and observances:
Johann Konrad Wilhelm Loehe, renewer of the church, died 1872 (Jan 2)
Epiphany of Our Lord (Jan 6)
Baptism of Our Lord (Jan 7)
Orthodox Christmas Day (Jan 7)
Prayers from ELCA resources:
A set of worship resources for the crisis in the Holy Land is now available on ELCA.org. Several prayers are provided that could be used during the prayers of intercession or at other times, in public worship or for devotional use at home or in other settings. PDF DOC
The Churches Beyond Borders 2023 Advent Cycles of Prayers is now available. The prayer resource calls for justice and peace, especially for churches impacted by the war in the Holy Land, and for lifting up Palestinian Christian communities and ministries and the congregations and institutions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.
A prayer for guidance (ELW p. 86)
Direct us, Lord God, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and extend to us your con-tinual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy name; and finally, by your mercy, bring us to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
A prayer for preservation and healing from exploitation (ACS p. 47)
Holy Spirit, you move through all creation with sighs too deep for words. Open our hearts to listen to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. Speak through your church to rebuke the forces that seek to exploit your planet. Join our human prayers with the voices of all creation and move us to honor you by preserving the gifts of nature that reveal your glory. Amen.
—
ELW = Evangelical Lutheran Worship
ACS = All Creation Sings: Evangelical Lutheran Worship Supplement
Additional topical prayers are found in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (pp. 72–87) and All Creation Sings (pp. 46–55), as well as in other resources provided in print and online at sundaysandseasons.com.
Crafted intercessions for every Sunday and festival are provided in the Sundays and Seasons worship planning guide published in-print and online by Augsburg Fortress. Further assistance for composing prayers of intercession can be found here: Resources for Crafting Prayers of Intercession
Prayer Ventures, a daily prayer resource, is a guide to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the ELCA, as well as for the needs and circumstances of our neighbors, communities and world.
