These prompts are provided for worship leaders as they prepare the prayers of intercession for weekly worship. The prompts are prepared by several leaders in the ELCA and reflect current world and national events. You are encouraged to adapt and add other concerns for your local context, including staying informed of events and concerns in your synod.
Intercession prompts:
For communities in China impacted by drought…
For communities in Algeria impacted by wildfires…
For victims of gun violence in Washington DC…
For resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine as we cross the six-month mark of the war, and especially remembering Ukraine’s Independence Day (August 24)…
For those grieving the loss of a pet…
For those struggling with debt or financial stress…
For those experiencing housing insecurity…
Other notable events and observances:
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month (September)
Sept 2: Nicolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig, bishop, renewer of the church
Suggested hymns & prayers:
A prayer after the death of a pet (ACS p. 55)
Gracious God, we grieve the death of our friend and companion name . We offer gratitude for the blessing name was in our lives, and for the joy and love name brought to us. Receive name into your embrace, and continue to bless us with memories of name ’s life and affection. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
A prayer of Archbishop Desmond Tutu (ACS p. 48)
Creator God, you have called us to be keepers of your earth. Through greed we have established an economy that destroys the web of life. We have changed our climate and we drown in despair. Let oceans of justice flow. May we learn to sustain and renew the life of our Mother Earth. We stand with indigenous people worldwide who are demanding restoration of their ancestral lands. We pray for our leaders, custodians of Mother Earth, that they may negotiate with wisdom and fairness. May they act with compassion and courage; and lead us into the path of justice for the sake of our children and our children’s children. Amen.
Hymns of discipleship & hospitality
Build a Longer Table (ACS 1062)
God, Be the Love to Search and Keep Me (ACS 1084)
ELW = Evangelical Lutheran Worship
ACS = All Creation Sings: Evangelical Lutheran Worship Supplement
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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.
Follow this link to access resources to assist worshiping communities as they respond to the crisis in Eastern Europe. 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.
All Creation Sings includes several resources for lament including “Lamenting Gun Violence” (Leaders Edition, p. 107) and “Service after a Violent Event” (Pew Edition p. 64-66, Leaders p. 110-113) as well as several collect prayers. This content is also available on SundaysandSeasons.com in the Library.
Further assistance for composing prayers of intercession can be found here: Resources for Crafting Prayers of Intercession
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.
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.
