“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 among Israel/Palestine and Russia/Ukraine…
For victims of terrorist attacks in Pakistan…
For those suffering prejudice and hate due to race, religion, gender, or class…
For areas suffering due to climate change and for policies that protect environmental concerns…
For educators, administrators, and all leaders of educational institutions…
For relief and rebuilding efforts following tornadoes in Tennessee…
For all who are celebrating and making preparations for winter holidays…
Events and observances:
Monthly Observances in December: Universal Human Rights Month, World AIDS Awareness Month
Hanukkah (Jewish festival, evening of Dec 7-Dec 15)
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dec 12)
Lucy, martyr, died 304 (Dec 13)
Katharina von Bora Luther, renewer of the church, died 1552 (Dec 20)
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 social justice (ELW p. 79)
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may move every human heart; that the barriers dividing us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; and that, with our divisions healed, we might live in justice and peace; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A prayer for those oppressed because of religious identity (ACS p. 51)
God of mercy and new life, you love all people, whom you have made in your image. Empower your faithful people to stand in solidarity with all those oppressed because of religious identity. Deepen respect, community, and love among all those who seek justice and peace. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
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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.
