“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 people involved in labor strikes – teachers in Los Angeles, workers across sectors in France, and hospital and airport workers in England…
For those working to stabilize political unrest in Kenya and South AFrica…
For the people of Russia and Ukraine, and for all peace and diplomacy efforts…
For Muslims across the world who are preparing for the holy season of Ramadan…
For rescue and relief efforts in Ecuador following this weekend’s earthquake…
For continued recovery efforts in Malawi following last week’s cyclone…
For educators, librarians, and all who steward knowledge and encourage learning…
For all who mourn, and for all who watch and wait at bedside of those nearing death…
For women across the world who continue to stand up, speak out, love, fight, and flourish despite opposition and violence…
For marginalized and vulnerable communities, and for their allies and advocates…
Events and observances:
Women’s History Month (Month of March)
Ramadan (Islam, March 22-April 21)
Thomas Cranmer, Bishop of Canterbury, martyr, died 1556 (March 21)
Persian New Year (March 21)
Ugadi (Hinduism, March 22)
Jonathan Edwards, teacher, missionary, died 1758 (March 22)
Oscar Arnulfo Romero, Bishop of El Salvador, martyr, died 1980 (March 24)
Annunciation of Our Lord (March 25)
Hans Nielsen Hauge, renewer of the church, died 1824 (March 29)
John Donne, poet, died 1631 (March 31)
Prayers from ELCA resources:
A prayer for renewal of mind and body (ELW p. 80)
O God, we thank you for times of refreshment and peace in the course of this busy life. Grant that we may so use our leisure for the renewal of our bodies and minds that our spirits may be opened to the goodness of your creation; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
A prayer against prejudice and racism (ACS p. 51)
O God, you divinity transcends, distinctions of gender, and through the generations you widen our awareness of human diversity. We gather here before you in our various expressions of gender identity, all of us one in Christ Jesus. Bring our society to peacefulness concerning a wider understanding of gender. Give courage and healing to those whose expressions of gender they testify as gift from you. Open the church to their witness. We asked with your creative spirit you cultivate new relationships, Amanda, old wounds, and nurture communities expect, for the sake of the one who embrace is all persons in love, Jesus Christ, our savior. 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.
