World in Prayer

World News This Week in Prayer – Thursday, November 15, 2018

Thanksgiving Prayer

“Oh, may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And guard us through all ills in this world, till the next!”
(verse 2, “Now Thank We All Our God,” by Martin Rinkart)

Holy and loving God, in this season where those in the United States celebrate Thanksgiving, we remember seed time and harvest, bounty and want, “all the ills in this world and the next.” Yet in the middle of all that makes us “perplexed” we come to You in prayer, with grateful hearts.

Along the migrant caravan trails – crossing through Mexico from Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador -we give thanks for the acts of kindness among ordinary citizens who share from their widow’s mite: food, blessing, care.

From the fire-ravaged towns of California, U.S., and flood and landslide-swept path of Typhoon Yutu in the Philippines, the we give thanks for the heroism of firefighters, first responders, search and rescue teams, and medical staff in the long work of protecting and healing. Your “peace which passeth all understanding” includes wiping away all tears of those who have perished, all who grieve. Thank you for hope itself, when all seems beyond hope.

Within the heartache of hate-filled violence in the U.S. against Jewish worshippers in Pittsburgh and college students in Thousand Oaks, amidst the terror with which Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh face the idea of forced repatriation to Myanmar (possibly beginning as early as this week), we find gratitude for such outpouring of love from mourners, families and people of all faith. Bind us together with such strength that the perpetrators of hate will tremble, bow down, and be resurrected in love.

In remembrances of the first World War to end all wars, we give thanks for stories of sacrifice in the face of war, and determination after. May our Prince of Peace yet find a home in the hearts of all. We give thanks for acts of courage and conscience that still seek to turn swords into ploughshares.

Around our own Thanksgiving tables, filled with aromas of abundance, may we smell the cooking fires of refugee camps across the world. We give thanks for aid workers and charities and missionaries who welcome those who have been abandoned, targeted or turned out. Like Jesus with the 5,000, may gratitude for what is too meagre turn into a miracle of more than enough.

Holy God, from Your house to ours, from our house across the world, we receive the gift of love, and determine to share it in word and deed, gratefully.

Amen.

World News This Week in Prayer – Thursday, 8 November 2018

Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:29-31

God of each one of us and God of every one of our neighbors, near and far, we lift our hearts in prayer to You:

We thank You for the freedom to vote that many of us take for granted and not all of us are afforded. May we exercise our right and our moral duty to take the steps that we can, when and where we are able, and the courage to fight for this right where needed.

We are grateful for the Midterm Elections in the United States, which took small steps toward recognizing the humanity and dignity of our neighbors, including formerly incarcerated felons being granted the right to vote again in Florida and transgender rights being upheld in Massachusetts. We are grateful for more representative expressions of the people of the United States in many of its newly elected officials, including over 100 women in the House, two Native American women and a female Somali refugee for US Congress, and an openly gay Governor. May all elected officials around the globe be guided by Your love and seek the common good for Your people.

We pray for the 10 arrested on the island of Zanzibar, Africa for conducting a same-sex wedding. We recognize that there are still countries that not only outlaw same-sex marriage, but punish homosexuality with the death penalty. May all of our neighbors around the globe one day be able to live their truths authentically without fear of repercussions.

We are grateful for the lives of the 78 kidnapped schoolchildren and 3 others who were just freed in Cameroon, Africa. We pray that You might comfort them and their families after this traumatic experience. We also fervently pray for the hundreds of Chibok schoolgirls who are still missing years after their kidnapping, and all children who are separated from their families and loved ones. May there come a day when all of our neighbors are safe in their schools, on their streets, and in their homes.

We pray for all those affected by the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, USA on Wednesday night, where 13 were killed, including a first responder and the gunman. As details are still unfolding, we pray that we may be moved to grieve with the loved ones of those who died and, as hard as it is, also the shooter, rather than harden our hearts to another mass shooting. May we work together to establish laws and systems that protect all of our neighbors from these kinds of tragedies that are becoming more and more commonplace.

We pray all in Hodeidah, Yemen, where the calls for a cease fire in a three-year war have instead resulted in horrific violence. Violence in Yemen has become normalized and the chief of Houthi rebels has said he will “never surrender” as this humanitarian crisis deepens. May all of our neighbors around the globe know what it is to experience peace and safety.

We pray too for Remembrance this Sunday 11^th September and especially for the centenary that marks the end of World War One. We think of all the many men and women who lost their lives and gave their service in all wars in the last hundred years. May we honor their courage and cherish their memory and be thankful for their dedication to protect their country in a bid to ensure peace in our world.

May we love You, O God, so fiercely that we become the change that brings about a ripple effect of love for our neighbor. May we constantly hold onto hope as we work together to bring kindness, mercy, and justice to all areas of our world.

We pray all of these things in your many, Holy names. Amen.

World News This Week in Prayer – Thursday, 1 November 2018

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Revelation 22:1-2

And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. Ezekiel 47:9

Dear God our Creator and Redeemer,

Help us to live in awe in this world, this day and in this moment. Help us to understand with new eyes how you spoke the world into being and as it unfolds, even now, in this season, as wind and water move over earth. Help us to hold sacred the lands. Are we stewards or despoilers? Help us to understand how you restore and renew the world. Help us to see your grace at work. We read of TheKofan people of Sinangoe in the Amazonwhoprotecting more than 79,000 acres of primary rainforest in their ancestral homeland in Ecuador. Theyhave won a landmark legal battle to defend one of its’ largest and most important rivers from mining claims.

And when will peace come like fresh water flowing through the many rivers of Ethiopia where 1.4 million of its 100 million people are displaced? Help us to hear Ambassador Shalework Zewde’s words, “When there is no peace in country, mothers will be frustrated. Therefore, we need to work on peace for the sake of our mothers.” Help us to see your grace at work as the two Houses elected their first female head of state. Sustain this ancient land, stop the bloodshed and renew its peoples.

Be with the people and lawmakers of Sri Lanka, Germany and Brazil as leadership is changing and uncertainty grows.

And when will peace like the rains that come to Gaza in winter bring reconciliation and an end to the bloodshed and deprivation for the near 2 million Palestinians? We mourn for the 210 killed and more than 18,000 wounded in the past 6 months during the weekly Friday protests along the Israeli border. We pray for the brokering by Egypt for peace as refugees live with undrinkable tap water and only a few hours of electricity a day. Only your mercy can cause these and other injustices to fall away. In these days and weeks to come may your truth be known and received.

We watch and pray as the United States government has been ordered by the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Netherlands to halt sanctions that it had placed on the exporting to Iran of medicine and medical devices such as incubators, food and agricultural commodities such as wheat and spare parts and equipment necessary to ensure the safety of civil aviation. Open our eyes and hearts. Help us to bend and bow to your commandment: to love you and to love one another.

Awaken us from the suffering and deep misery, the horrible loss of opioid addiction and death so prominent in both the United States and Canada. We pray that the US legislation signed into law this week known as the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act will indeed work swiftly, prioritizing children, adolescents, and families as this public health crisis continues to unfold. We call on the Holy Spirit to guide our discerning as neighborhoods, towns, schools and workplaces find new resources to turn around this epidemic. We lift the tens of thousands who have experienced loss of loved ones. Lord have mercy.

Shed your mercy on the grieving families and their community in Louisville, Kentucky, United States as an attempted break-in at a church and murder of two people raises the alarm of violence so often fueled by hate. Forgive us for our sins Lord.

We weep, we grieve, we shake our heads and we come together once again. The world watches as a young man’s ashes are laid to rest twenty years after a hate crime ended his life. Again we despair, we groan and grieve as eleven worshipers at The Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA are murdered and six are injured. Guide us in these dark days where fear and hatred seem so common. Will this violence end? Help us to continue our resolve for peace making amid such hate and deadly force. In this time of mourning may we comfort each other as you have comforted us. In the days to follow may we commit to the words of Micah, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Help us to take those steps no matter how hard it seems and how impossible the way.

And as this day becomes night let us remember your tender power amidst all the little things: the birds in migration, the little ones yet to be reunited with their families, the least of these, the forgotten, the unnamed, the isolated and imprisoned, those on the road and in hiding, the many suffering – we pray for these and call to You. Hear our prayers.

Amen.

World News This Week in Prayer – Thursday, October 25, 2018

Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”

Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”

The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”

Matthew 25:34-40 (CEV)

God of all wholeness and peace, our world yearns for your presence. We call out to you day after day, wondering why we do not see you and why we feel so abandoned. And yet, time and time again, you remind us that we only need to look around us to find you. Help us to look with clarity and compassion into the faces of your children, no matter how unimportant they might seem, so that we might find you there.

Help us to see you in the faces of those who mourn. As news breaks of the deaths of seven children and many others suffering from a virus outbreak at a health center in New Jersey, United States, remind us of the deep pain of those around the world who have experienced the loss of a child. Open our ears to listen and open our arms to comfort.

Help us to see you in the faces of those who suffer. As we hear about inhumane conditions in the prisons of Madagascar and the forced “re-education” of Uighur Muslims in China, fill us with a thirst for justice for all people who are abused due to poverty, gender identity, and all other vulnerabilities.

Help us to see you in the faces of those who are being affected by disasters. As a major hurricane makes landfall in Mexico keep survivors of all disasters, both natural and human-made, safe from harm, and help us to keep them in our hearts.

Help us to see you in the faces of those we consider our enemies. As the President of the United States threatens to withdraw aid from countries that allow refugees and asylum seekers to travel across their borders toward the United States, remind us of the humanity of all people, regardless of their skin color, language, and country of origin. Remind us that everyone, from the most powerful leader of a nation to the most vulnerable and impoverished of refugees, is a beloved child of God.

Help us to see you in the faces of all people, for we are all made in the image of God. Remind us of our connection to all of your children as members of your universal family. Fill us with your love and compassion, so that we might act as your hands, feet, and voices in the world. Make your presence known and felt in all places, so that your kingdom might grow to the ends of the earth.

Amen.

World News This Week in Prayer — Thursday, October 18, 2018

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,

the world, and those who live in it;

for he has founded it on the seas,

and established it on the rivers.

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in his holy place?

Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,

who do not lift up their souls to what is false,

and do not swear deceitfully.

They will receive blessing from the Lord,

and vindication from the God of their salvation.

Such is the company of those who seek him,

who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

–Psalm 24:1-6 NRSV

As the seasons change,

we are reminded of your consistent love through all the seasons of life.

As we celebrate, O God, you are with us.

As we grieve, you comfort us.

As life goes along, you journey with us.

Highs, lows, in-between,

you are there,

loving,

guiding,

calling,

supporting,

encouraging,

…

In it all, you are God.

Help us to lift our eyes from our situation,

to see the world around us.

Open our hearts so we might see your presence,

your glory,

your love,

in those around us

and in the beauty of creation.

Encourage us to expand our horizons,

look at the world through the eyes of another,

and marvel at the diversity.

Console us, Redeemer God,

when we are dismayed by the news of the world.

Headlines of strife fan the flame of fear.

News of tragedies triggers grief unresolved, and unbidden.

However, those headlines don’t tell the whole story,

they don’t capture the humanity of the people involved,

they often don’t tell of the countless joys,

focusing instead on the multitude of sorrows.

Though we may not know their names,

though we may never hear their stories,

we pray for the billions of people who call this planet their home.

We pray that each person will sense your presence,

marvel at the world around them,

draw close to others who love and care for them.

Help me,

help us all,

to have clean hands

and a pure heart;

so we might draw closer to you

and receive your many blessings.

Amen

World News This Week in Prayer- Thursday, October 11, 2018

(Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer, Prayers of the People Form VI)

In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.

Silence

For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.

For this community, the nation, and the world; for the victims of Hurricane Michael in the United States; for all of the participants in the #MeToo movement, which is erupting in India;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.

For the just and proper use of your creation; for scientists, doctors, and nurses; for those who are grieving; for those who are marrying or divorcing; for those celebrating a new birth;
For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression,

For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble, especially those in China‘s Xingiang region, where camps have been legalized to “re-educate” Muslim Uighurs;
For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.

For peace and unity, especially in the Eastern Orthodox Church, as a Ukrainian sect seeks to separate from Russia;
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.

For bishops and other ministers; for priests and preachers; for rabbis and imams;
For all who serve God in his Church.

For the special needs and concerns of this congregation.

Silence

(The People may add their own petitions)

Hear us, Lord;

We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life.

Silence

(The People may add their own thanksgivings)

We will exalt you, O God our King;
And praise your Name for ever and ever.

We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in
your eternal kingdom.

Silence

(The People may add their own petitions)

Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon each of us;
We put our trust in you, for your mercy is great. Amen.

World News This Week in Prayer, Thursday, October 4, 2018

Holy One,

Shape our prayers to the Gospel of Your Son. Teach us to see as you see and to feel as you feel. This is our prayer.

This day and each day, we lift up our prayers for each and every person who needs to see you in their lives and to feel your presence around them. We pray for hope in the midst of everything that goes on around us. We pray for the faith that when we, all Your people of every background, come together, good things can happen. This is our prayer.

We pray for the survivors of the plane crash last week near an island runway in Micronesia, we are grateful for their lives. And we pray for the one person who was killed, as we mourn this loss. May all who are affected find comfort in Your loving arms.

May we remember that each member of your divine design, no matter how far away, is connected to each of us as a sibling through Your love. This is our prayer.

We pray for the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in Sulawesi, Indonesia, where thousands were injured and more than 70,000 were displaced. We pray for the thousands who were killed and mourn these losses. May all who are affected find strength and be given help as their lives are now so drastically changed. May we offer what we can to show them that they are never alone, especially when dealing with such great loss. This is our prayer.

We pray for the survivors of sexual assault around the world whose voices are silenced, who are too afraid to speak up, who have been told they ‘asked for it.’ May they reclaim their voice and find strength to release themselves from any burdens of shame or guilt.

As the hearings for Brett Kavanaugh took place this past week in the United States and deliberations for his vote into the Supreme Court are about to take place, shine Your light on the decision makers that they may be guided by Your love. May we be emboldened to fight against ingrained attitudes of oppression and dominance as we work toward a more just world. This is our prayer.

We pray for communities that come together, like the Kudumbashree, the all-female volunteers in Kerala, India, who have volunteered hours of their time every day to clean up their neighborhoods and towns since the catastrophic flooding in August. May they accomplish even more than their wildest dreams. May we be inspired to work together for the good of all of your creation. This is our prayer.

As we long to see your reign here on Earth, give us the endurance and loving hearts to do Your work as we await that day. This is our prayer. Amen.

World News This Week in Prayer – Thursday, 27 September 2018

What are we that you are mindful of us?
You made us a little lower than the heavenly beings,
and crowned us with glory and honor.
You made us ruler over the works of your hands;
You put everything under our feet
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is our name in all the Earth.”
(Psalm 8:4-9, slightly altered)

O Lord, our Lord, it is true: how majestic is your name in all the Earth. It is true that all over the Earth people praise you, worship you, serve you, follow you, believe in you.

Our sorrow is that we fail you so often, in so many ways. In our humility we do sometimes wonder how you could have entrusted your precious creation to us. We have taken seriously that we are just a bit below the angels, that we are rulers over all, that everything is under our feet. We have not taken seriously the responsibility, the stewardship, the leadership, the sacrifice that comes with such honor.

Holy God, we remember the six days of creation: all of life, all of nature, all of grandeur, all of the universe, all of humanity. And it was good, you said over and over again. What hopes you had for it all.

Today, we bring forth our sorrows and failures. Lord, in your mercy remember what we forget: the horrors of war in Yemen, the threatening crisis in Ibdil, Syria, the remaining casualties of floods and storms across the United States from this year and last, the bewildering treatment of Muslims and Christians in China, the disregard for women in places high and low, the loss of freedoms near and far, the neglect and disrespect of our environment, the crumbling of economies and infrastructure and work itself.

All this we grieve.

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayers that floods recede, waters be cleansed, nations healed, rights restored, ruins rebuilt, Earth honored, life treasured, people respected, faith deepened, and love multiplied.

Loving God, we do not despair. We see the courage of peace-keepers, whistle-blowers, rescuers, volunteers, protesters, prisoners of conscience, people of good will, and leaders with vision.

Thank you, God, for being mindful of us, for allowing us to rule over the works of your hands. May we be equal to such honor. Amen.

Editor’s Note: We apologize to our subscribers that our weekly email did not go out last week. We believe the problem has been fixed, so weekly emails should return to normal as of this posting.

World News This Week in Prayer, Thursday, September 20, 2018

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” – 1 Corinthians 11:26

We come before you today, O God,
a mixture of emotions,
with a plethora of experiences.
Guide our hearts as we look on this world in which we live,
so that we might see it through your eyes.

All-too-often, we focus on the negative.
We focus on the death, not on the resurrection.
We see the brokenness.
Shattered, fragmented, torn-asunder lives.
And, rest assured, there is pain.
Grief, fear, anxiety…they are all VERY real.
There is no denying that we are a broken and hurting people;
living in a broken and hurting world.

Hurricanes and tropical storms wreak havoc around the world,
floods have killed over 100 in Nigeria,
Zimbabwe has declared a cholera emergency,
women and girls are attacked, mistreated, and abused,
needles have been found in strawberries in Australia,
and relationships suffer around the globe.

And yet, we are called to live abundant lives. (John 10:10)
We are promised that God’s kingdom is not only coming,
it is already in our midst. (Luke 17:21)
There are reasons to celebrate,
children are being born into loving homes,
teachers are transforming lives and guiding young minds,
people, young and old, are coming to a deeper relationship with God,
a 9-year-old girl in foster care celebrates one year with the same parents
(for the first time in her life).

Transform us, Holy One, ever more into who you have created us to be.
Open our eyes, our hearts, and our minds
so that we may be agents of transformation in this world,
shining the light of your love into the darkness around us.
Remind us, we pray, that the darkness has never overcome the light. (John 1:5)

World News This Week in Prayer, Thursday, September 13, 2018

“So we can say with confidence, with boldness, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.’ ” Hebrews 12:6

Precious Lord, take my hand,

Lead me on, let me stand,

I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.

Through the storm, through the night,

Lead me on to the light.

Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

Words and music: Thomas Dorsey Tune: PRECIOUS LORD

Precious Lord, around and about this incredible world of yours, your children are being threatened by the forces of nature: in the southeastern United States by Hurricane Florence; in the Philippines and Hong Kong by Typhoon Mangkhut; in Hawaii by Tropical Storm Olivia. And our overwhelming response is fear, as we worry about the impending damage from wind and rain.. Uplift us, Loving God. Fill us with the confidence that whatever befalls, you are with us. God of grace and mercy, hear our prayer.

God of Peace, around and about this hurting world of yours, your children are threatened by ongoing wars and their sequelae. News of massive military drills being held by Russia and China; air strikes in rebel-held Idlib province in Syria by the Syrian government and the suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, resulting in 68 dead and 165 injured bring worry and suffering. The crackdown in China against minority Muslim groups, especially the Uyghurs, with tens of thousands being sent to political re-education camps causes deep concern and grief. And our overwhelming response is a sense of helplessness, as we see ourselves as unable to make a difference. Uplift these, your own, Loving God. Fill them with confidence and hope that whatever befalls, you are with them and our loving concern supports them. God of courage and hope, hear our prayer.

God of Compassion and Justice, around and about this wonderful world of yours, your children are reaching out to one another in love and daring which we celebrate: Harper Nielson, the 9-year-old Australian schoolgirl, daring to protest her perceived injustice of the national anthem; Elissa Montanti of Staten Island, New York, founding an organization, Global Medical Relief Fund, to bring children injured in war or by natural disasters to the United States for medical care unavailable to them in their home countries; the courage of the Supreme Court of India for their landmark decision to legalize and decriminalize consensual gay sex. Uplift them all, Loving God. Fill them and us with a sense of justice which gives us courage to stand up for what is right. God of all people, hear our prayer.

When our way grows drear,

precious Lord, linger near,

when our lives are almost gone,

hear our cry, hear our call,

hold our hands lest we fall,

Take our hands, precious Lord, lead us home. Amen and amen

This Week’s Prayer