World in Prayer

Sharing in God’s loving compassion for all

Prayers for Iraq

Iraq is named here within long cycles of war and occupation, bombings and displacement, and the strikes and retaliations that draw in its neighbors. Religious minorities, survivors of sexual violence, refugees and the Kurdish question recur. Drought and salt-damaged land are held too, with thanks for old building methods recovered.

For God So Loved the World: A Lenten Prayer of Wonder and Hope (March 12, 2015)

 World News in Prayer for March 12, 2015   For God so loved the world… Gracious and holy one, God of all creation, God of all people everywhere, it is so easy, as we journey through this season of Lent, to get lost in the wilderness of pain and sorrow we see in the world […]

Love the Least of These: Prayers for Migrants Drowned Off Libya and for Chapel Hill (February 12, 2015)

As we prepare ourselves for the holy season of Lent, let us reflect in prayer on the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: that when we love the least of these, we love you, Lord. Help us to love the least of these in prison. We pray for prisoners throughout the world. We pray that […]

Renewing the Rainbow Covenant: Prayers for Malawi’s Floods and a Warming World (February 5, 2015)

The story has it, God, that only a few generations after you created the world and pronounced it “Good”, you looked down and saw that it was filled with wickedness. So much so, that you decided to wipe out every living creature. Except for the family of one righteous man – Noah – and a […]

Release to the Captives: Prayers for Raif Badawi and Boko Haram’s Kidnapped Girls (January 22, 2015)

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”  Mark 1:14-15   We know, Lord, that you call us to a far wider agenda than proclaiming good news and […]

Light in the Darkness: A Prayer After the Charlie Hebdo Attack (January 8, 2015)

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. Proverbs 21:30 The rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the Maker of them all. Proverbs 22:2 Lord, when will You tear the heavens apart to make Your will known and show Your might?   Yes, I […]

Go and Do Likewise: Prayers for West Africa’s Ebola Outbreak and a Divided America (November 6, 2014)

Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “Go, and do likewise.” (Luke 10:36-37) Heavenly Father, few parables are as easy to understand as the story of the good Samaritan. And […]

What Does This Love Look Like: Prayers for Malala’s Nobel Prize and Boko Haram’s Captives (October 30, 2014)

One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a […]

Let There Be Light: Prayers on Secret Trade Deals and Mexico’s Disappeared (October 9, 2014)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines […]

May There Be Peace: A Prayer for the International Day of Peace (September 18, 2014)

As the UN marks the International Day of Peace and the World Council of Churches invites us to join the International Day of Prayer for Peace this September 21st, let us pray for peace in our hearts and minds, in our families, in our communities, in our nations, and throughout the world. Our Lord Jesus […]