Dearest One, How can I ask forgiveness for letting a person die? How can we ask forgiveness not just for ourselves, but for the whole world? Not just for this moment in time, but for all of human history, for all lives to come? Four sleeping homeless people were run over – apparently deliberately – […]
Prayers for Pakistan
Prayers here have followed Pakistan through monsoon flooding and shortages of clean water, conflict along the Afghan border and the Kashmir frontier, and the persecution of religious minorities. Elections held under tension are named as well, alongside thanks for those who work for education, relief and peace.
Your Spirit Moves Among Us: A Pentecost Prayer for Tiananmen Remembered, Nigeria, and Moncton (June 5, 2014)
World in prayer – Prayers for Pentecost 2014 Gathered together, surrounded by the grace of the Spirit, we enter into this holy time of prayer seeking Divine wisdom and courage to live faithfully and justly. Let us join together in prayer. Creator God, we feel your Spirit move among us in the gentle breeze, in the […]
There Is a Balm in Gilead: A Prayer for Farzana Parveen and the Kidnapped Nigerian Schoolgirls (May 29, 2014)
Go up to Gilead and take balm. — Jeremiah 46:11 “There is a Balm in Gilead” – American Spiritual There is a balm in Gilead To make the wounded whole; There is a balm in Gilead To heal the sin sick soul. Some times I feel discouraged, And think my work’s in vain, But then […]
Teach Us Patience: A Prayer for Clean Water, the West African Ebola Outbreak, and Talks on Ukraine (April 10, 2014)
Loving God, by your grace teach us patience – and renewed hope when we face such disappointments as: the failure to date to address human rights abuses in Syria; the failure of any sub-Saharan African country to meet Millennial Development Goals of cutting in half the number of people not having access to clean water […]
Salt of the Earth: Prayers for the Sochi Olympics, the Dan River Coal Ash Spill, and Homs (February 6, 2014)
Jesus, you call us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. May we shine the light of your peace and love to its farthest corners as we remember your world in our prayers. We pray for Russia as it hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi, for the athletes who […]
Humility and Perseverance: A Prayer for Negotiations, Climate Change, and an End to Executions (January 30, 2014)
God, on whom we rely, hear this prayer for humility and perseverance. You know that we are ever tempted to reject the better for the perfect. Help us embrace the possibilities unfolding in negotiations between the United States and Syria, in disputes in Ukraine, wherever progress, even modest progress, is being made. Free of implementation […]
Gifts of the Wise Men: An Epiphany Prayer for Chile’s Fires and Sudan’s Displaced (January 9, 2014)
And, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped […]
Home by Another Road: A New Year Prayer for a World Still Broken After Christmas (January 2, 2014)
World in Prayer This Week – January 2, 2014 “And having been warned in dream not to return to Herod, they [the Wise Ones] left for their own country by another road.” Matthew 2:12 (NRSV) God of dreams and desires, in this sacred season you reach to the world in rhythms beyond the rational. An […]
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: An Advent Prayer to Set the Captives Free (December 19, 2013)
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. We are still waiting for you. We are waiting for the Prince of Peace. We are waiting for the Wisdom from on high. We are waiting for the King of all nations. O come and set the captives free. Free those who are captive to violence. The people of Syria, […]
Your Word Is a Lamp: An Interfaith Prayer for Peace in Forgotten Wars (October 17, 2013)
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” – Psalm 119:105 Loving God of light and goodness and grace and peace; by whatever name you are known we give you thanks. With people of faith around the world we proclaim you and seek common ways to worship and serve […]