Prayers for the United States

Prayers naming the United States have followed storms, tornadoes, wildfires and floods across many states, along with elections and political tension, gun violence, and questions of migration and race. Health, mental health and the well-being of ordinary households appear often, as do thanksgivings for its landscapes and wild places.

Lord, Have Mercy: Prayers for US Mass Shootings, Alberta’s Wildfires, and Children Forced into Labor (May 11, 2023)

God of all, the One who hears our prayers, our tears could cover the earth for the abuse of children, the flagrant killing and loss of life we hear in the news daily. Someday will these words, this news be read? Will those people shake their heads and ask God for mercy on our […]

A Time for Everything: Prayers for Drought, Ukraine, and Afghanistan’s Children (May 4, 2023)

To the one who is not limited by time, we pray for life in a world where time is often of the essence. Move us to be mindful that there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: Bless the springtime bursting forth with rich soil for planting, cool rains […]

Prayers Like Seeds: For Sudan’s Ceasefire, Gang Violence, and Earthquake Survivors (April 27, 2023)

God of Life, These prayers, like seeds that we tuck into the soil of You. We trust You hold them all — our yearning, worry, agonies, hidden longings, and celebrations — in the fertile cocoon of Love. Each winter as we come out of long dark into the time of bud and bloom we marvel […]

Redeemed and Redeemers: An Eastertide Prayer for Ukraine, Myanmar, and Congo’s Closed Schools (April 13, 2023)

During this season of Eastertide, as we celebrate resurrection and new life, let us take a moment in silence to center ourselves in your love. Let us pray: O Holy One, who is, and was, and ever will be; who loves, who saves, who makes all things new, as we celebrate the gifts of the […]

Be Not Afraid: An Easter Prayer for Peace Deals and Signs of Hope (April 6, 2023)

Now the green blade rises from the buried grain, Wheat that in dark earth many days has lain: Love lives again, that with the dead has been: Love is come again like wheat arising green. When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain, Your touch can call us back to life again, Fields of […]

Hosanna, Hosanna: A Palm Sunday Prayer After a School Shooting and the El Paso Fire (March 30, 2023)

Holy One, You who rode the simple donkey through the streets as the palm branches caught the sun. We hear the echoes of Hosanna, Hosanna through time as we remember, remember… Hosanna, Hosanna which means save us. And You do save us, in each moment. Your saving presence is with us always. Closer than we […]

A Wideness in God’s Mercy: A Confession for the Global Water Crisis (March 23, 2023)

World in Prayer- Thursday, 23 March 2023 “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy like the wideness of the sea”… so goes the old hymn. And we, your created ones, created to be co-creators with you, cling to this truth, Gracious One, often as a way of letting ourselves off the hook for our failure to […]

Strong, Determined, Courageous Women: A Prayer Honoring Six Women Changing Their Countries (March 9, 2023)

As we slow down, breathing in the wonders that are all around us, we give you thanks, Mother of all creation. Amongst the rubble of so much loss we see the joy that bubbles forth. We pray that you will lead us to uncover the truth even when it’s painful for us to see. Guide […]

The Bond of Our Common Humanity: A Lenten Prayer for Ukraine and Turkey (February 23, 2023)

“The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices.” – Jimmy Carter Oh, Lord, you shepherd us. You follow us. You lead us through the fog of our times. We get caught up in fear and weighed down by seemingly eternal prejudices. As we enter this Lenten season […]

Free Us, Living God: After the Ohio Derailment and Michigan State (February 16, 2023)

Spirit of the living God, help us to let love lead us forward. Many of our hearts are broken. The news in the world is grim. Violence is pervasive. Like ink, slowly seeping to the edge of a cloth, we watch as it spreads, eventually damaging the whole fabric. Soothe our suffering and enable us […]