World in Prayer

Sharing in God’s loving compassion for all

This Is My Song: Prayers for Typhoon Gaemi, Global Hunger and New Zealand’s Abuse Inquiry (July 25, 2024)

World in Prayer is seeking a few more volunteers to join our team! Each week, one writer compiles the news and crafts the accompanying prayers. The week’s editor checks the prayers for accuracy and coherence, then posts them on our website. Team members generally serve approximately once every 4-6 weeks. Requirements: an interest in international […]

Glimpses of Beloved Community: Prayers for Sudan, Ukraine, Gaza, and DR Congo (April 25, 2024)

Holy God, What a time to be alive. Sometimes we want to cover our eyes and ears because death and destruction have become all too common. Other times, we see glimpses of hope and love. We are in a season of spiritual whiplash and don’t know which way to turn, except to you. Open your […]

Everywhere I Turn, You Are There: Prayers After the Taiwan Earthquake and a School Shooting (April 4, 2024)

Consider how the wildflowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. Luke 12:27 “I am that I am.” Exodus 3:14 Everywhere I turn, you are there. Every flower Every blade of grass Every feather Every rock Every cloud […]

Love Lives Again: A Holy Week Prayer After the Moscow Attack and Baltimore Bridge Collapse (March 28, 2024)

God of us all, Love lives again.  Love triumphs over the hate, pain, and death.   You were there at the very beginning of time and gave us the beauty of this world: gorgeous flowers and trees, oceans, and mountains, galaxies we will never comprehend.   Yet, you still knew we needed your love. You gave us […]

Make Us Instruments of Your Peace: A Prayer for Gaza, Haiti, and Countries at War (March 14, 2024)

May these words of St. Francis (in italics), written so long ago, prayed on so many hearts and lips, from places of longing and agony, from places of peace seeking more peace, guide our prayers: Lord, make us  instruments of your peace: In all countries with armed conflict. Palestine and Israel, Ukraine and Russia, many […]

The Fasting That I Wish: A Lenten Prayer for Trafficking Victims and the Hungry of Gaza (February 15, 2024)

This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. The United States […]

Those Who Tell Our Stories: A Prayer for Journalists Killed in Gaza and the Starving Behind the Headlines (February 1, 2024)

Dear Lord, This prayer arises during a foggy day from a home on a quiet residential street. Somewhere else it is dark at night and people pray. and the smoke and bombs seem to crush any ability to even think and survival is everything. It feels like both forgiveness and mercy are needed in the […]

Under Every Frozen Ground: Prayers for Ukraine, Gaza, Somalia, Nigeria, and Ethiopia (January 25, 2024)

Under every floor is soil, within all soil are roots—taking in nourishment in the unseen dark. Frozen though it may be, each seed holds possibility of transformation. God of transformation, we cry with the Psalmist “how long” when we look upon the suffering of your beloved people and the ways we pit ourselves against one […]

The Longest Night: A Solstice Prayer for Gaza, Ukraine, Yemen, Haiti, and Prague (December 21, 2023)

For those living in the northern hemisphere, December 21st or the Winter Solstice is the day with the least amount of daylight. In some churches this is recognized in worship with a “Longest Night” or “Blue Christmas” service. Ever Present God, On this night our siblings in the northern hemisphere experience the longest night of […]