World in Prayer

Sharing in God’s loving compassion for all

Out of the Darkness We Cry to You: Prayers for Palmyra, Lahore, and Western Wildfires (August 27, 2015)

(Thanks to the Evangelical Lutheran Church for some of these prayer petitions.) Out of the darkness we cry to you, O God. Enable us to find in Christ the faith to trust in your care even in the midst of pain. Assure us that we do not walk alone through the valley of the shadow, […]

Made in the Image of God: A Prayer Against Hatred of the Other and for Those Who Welcome Refugees (July 23, 2015)

Do we believe we are made in the image of God, or is our God made in our very finite image?” –Rhoda C. Martin “God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working […]

Jacob and Esau: A Prayer of Repentance for a Despoiled Inheritance and Hope for Rebuilding Harmony (July 9, 2015)

Too often, God, we approach your beloved and beautiful world as Jacob approached his long-ago betrayed brother Esau. We know that we have despoiled an amazing inheritance: saturating our atmosphere with an intolerable load of carbon dioxide depriving many species of habitat and nutrition until extinction claims them approaching economic systems nationally and internationally with […]

The Violence of Love: Prayers After the Germanwings Crash and for Ebola-Hit West Africa (March 26, 2015)

Archbishop Oscar Romero was murdered at the altar in a hospital chapel 25 years ago.  He wrote:   “We have never preached violence, except the violence of love, which left Christ nailed to a cross, the violence that we must each do to ourselves to overcome our selfishness and such cruel inequalities among us. The violence […]

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 […]

God, Be With Us in the Chaos: Prayers for Mexico’s Missing Students and Ukraine (November 13, 2014)

As we gather the thoughts of our hearts in prayer, we give thanks to the Creator who brings order out of chaos. Let us bring the chaos of our lives and our world to God, to hold in love.  Let us pray for those whose memories are chaos: For all veterans whose lives are affected […]

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 […]

Our Father: A Lord’s Prayer for the Navy Yard Shooting, Marikana, and Overcrowded Prisons (September 19, 2013)

Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread: –feed the hungry –nourish the poor in spirit –provide clean water –assign meaningful tasks and living wages –sustain our fields and farmers during this […]