Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 Beloved God, we see evidence throughout the world of how hard it is for some neighbors to love one another. We find continued difficulty in seeing You in each other. We […]
God of Earth and Heaven, Protect Both: A Prayer for Creation and Against Religious Arrogance (June 2, 2016)
The Earth is Lord Jehovah’s in its fullness, the world and all its inhabitants. ~ Ps 24:1 Aramaic Bible in Plain English Behold, to Yahweh your God belongs heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is therein. ~Deuteronomy 10:14 World English Bible God of earth and heaven protect […]
We Wait with Mary: An Advent Prayer for Syrian Refugees Welcomed to Canada (December 10, 2015)
God of the Whole World, we wait with Mary during this season of Hanukkah and thank You for our lives’ many miracles and blessings. We light one candle each day in recognition of the illumination and hope You bring into our homes and neighborhoods. In this halfway point of Advent, we pray for those who […]
Hold It in Trust: A Prayer for the Care of Creation, Climate Change, and Nuclear Peace (August 20, 2015)
God, of whose creative force it is said: “Before the world was created, the Holy One kept creating worlds and destroying them. Finally He created this one, and was satisfied. He said to Adam: ‘This is the last world I shall make. I place it in your hands: hold it in trust.’ “ [Gates of […]
Your Kingdom Grows in Day and Night: Prayers for China’s Children and Canada’s Schools (June 11, 2015)
Gracious Lord, we seek your Kingdom, which grows during both day and night. Help us, even when we do not know how, to remember that when things seem dark you are still at work in the world. We pray for China where the mass migration of parents looking for work have left millions […]
That We Might Be One: A Prayer Confessing Our Disunity Across Creed, Race, and Doctrine (May 14, 2015)
Dear God, “Lord have mercy,” we often cry out. “Christ have mercy,” we hasten to add, as if knowing how much we wound your loving spirit. We know the best challenges you have given us when you dared us to love our enemies, to be perfect, to forgive 70 times 7, and to turn the […]
That We May All Be One: A Prayer for Christian Unity and for Paris (January 15, 2015)
Throughout the world, this Sunday marks the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and so together we pray for the church of Christ, that we may all be one. Litany of Thanksgiving Because I love you, O my people, I was born in Bethlehem. They called me Emmanuel, for I am God […]
Black Lives Matter: A Prayer Against Violence and Modern Slavery (December 4, 2014)
Oh. Dear. God. No. Not again. I thought I knew what I was going to write for tonight’s prayers. And then I turned on the computer, and read that in the United States, yet another unarmed Black man had been shot, dead, by a police officer. Jesus. I am speechless, beyond shock. Everything I could […]
Sometimes I Don’t Know What to Say: A New Year Prayer Amid Despair and Silliness (January 16, 2014)
God, sometimes I don’t know what to say. I write my prayer the same week that I offer prayers for three mothers who died too young. I write my prayer with the sounds of despair all around me. A Middle East that never seems to see what the Wise Men saw, a star in the […]
God of Many Names: A Prayer for Ancient Hatreds, Burning Churches, and New Hungers (November 25, 2013)
“God of many Names,” we sing in our hymnbook. Holy God, we come to you from many places with many needs, calling upon you by many names depending on our needs. When all around us is injustice and oppression, we need you as Judge. When all is broken and shattered, we need you as Reconciler […]