Prayer of the Day

Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming strengthen us to serve you with purified lives; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

With hope and expectation, we offer our prayers for the church, the world, and all who await God’s day of restoration.

A brief silence.

Holy God, send forth your faithful people with words of promise and forgiveness. Teach your church to be bold in revealing your good news in word and deed. Merciful God,

receive our prayer.

Reveal your majesty in mountain peaks, flowing rivers, and blossoming wilderness roads. Heal the earth where it longs for renewal. Bring wholeness to the earth and all its creatures. Merciful God,

receive our prayer.

Turn the hearts of the nations toward righteousness and peace. We pray especially for Israel and Palestine and Ukraine, and all those who suffer due to war.  Bring an end to the conflict, and provide for all those in need.  Merciful God,

receive our prayer.

Comfort your people with tender words of love and healing. Surround all who are grieving, all who know depression or anxiety, or all who feel lonely or forgotten. Heal those who are ill, especially those we name before you now…  Merciful God,

receive our prayer.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

With you a thousand years is like a day. Bless the memory of the saints from ages past and the anticipation of saints yet to be born. Inspire us to live with faith as we await your new heaven and new earth. Merciful God,

receive our prayer.

Listen to these and all our prayers, O God of hosts, and restore us with your great and everlasting mercy.

Amen.

Adapted from sundaysandseasons.com 2023