For What Shall We Pray?
Prayer prompts:
For an end to war and conflict, especially in Gaza, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine…
For lasting peace forged by shared commitment to the common good…
For an end to psychological warfare, torture, and genodice…
For safety and rescue for hikers stranded by severe snowstorms in western China and Nepal…
For victims of the Yom Kippur attack in Manchester, UK…
For federal workers facing uncertainty…
For safety and protection for all immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers…
For access to affordable and reliable health care…
For ongoing advances in scientific and medical research…
For the health and wholeness of LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities…
For the flourishing of indigenous nations and communities…
Events and observances:
October Observances: Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15 to Oct 15), Breast Cancer Awareness Month, ADHD Awareness Month, Domestic Violence Month, Down Syndrome Awareness Month, LGBT History Month
Sukkot, Judaism (Oct 7-13)
Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Oct 13)
Teresa of Avila, teacher, renewer of the church, died 1582 (Oct 15)
Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, martyr, died around 115 (Oct 17)
Prayers from ELCA resources:
A prayer for courts of justice (ELW p.77)
Lord of all, you have declared what is right: to seek justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you. Bless judges and courts, juries and law officers throughout our land. Guard them from retribution and from corruption. Give them the spirit of wisdom, that they may perceive the truth and administer the law impartially as instruments of your divine will. We pray in the name of the one who will come to be our judge, your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A prayer for faith and science (ACS p.48)
God of mystery, you made the universe with its marvelous order and chaos, its atoms, worlds, and galaxies, and the infinite complexity of living creatures. We give you thanks for all who study the mysteries of creation and ask that their work may increase our curiosity, wonder, and joy, that we may come to know you more truly and serve you more humbly; in the name of Jesus Christ, your Wisdom and your Word. Amen.
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The following topical resources are available from resources.elca.org for use in public worship and personal devotion:
Worship resources and prayers in response to wildfires
Worship resources for the crisis in the Holy Land
Worship resources for the Eastern Europe Crisis
Worship resources for and following national elections
“For What Shall We Pray?” is a weekly post inviting individuals, groups, and congregations to lift up our world in prayer. This resource is prepared by a variety of leaders in the ELCA and includes prayer prompts, upcoming events and observances, and prayer suggestions from existing denominational worship materials. You are encouraged to use these resources as a starting point, and to adapt and add other concerns from your local context. More information about this resource can be found here.
Additional topical prayers are found in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (pp. 72–87) and All Creation Sings (pp. 46–55), as well as in other resources provided in print and online at sundaysandseasons.com.
Crafted intercessions for every Sunday and festival are provided in the Sundays and Seasons worship planning guide published in-print and online by Augsburg Fortress.
Prayer Ventures, a daily prayer resource, is a guide to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the ELCA, as well as for the needs and circumstances of our neighbors, communities and world.