For What Shall We Pray?
Prayer prompts:
For an end to war and conflict, and for places of political unrest or contention, especially Gaza, South Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine, and Pakistan/Afghanistan…
For victims and families of the Hong Kong apartment fire…
For all affected by flooding in Thailand, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka…
For protection, provision, and justice for immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and advocates…
For all victims of violence, exploitation, and abuse…
For access to affordable and reliable healthcare…
For those who live with seasonal affective disorder…
For just governance and equitable distribution of God’s abundance…
For those who cannot find peace or joy in this season…
Events and observances:
December Observances: Universal Human Rights Month, World AIDS/HIV Awareness Month, Spiritual Literacy Month
Francis Xavier, missionary to Asia, died 1552 (Dec 3)
John of Damascus, theologian and hymnwriter, died around 749 (Dec 4)
Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, died around 342 (Dec 6)
Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, died 397 (Dec 7)
Pearl Harbor Day (Dec 7)
Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Dec 8)
Bodhi Day (Buddhism, Dec 8)
Genocide Prevention Day (Dec 9)
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dec 12)
Prayers from ELCA resources:
A prayer for the those in civil authority (ELW)
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, bless the public servants in the government, that they may do their work in a spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice. Help them use their authority to serve faithfully and to promote our common life; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A prayer for young persons (ELW)
God of all good gifts, your Son gathered children into his arms and blessed them. Help us to understand our youth as they grow in years and in knowledge of your world. Give us compassion when they face temptations and experience failures. Teach us to encourage their search for truth and value in their lives. Help us to appreciate their ideals and sympathize with their frustrations; that with them we may look for a better world than either we or they have known; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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 for the crisis in the Holy Land
Worship resources for the Eastern Europe Crisis
“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.