Prayers of the People: November 4, 2012


Here’s a prayer of intercession for November 4, 2012 from the people at World in Prayer.

Prayers of the People
November 4, 2012

Surrounded by the Spirit of our Holy God,
encouraged by the Saints who have gone before us,
and sustained by our faith community,
let us enter into a time of prayer together.

Most Holy God, Creator of all the earth,
we gather in your presence to sing of your love
and share in your shalom.
As we celebrate the Saints who have gone before us,
we praise you for their lives, their wisdom and their courage.

We are deeply blessed by the many people, both past and present,
whose lives, art, music, and writings have helped shape our faith.
We are also blessed by those who have personally touched our lives
with their faith and their love.
With gratitude and thanksgiving we lift those names up to you.

Guide us we pray, to follow in their courageous footsteps,
bringing your love and light to those who are seeking this day.

We pray, O God, for your world:

As the American Presidential election approaches
we pray for a just and fair election.
We pray that those who are chosen to govern will do so
with compassion, integrity, and honesty.
May they bring peace, justice and equality for all people and all nations.

We pray for all who mourn this day,
remember especially all of the people and places
who have been affected by Hurricane Sandy:
Bahamas, Haiti,  Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica,
Dominican Republic, United States, and Canada.
As communities and cities begin to rebuild
may we all respond with generous hearts and willing hands.
May we reach out to neighbor and stranger alike
offering your hope and your love.

We pray for those living in poverty;
for those living in violence; for those living with addictions;
for those estranged from loved ones
and for those whose needs are known to you alone.
Help us O God, to live out of your abundant grace
as we reach out to those in need.

Loving God we bring to you the concerns of the world:

We pray for the people of Libya
where gunmen broke through security to occupy the parliament building
as a protest to the choice of cabinet minister.

We pray for the Pakistani teenager
who was killed by her parents in an ‘honor killing’.

We pray for the people of Damascus and Aleppo, Syria’s biggest cities,
where rebels attacked army checkpoints killing 28 soldiers.

And we pray for the people and places whose stories we do not hear.

Holy One, there is much in your world that we do not understand,
and so we ask that you alone guide us and strengthen us
to be people of change, bringing peace and justice to all the earth.
In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

~ World in Prayer is a ministry of the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist Lodi, California, USA. Prayers are written by a team of writers representing different denominations throughout the U.S., Canada and Great Britain. Visit their web site at http://www.worldinprayer.org/