“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.
Prayer prompts:
For peace and reconciliation among the nations, especially in Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, South Sudan, Ukraine, and Venezuela…
For those who serve in the armed forces, for those who are deployed, and for those who have been injured…
For ceasefire in Iran…
For civilians caught in the midst of war and conflict…
For victims of the Grays Ferry parking garage collapse in Philadelphia, PA…
For local and global elections, and peaceful transitions of leadership…
For Christian unity across denominations and traditions…
For safe return of the Artemis II crew…
For all immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, and for those unjustly detained…
For survivors of child abuse and sexual assault, and for caregivers and advocates…
For all affected by rising fuel and food costs and access…
For communities affected by early heat and drought…
Events and observances:
April Observances: Autism Awareness Month, National Alcohol Awareness Month, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Sexual Assualt Awareness Month
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, theologian, died 1945 (Apr 9)
Mikael Agricola, Bishop of Turku, died 1557 (Apr 10)
Yom HaShoah (Judaism, Apr 13-14)
Vaisakhi (Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, Apr 14)
Olavus Petri, priest, died 1552; Laurentius Petri, Bishop ofUppsala, died 1573; renewers of the church (Apr 19)
Prayers from ELCA resources:
Those in the armed forces (ELW p.77)
Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils that surround them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
The care of children (ELW p82)
Almighty God, with a mother’s love and a father’s care you have blessed us with the joy and responsibility of children. As we bring them up, give us gracious love, calm strength, and patient wisdom, that we may teach them to love whatever is just and true and good, following the example of Jesus Christ, our Savior. 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 in a time of war
Worship resources for the crisis in the Holy Land
Worship resources for the Eastern Europe Crisis
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ELW = Evangelical Lutheran Worship
ACS = All Creation Sings: Evangelical Lutheran Worship Supplement
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. Further assistance for composing prayers of intercession can be found here: Resources for Crafting Prayers of Intercession
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.