“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.
 

In the coming weeks, those in the United States will mark two significant anniversaries: five years since the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota (May 25, 2020) and ten years since the murder of the Emanuel Nine at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina (June 17, 2015). Click here to access prayer resources for these anniversaries.

Prayer prompts:
For justice and peace among nations where war and violence rage, especially Ukraine and Russia, Palestine and Israel, Haiti, Sudan, Myanmar, Yemen, India and Pakistan…
For de-escalation of hostilities and a lasting peace between India and Pakistan…
For all affected by wildfires in Minnesota and Arizona, and flooding in Maryland…
For all in need of affordable and accessible healthcare…
For the financial well-being and sustainability of social service agencies, feeding programs, and anti-poverty initiatives…
For the vocation of colleges and universities, and for all faculty, staff, and students…
For Pope Leo XIV and the global Roman Catholic church…
For synods of the ELCA as they gather in their assemblies…
For graduating students in this season of transition…

Events and observances:
May Observances: Mental Health Awareness Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Julian of Norwich, renewer of the church, died c1416 (May 8)
Victor the Moor, martyr, died c303 (May 8)
Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, renewer of the church, hymnwriter, died 1760 (May 9)
Vesak (Buddha Day) Buddhism (May 12)
Matthais, apostle (May 14)
Erik, martyr, died 1160 (May 18)
Helena, mother of Constantine, died c.330 (May 21)
Declaration of the Bab, Bahá’í (May 22-23)

Prayers from ELCA resources:
A prayer for pastors and bishops (ELW p.73)
Ever-living God, strengthen and sustain pastors and bishops, that with patience and understanding they may love and care for your people. Grant that together they may follow in the way of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

A prayer for schools (ELW p.78)
Eternal God, bless all schools, colleges, and universities, that they may be lively places for sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom; and grant that those who teach and those who learn may find you to be the source of all truth; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

A prayer for the public church (ACS p.47)
Mighty and merciful God, lover of justice and equity, you call us to support the weak, to help those who suffer, and to honor all people. By the power of your Holy Spirit, make us advocates for your justice and instruments of your peace, so that all may be reconciled in your beloved community; through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Amen.

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

—

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.

Each month ELCA Worship highlights resources and events from other organizations and institutions. These Lutheran and ecumenical partner organizations work alongside the ELCA to support worship leaders, worship planners, musicians, and all who care about the worship of the church. ELCA Worship also features resources from Augsburg Fortress Publishers in a monthly blog post.

Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival

Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981.

Lutheran Summer Music 2025
Valparaiso University,Valparaiso, Ind.
June 22–July 20

Lutheran Summer Music (LSM) is delighted to announce the 2025 Worship Faculty of The Eugene and Mary Sukup Church Music Program, led by Cantor Chad Fothergill (LSM 2000). These gifted and highly respected leaders will guide students and the broader LSM community through a rich tapestry of sacred music experiences during morning and evening prayer, rehearsals, concerts, and more.

Whether you can join us in person or tune in from afar, we invite you to be part of this vibrant, creative community that nurtures the next generation of church musicians and breathes new life into the future of sacred music.

Learn more about LSM@LSMacademy.org

Let It Be With Me According to Your Word
Seminar on Lutheran Liturgy
Minneapolis, Minn., August 13-15

Registration is open now at www.seminarliturgy.org.

Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

ALCM nurtures and equips musicians to serve and lead the church’s song.

ALCM Conference 2025
Aug. 4-8
Raleigh-Durham, N.C.

There is still time to register for this conference!  For all that is to be describes our effort to equip people in all stages of their love for music of the church. Whether you are a volunteer, part-time or full-time employed, a student, newly employed, or retired, this conference will nurture your passion for the many ways in which we continue to share the gospel message.

Registration is still available  – visit the conference website to register now. We look forward to seeing you in Raleigh!

Music that Makes Community

Rooted in Christian contemplative and activist traditions, Music That Makes Community envisions a liberative culture that empowers individuals and communities to claim and use the power of singing to heal our spirits, nurture our common lives, and work for justice. We offer resources, training, and encouragement to individuals, organizations, and communities in the dynamic power of singing to connect others and ourselves.

Training Events — Join us for the following events for continuing education, community building, professional development, and celebrating this practice of paperless communal song-sharing.

• October 12: Three-day Retreat in Albuquerque, N.M.
• More in-person events are being planned. Please stay tuned!

Monday Morning Grounding — This weekly online touchstone continues to offer song, silence, sacred text and community connection, Mondays at 10 a.m. Eastern / 7 a.m. Pacific until April 7. Register for the Zoom link here.

Resources – Read the MMC blog for articles a variety of topics.

Job Postings on Music That Makes Community website.

 Monthly Newsletter for regular updates on resources and events.

Journey to Baptismal Living: North American Associate for the Catechumenate

An ecumenical Christian community seeking to support seekers, whether baptized or not,  and those who accompany them on their journey of faith through the catechumenal process.

Resources from the Center for Church Music

The Center for Church Music is a place where one can tap into an expansive library of resources and perspectives on the music and art of the church, with a focus on a Lutheran context.

“Profiles in American Lutheran Church Music” presents video conversations with prominent church musicians The Life and Career of Richard Proulx, a conversation with Bob Batastini and Michael Silhavy, editors at GIA and The Current Scene, a conversation with Nancy Raabe, president of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, March 2023.

Sundays and Seasons: Guide to Worship Planning Year A

Sundays and Seasons supports comprehensive week-by-week planning with content and ideas for liturgy, music, preaching, and visuals that are shaped by the Revised Common Lectionary, the church year, and the assembly gathered around word and sacrament. Worship planners and leaders, preachers, presiding ministers, worship committees, musicians, visual artists, sacristans and altar guilds, and those who create congregational worship folders will find an indispensable companion in Sundays and Seasons as they prepare for worship each week. Sign up for a print subscription to receive your subsequent S&S materials when they are released!

In the coming weeks, those in the United States will mark two significant anniversaries: five years since the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota (May 25, 2020) and ten years since the murder of the Emanuel Nine at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina (June 17, 2015).

The collects and petitions for the prayers of intercession provided below could be used as desired in worship on the Sundays closest to these dates. As with all prayers crafted for assembly worship, they may be adapted as needed for local use. The responses to the petitions match those provided in Sundays and Seasons for that Sunday and can be updated to fit your local practice.

 As the church marks the 5^th anniversary of the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2025:

Collect
God of justice, the breath choked from George Floyd still haunts our streets and sanctuaries. We remember his name, his cry for mercy, and the uprising of sorrow and truth his death unleashed across the world. We confess the sin of racism—not only in systems and structures, but in the habits of our hearts and the silence of your church. Trouble our hearts until they break open with compassion. Strengthen us to labor for what still remains undone. Breathe your Spirit into your people, until all can breathe free, through Jesus Christ, our crucified and risen Lord. Amen.

Petition to include in the Prayers of Intercession
God of justice, the breath choked from George Floyd still haunts our streets and sanctuaries. We remember his name and his cry for mercy. Trouble our hearts until they break open with compassion. Strengthen us to labor for what still remains undone. Breathe your Spirit into your people, until all can breathe free. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

 As the church marks the 10^th anniversary of the murder of the Emanuel Nine on June 17, 2025 (or the previous Sunday, June 15):

Collect
God of mercy, ten years have passed, but the wounds of that night still cry out. We remember the slain of Mother Emanuel and grieve the hatred that desecrated their sanctuary. We confess the racism that endures in our nation and in your church. Turn our sorrow into repentance and our repentance into action. In our grief, show us the cross of Jesus Christ, your beloved, who has dismantled death in his dying. Though he still bears the wounds of our violence, he wears the crown of glory with all your martyrs, where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

Petition to include in the Prayers of Intercession
God of mercy, ten years have passed, but the wounds of that night still cry out. We remember the slain of Mother Emanuel and grieve the hatred that desecrated their sanctuary. We confess the racism that endures in our nation and in your church. Turn our sorrow into repentance and our repentance into action. In our grief, show us the cross of Jesus Christ, your beloved, who bore the wounds of our violence, and now wears the crown of glory with all your martyrs. God of grace,
hear our prayer.

 Additional resources for the anniversary of Emanuel Nine, including worship resources, are available at ELCA.org/EmanuelNine.

“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 justice and peace among nations where war and violence rage, especially Ukraine and Russia, Palestine and Israel, Haiti, Sudan, Myanmar, Yemen, India and Pakistan…
For the Roman Catholic Church and for the College of Cardinals in their deliberations during this papal conclave…
For all in Europe affected by power failures last week…
For safety, protection, and compassion for all migrants…
For the emotional and mental health of all who work in stressful vocations, especially public servants, political leaders, and military personnel…
For farmers and farm laborers during the shift in seasons…
For all who approach Mothers Day with joy, and for all who approach Mothers Day with pain…
For bold witnesses to justice, compassion, and freedom…
For synods of the ELCA as they gather in their assemblies, that the Spirit would enliven and guide them…

Events and observances:
May Observances: Mental Health Awareness Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Julian of Norwich, renewer of the church, died c1416 (May 8)
Victor the Moor, martyr, died c303 (May 8)
Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, renewer of the church, hymnwriter, died 1760 (May 9)
Vesak (Buddha Day) Buddhism (May 12)
Matthais, apostle (May 14)

Prayers from ELCA resources:
A prayer for families (ELW p.83)
Triune God, whose will it is that humans live in community, bless family life everywhere and fill all homes with respect, joy, laughter, and prayer. Strengthen the commitment of [spouses] to one another, that they may mirror your covenant faithfulness; pour out your Spirit on parents, that through them their children may taste your unconditional love; and empower all family members to live in your grace and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A prayer of Pope Francis (ACS p.48)
Enlighten those who possess power and money that they may avoid the sin of indifference, that they may love the common good, advance the weak, and care for this world in which we live. The poor and the earth are crying out. O Lord, seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life, to prepare for a better future, for the coming of your kingdom of justice, peace, love, and beauty. Amen.

A prayer for faithful living in society (ACS p.50)
God, our gracious giver, your Son Jesus taught us that where our treasure is there our hearts will be also. Teach us to love people more than money, relationships more than things, and you above all, that the way we live will reflect what we truly value and believe. We ask this in the name of Jesus, who emptied himself in love for us, and now reigns with you and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.Amen.

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

—

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.

Each month ELCA Worship highlights resources from Augsburg Fortress Publishers that support worship leaders, worship planners, musicians, and all who care about the worship of the church. ELCA Worship also features resources from other partners in a monthly blog post.

A Three-Year Banquet: The Lectionary for the Assembly

A Three-Year Banquet by Gail Ramshaw invites the entire worshiping assembly, lay and clergy, to understand and delight in the three-year lectionary. This study explains how the Revised Common Lectionary was developed and how the gospels and the first and second readings are assigned. Further chapters describe the many ways that the three readings affect the assembly’s worship and the assembly itself. Like food at a banquet, the fare we enjoy in the lectionary nourishes us year after year.

Using Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Vol 3: Keeping Time

This title in the Using Evangelical Lutheran Worship series delves into why Christians have different ways of looking at time. Explore how the life of the church is ordered and organized by days, weeks, seasons, and years. It provides detailed information about Sundays, festivals, seasons, and commemorations, as well as daily prayer.

Lutheran Study Bible, Second Edition (NRSVue)

Read and explore scripture with Lutheran Study Bible, Second Edition (NRSV Updated Edition). More than 70 Lutheran theologians and biblical scholars guide this exploration and provide new and updated study notes, articles, and charts. These beautiful tomes also include a section on Martin Luther and the Bible, a 52-week Bible reading plan, and 15 full-color maps. Hardcover and paperback editions are available for preorder now! Publication date is July 1.

Sundays and Seasons: Guide to Worship Planning Year A

Sundays and Seasons supports comprehensive week-by-week planning with content and ideas for liturgy, music, preaching, and visuals that are shaped by the Revised Common Lectionary, the church year, and the assembly gathered around word and sacrament. Worship planners and leaders, preachers, presiding ministers, worship committees, musicians, visual artists, sacristans and altar guilds, and those who create congregational worship folders will find an indispensable companion in Sundays and Seasons as they prepare for worship each week. Sign up for a print subscription to receive your subsequent S&S materials when they are released!

Summer Music Clinics

Join us this summer for our annual music clinics. This year’s phenomenal clinicians are Jennaya Robison (choral) and Jan Kraybill (organ). Check out our website to read more about these talented practitioners, explore the daily schedule, and register for a clinic in your area!

• July 18–19, Columbia, S.C.
• July 21–22, Columbus, Ohio
• July 24–25, Philadelphia, Pa.
• August 11–12, Twin Cities, Minn.
• August 14–15, Chicago, Ill.

“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 justice and peace among nations where war and violence rage, especially Ukraine and Russia, Palestine and Israel, Haiti, Sudan, Myanmar, Yemen, India and Pakistan…
For victims of gun violence in India, and for ongoing unrest…
For victims and all those affected by the vehicle attack at a Filipino street fair in Vancouver, Canada…
For those grieving children killed in Chatham, Illinois…
For victims of the Clearwater, Florida boat collision…
For the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War…
For cleanup efforts after storms across the United States…
For discernment as the College of Cardinals prepares for deliberation…
For the rule of law and the upholding of the US Constitution…
For synods of the ELCA as they gather in their assemblies, that the Spirit would enliven and guide them…

Events and observances:
April Observances: Arab American Heritage Month, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Child Abuse Prevention Month, Autism Awareness Month, Alcohol Awareness Month
May Observances: Mental Health Awareness Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Ridván (Bahá’í, Apr 20 – May 2)
Catherine of Siena, theologian, died 1380 (Apr 29)
Philip and James, Apostles (May 1)
Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria (May 2)
Monica, mother of Augustine (May 4)
Julian of Norwich, renewer of the church, died c1416 (May 8)
Victor the Moor, martyr, died c303 (May 8)
Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, renewer of the church, hymnwriter, died 1760 (May 9)

Prayers from ELCA resources:
A prayer for living with mental illness (ACS p.52)
Mighty God, in Jesus Christ you know the spirits that cloud our minds and set us against ourselves. Comfort those who are torn by conflict, cast down, or lost in worlds of illusion. By your power, drive from us the powers that shake confidence and shatter love. Tame unruly forces within us, and bring us to your truth, so that we may know peace and accept ourselves as your beloved children in Jesus Christ. Amen.

A prayer of Catherine of Siena (ELW p.87)
Power of the eternal Father, help me. Wisdom of the Son, enlighten the eye of my understanding. Tender mercy of the Holy Spirit, unite my heart to yourself. Eternal God, restore health to the sick and life to the dead. Give us a voice, your own voice, to cry out to you for mercy for the world. You, light, give us light. You, wisdom, give us wisdom. You, supreme strength, strengthen us. Amen.

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

—

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.