{"id":9915,"date":"2026-10-01T13:15:11","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T18:15:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worship\/?p=9915"},"modified":"2026-10-01T13:15:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T18:15:11","slug":"for-what-shall-we-pray-179","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worship\/9915\/","title":{"rendered":"For what shall we pray?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7866 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/60\/2023\/02\/For-What-Shall-We-Pray-option-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"130\" height=\"130\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/60\/2023\/02\/For-What-Shall-We-Pray-option-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/60\/2023\/02\/For-What-Shall-We-Pray-option-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/60\/2023\/02\/For-What-Shall-We-Pray-option-1-250x250.png 250w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/60\/2023\/02\/For-What-Shall-We-Pray-option-1-350x350.png 350w, https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/60\/2023\/02\/For-What-Shall-We-Pray-option-1.png 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 130px) 100vw, 130px\" \/><\/span>&#8220;For what shall we pray?&#8221; 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 <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worship\/7864\/\">here<\/a>.<\/em><br \/>\n<b><\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Prayer Prompts:<\/b><br \/>\nFor peace and reconciliation among the nations, especially in Iran, Gaza, Ethiopia, Syria, South Sudan, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, and Myanmar\u2026<br \/>\nFor an end to terrorism and genodice across the world&#8230;<br \/>\nFor safety and just resolution to student protests in France and housing protests in Spain&#8230;<br \/>\nFor landslides and flooding in Nepal&#8230;<br \/>\nFor heavy rain and storms in Nebraska, Texas, and the east coast&#8230;<br \/>\nFor glacial melting in Antarctica and Switzerland, for ocean warming, and for the profound effects of ongoing climate change&#8230;<br \/>\nFor human dignity and justice, especially for death row inmates&#8230;<br \/>\nFor victims of assault and trafficking&#8230;<br \/>\nFor immigrants facing unjust deportation and for children and youth left abandoned by deportation actions&#8230;<br \/>\nFor those who cannot afford food and those who rely on federal and local assistance&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><b>Events &amp; Observances:<\/b><br \/>\nOctober Observances: Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15-Oct 15), Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Filipino American History Month, National Bullying Prevention Month, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, LGBTQ History Month<\/p>\n<p>Francis of Assisi, renewer of the church, died 1226 (Oct 4)<br \/>\nTheodor Fliedner, renewer of society, died 1864 (Oct 4)<br \/>\nWilliam Tyndale, translator, martyr, died 1536 (Oct 6)<br \/>\nHenry Melchior Muhlenberg, pastor in North America, died 1787 (Oct 7)<br \/>\nMassie L. Kennard, renewer of the church, died 1986 (Oct 10)<br \/>\nDay of Thanksgiving (Canada, Oct 12)<\/p>\n<p><b>Prayers from ELCA Resources:<\/b><br \/>\n<i>A prayer for the gifts of agriculture<\/i> (ELW p.78):<br \/>\nGod our creator, you have ordered seedtime and harvest, sunshine and rain. Give to all who work the land fair compensation for the work of their hands. Grant that the people of this and every nation may give thanks to you for food, drink, and all that sustains life; may use with care the land and water from which good things come; and may honor the laborers who produce them; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.<\/p>\n<p><i>A prayer for those who suffer abuse and violence<\/i> (ACS p.53):<br \/>\nMighty Jesus, living Word, soothe the bodies, souls, and minds of the victims of sexual violence, domestic violence, and all forms of harm. Bring them peace, hope, comfort, and strength. Bring abusers to justice and prevent them from causing further harm. Stir up the heart of your church gathered here and around the world, that we value justice and healing over silence and shame. Show us the way to your righteousness, led by the voices of those who suffer. In Jesus&#8217; name we pray. Amen.<\/p>\n<p>A variety of worship resources related to the upcoming national election season are <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worship\/9889\/\">available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>ELW = <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.augsburgfortress.org\/store\/category\/286455\/Evangelical-Lutheran-Worship\">Evangelical Lutheran Worship<\/a><\/em><br \/>\nACS = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.augsburgfortress.org\/store\/category\/287206\/All-Creation-Sings\"><em>All Creation Sings: Evangelical Lutheran Worship<\/em> <em>Supplement<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Additional topical prayers are found in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (pp. 72\u201387) and All Creation Sings (pp. 46\u201355), as well as in other resources provided in print and online at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sundaysandseasons.com\">sundaysandseasons.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Crafted intercessions for every Sunday and festival are provided in the Sundays and Seasons worship planning guide published <a href=\"https:\/\/www.augsburgfortress.org\/store\/category\/286268\/Sundays-and-Seasons\">in-print<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sundaysandseasons.com\">online<\/a> by Augsburg Fortress. <\/em><em>Further assistance for composing prayers of intercession can be found here: <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worship\/5077\/\">Resources for Crafting Prayers of Intercession<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/resources.elca.org\/?_categories=prayer-ventures\">Prayer Ventures<\/a>, 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.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;For what shall we pray?&#8221; 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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":283,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-post"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>For what shall we pray? - ELCA Worship<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worship\/9915\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"For what shall we pray? - ELCA Worship\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"&#8220;For what shall we pray?&#8221; is a weekly post inviting individuals, groups, and congregations to lift up our world in prayer. 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