Join the Movement: Weekly Prayer Gatherings Begin May 1 Across the ELCA
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Pray Without Ceasing: An Invitation to Weekly Prayer in a Time of Change
Beginning May 1, congregations across the ELCA—including here in the Grand Canyon Synod—are invited to join a growing movement of weekly, community prayer called Pray Without Ceasing. View a PDF of FAQs here.
Rooted in Scripture and the Lutheran call to faithful, Spirit-led discipleship, this initiative invites each congregation to:
Host a regular, weekly prayer gathering, open to all. Sunday at 5pm is encouraged, but you choose the time that fits your context. The first gathering should take place between May 1–8, 2025.
Invite two other communities—ELCA congregations, full communion partners, or other faith communities—to do the same by May 15.
This prayer commitment isn’t just symbolic—it’s Spirit-filled and grounded in our theology of grace, neighbor love, and shared discipleship. In a time of significant societal and political shifts, we gather not in fear, but in faith. We pray for peace, for those suffering, for our leaders, for renewal in the church, and for the courage to listen and act with love.
Pray Without Ceasing is designed to be adaptable. Whether indoors or outside, online or in a park, each community can make it their own while maintaining a few essentials: a separate prayer time from Sunday worship, openness to all, and a nonpartisan spirit of inclusion and hope.
Each week, congregational leaders can join an optional Zoom conversation Thursdays at 1pm CT to share insights and encouragement. Resources—including sample liturgies, bulletin announcements, and prayers—will be made available at the official initiative site: mpls-synod.org/pray-without-ceasing
If your congregation is ready to participate, or has questions, please reach out to the Office of the Bishop at gcsynod.org/contact.
This is a simple but profound call: to pause, to gather, and to pray—for the world, the church, and one another. Let’s respond together, as faithful disciples in this season of change.
