Prompts for Prayers of Intercession: October 24, 2021
Intercession prompts:
For the newly elected leadership of the National Council of Churches…
For the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi and the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland, newly celebrating the ordination of women as pastors in the church…
For congregations and ministries discerning their futures…
For recovery efforts in India after record rainfall and flooding…
For children who have lost parents and grandparents to the Covid-19 virus…
For those who are excluded, overlooked, or unwelcome as a result of disability…
Other notable events and observances:
Simon and Jude, Apostles (October 28)
LGBT History Month (through October 31)
Breast Cancer Awareness Month (through October 31)
Domestic Violence Awareness Month (through October 31)
Suggested hymns and prayers:
Prayer for Simon and Jude, Apostles (ELW p. 58)
O God, we thank you for the glorious company of the apostles, and especially on this day for Simon and Jude. We pray that, as they were faithful and zealous in your mission, so we may with ardent devotion make know the love and mercy of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Prayer for the mission of the church (ELW p. 75):
Draw your church together, O God, into one great company of disciples, together following our teacher Jesus Christ into every walk of life, together serving in Christ’s mission to the world, and together witnessing to your love wherever you will send us; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for those who are living with disabilities (ACS p. 52):
Creator God, you made us all in your image. Help us to embrace one another as you do, beloved and blessed; not in need of fixing, but in need of authentic welcome. Bring healing where it is desired, affirmation where it is lacking, and awareness to all. Open our hearts to receive the gifts and needs of all people, and to become communities where everyone can find a place. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Hymn suggestions celebrating the ministry of women in church leadership:
For All the Faithful Women (ELW 419)
Holy Woman, Graceful Giver (ACS 1001, 1002)
Woman, Weeping in the Garden (ACS 935)
Hymn suggestions for congregations discerning the future of their ministry:
O God, Our Help in Ages Past (ELW 632)
I Love to Tell the Story (ELW 661)
Build Us Up, Lord (ELW 670)
Ask the Complicated Questions (ACS 1005)
These prompts are provided for worship leaders as they prepare the prayers of intercession for weekly worship. The prompts are prepared by several leaders in the ELCA and reflect current world and national events. You are encouraged to adapt and add other concerns for your local context, including staying informed of events and concerns in your synod.
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.
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.