“Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.” Pray for enthusiasm and courage in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ through our words and actions each day.
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Join with our sisters and brothers around the world and with all creation in lifting up prayers and songs of praise and thanksgiving for God’s gift of love and life, manifested in the birth of Jesus Christ — a light in the darkness that cannot be overcome.
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What draws you to Jesus? What are you looking for in God’s promises? Give thanks to God for revealing to us through Jesus Christ the gifts of fullness of life and the one true light that illuminates God’s ways and truth.
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Ask that we will be strengthened and inspired by the Holy Spirit for sharing the story of God’s love and mercy — the story of Jesus — in today’s world and culture.
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In the story of Mary, Joseph and the humble birth of Jesus, we sense God’s love for humanity and God’s understanding of the diverse contexts in which we live. Praise God for loving us as we are and for reaching into the world in ways that we can relate to, understand and embrace.
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These petitions are offered as guides 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. Thank you for your continued prayers for the life and mission of this church. Download a Word doc, or PDF for letter size printout or legal size printout, or view the ELCA resource page.
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Remember in prayer the many people who work and serve during the holidays, including first responders, care providers, law enforcement, medical personnel, pilots and attendants, truck drivers, men and women serving in the military, seafarers, social service staff, and people serving in stores, restaurants and hotels.
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Give thanks and praise to God, who lifts up those bowed down and oppressed, watches over strangers and sets free the bound and imprisoned.
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Over 47,000 people in the United States died by suicide in 2017, and there were approximately 1.4 million suicide attempts. Pray for hope, relief from suffering and skilled, compassionate care for people who struggle with loneliness, isolation and depression, especially during the holidays. Ask that the Spirit will move us to see and respond to the people around us and to engage in and support suicide-prevention efforts such as the work of the Suicide Prevention Ministry, an independent Lutheran organization.
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Give thanks for ELCA Good Gifts, an opportunity to support ELCA ministries and programs in nearly 80 countries around the world, including the United States. These funds and gifts support work being carried out by our congregations, companion churches and ecumenical partners.
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Pray that wherever the weather turns cold and damp, all people will have the warmth and safety of shelter, and that where shelter is absent or difficult to find, the love and generosity of God dwelling in us will move us to create and open shelters in our congregations, community spaces and homes.
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Pray for ELCA missionaries and young people serving in the Young Adults in Global Mission program who are separated from their families and home congregations during the holidays yet celebrate the good news and gift of Jesus Christ with our companion churches and brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.
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Give thanks for being reminded and reassured — through the word of God, the sacraments and the witness of one another — that Jesus is the promised Messiah, our savior, teacher, life and hope.
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Give thanks to God for the gifts, service and ministry of women as we celebrate 50 years of Lutheran women being ordained in the United States, 40 years of women of color being ordained and 10 years of LGBTQIA+ individuals being able to serve freely.
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Remembering that we have been welcomed without hesitation into the body of Christ, pray that we will exercise, without judgment or partiality, grace and hospitality toward our neighbors — friends, antagonists and strangers alike.
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Remember in prayer people, especially women and children, who live in refugee camps and immigration detention centers. Pray that they will soon return home or move to a community or country where they are welcome and safe, able to reunite with family and reestablish their lives. Give thanks for our church’s and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service’s commitment to advocate and care for refugees and immigrants everywhere.
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Pray that God’s righteousness, justice, peace and compassion for the poor and oppressed will flourish in the world, and that we will be bold and persistent in doing God’s work together.
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Give thanks that we are freed by our faith to serve our neighbor and affect change in our communities, nation and world — change that is grounded in the gospel and God’s vision of justice, compassion, healing and peace for all people.
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The “Declaration of the ELCA to People of African Descent” is a public apology offered by our church in the context of the quadricentennial remembrance of slavery in this country. With faith in God’s forgiveness and mercy, pray that we will be unconflicted in our repentance, committed to understanding injustice and racism, and bold and persistent in working to end racism and white supremacy wherever they exist, including in the church.
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Pray for clarity and faith in the lifelong baptismal journey for which the Holy Spirit calls, renews and equips us — a journey for the sake of the world.
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