For What Shall We Pray?
Prayer prompts:
For peace among nations, especially between Israel and Palestine, Russia and Ukraine…
For areas of the world facing conflict and violence, especially Syria and Iraq…
For fair elections and for the compassion and integrity of world leaders…
For damages caused by volcanic eruptions in Grindavik, Iceland…
For safe evacuation and successful recovery efforts after avalanches in northwestern China…
For relief and recovery efforts in Mauritius and Réunion following Cyclone Belal…
For areas of the United States facing extreme cold and snow, and especially for those without reliable housing, heat, transportation, or other basic needs…
For those who have suffered religious trauma…
For cooperation and unity in the church, centered on Christ’s model of sacrificial love…
Events and observances:
January observances: National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Antony of Egypt, renewer of the church, died around 356 (Jan 17)
Pachomius, renewer of the church, died 346 (Jan 17)
Confession of Peter (Jan 18)
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Jan 18-25)
Henry, Bishop of Uppsala, martyr, died 1156 (Jan 19)
Agnes, martyr, died around 304 (Jan 21)
World Religion Day (Baháʼí tradition, Jan 21)
Conversion of Paul (Jan 25)
Tu Bishvat (Jewish, Jan 25)
Timothy, Titus, and Silas, missionaries (Jan 26)
Lydia, Dorcas, and Phoebe, witnesses to the faith (Jan 27)
Prayers from ELCA resources:
A set of worship resources for the crisis in the Holy Land is now available on ELCA.org. Several prayers are provided that could be used during the prayers of intercession or at other times, in public worship or for devotional use at home or in other settings. PDF DOC
The Churches Beyond Borders 2023 Advent Cycles of Prayers is now available. The prayer resource calls for justice and peace, especially for churches impacted by the war in the Holy Land, and for lifting up Palestinian Christian communities and ministries and the congregations and institutions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.
A prayer for the nation (ELW)
Holy Trinity, one God, you show us the splendor of diversity and the beauty of unity in your own divine life. Make us, who came from many nations with many languages, a united people that delights in our many different gifts. Defend our liberties, and give those whom we have entrusted with authority the spirit of wisdom, that there might be justice and peace in our land. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our sovereign and our Savior. Amen.
A prayer for faithful living in society (ACS)
Eternal God, your Word brought forth creation, and your Spirit brings order out of chaos and confusion. You breathe upon us, and we are able to hear one another with language we can understand. Pour out your Spirit upon us now, that even when we disagree on the way forward, we may remain united in Jesus Christ, in whom we are known and accepted with a single love. Amen.
“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.
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.