Proper 28 | Year C

Patient God, today we thank You
for entrusting Your holy Church to broken people.
Where our brokenness has caused division,
give us eyes to see our need for one another.

In our small community,
may we be moved by your Spirit
to more fully embrace each other
especially in times of conflict, confusion, or differences of opinion.

In a world divided
by class, race, politics and many other things,
may your global Church grow to be united in its mission
to be peacemakers.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

Almighty God, today we pray for all those in positions of authority.
May their hearts be inclined toward peace and justice
so that all the world may rest from war,
persecution, and suffering.

We pray for the provision of the poor,
the equitable treatment of the persecuted,
and the safety of the war-torn.
In our own community,
reveal the needs You’ve entrusted to our care
and grant us generosity of heart, time, and resources to serve them.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

Suffering God, we pray You would be present
with all those who are enduring pain in our community and world,
especially the families affected by the Saugus High School shooting.
We ask You to help us weep with those who weep
and mourn with those who mourn.

We boldly offer our prayers for those who are sick or injured
that You might grant them health and strength in their bodies.
For those who have died,
we ask that You welcome them into the place
where there is no pain or grief
and comfort all those who grieve the loss of their presence.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 27 | Year C

Passionate God, we thank You for Your love for us,
for Your patience and trust.
Today we are thankful for the joys of community.
We see signs of life and love everywhere—
from handshakes and hugs
to conversations and praying for one another.
We pray for our community,
that you continue to be with us in our happiness and weariness,
our celebrations and struggles.

We pray for our world that faces so much violence;
especially for those suffering war conditions and the threat of war.
May leaders at every level learn to speak in favor of humanity and justice.
May all people walk the path of peace, the path of forgiveness, the path of equality.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

O God, we pray for the fires
raging across California, Australia, and the Middle East.
Sustain those who serve and provide relief for the long haul.
Protect our firefighters, community volunteers
and those serving while even serving time in prison.

Almighty God, on this Veterans Day weekend
we commend to your gracious care and keeping
all the men and women of our armed forces,
at home and abroad.
Defend them day by day by your grace;
strengthen them in their trials and temptations;
give them the courage to face the perils that trouble them;
and grant them a sense of your abiding presence,
wherever they may be.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

Embracing God, we pray for those who suffer
in our community and throughout the world.
We remember those who face daily persecution and discrimination.
Enfold them in your loving arms.
Teach us the power of love and forgiveness,
that our words may be ones of healing.

O God, we offer prayers for those voices that have been silenced.
We ask for your spirit of reconciliation to be near.
We pray there may be an end to bullying in schools,
harassment in homes and workplaces,
discriminatory laws and practices.
May we learn the call to be bearers of peace
and spread Your imagination for the world through love and solidarity.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 26 | Year C

Gathered family,
we serve a faithful God,
who is faithful to hear us.
Let us rely on that faith now
as we pray:

Satisfying God,
as we turn toward this season
of thanksgiving,
we seek to cultivate
a continual attitude of thanksgiving.

When we are selfish and self-serving,
instill in us a God-breathed desire
to climb a tree just to get a look at You.
So that You may call us
back to You and our brothers and sisters.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

Patient God,
You love us at our worst
and stand with us in our doubts,
our griefs, and our impatient desires.
When we cry, “How long, O Lord?”
You whisper peace.

Destruction and violence are before us:
Fires in California, toxic air in India,
flooding in East Africa.
May Your presence be felt in these places
and in the lives of those affected.

Make us instruments of Your hands.
Let us seek justice, rescue the oppressed,
defend the orphan, and plead for the widow.
Teach us to do good in Your name.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

Persistent God,
We thank You for our brothers and sisters
in this Sanctuary community
and in the broader Church,
here in the Tulsa area,
and spreading out globally.
Make Your Church worthy of Your call
and fulfill every work of faith,
so that we may glorify You here
and everywhere we go.

We lift up the persecuted Church,
and all those in danger
for proclaiming Your name.
Meet them in their distress;
welcome those who die in their eternal rest.
And when Your peace seems to tarry,
provide us holy patience to wait on Your will.

We now add our own prayers,
either silently or aloud:

[Silence]

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 25 | Year C

Lord God, friend of those in need,
your Son Jesus has untied our burdens
and healed our spirits.
We lift up the prayers of our hearts for those still burdened,
those seeking healing,
those in need within the church and the world.

O God, we pray for the Body of Christ
both gathered and scattered around the world.
May we be one as You are one.
May we learn to celebrate our differences as diversity
rather than consider them as divisions.

Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations,
in the ways of justice and peace;
that we may honor one another
and serve the common good.

Lord, in Your mercy

Hear our prayer.

O God, we ask that You give us all
a reverence for the earth as Your own creation,
may we use its resources rightly in the service of others
and to Your honor and glory.

Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours:
our Sanctuary community, our family, friends, and co-workers.
Grant that we may serve Christ in them,
and love one another as You love us.

O God, You are the savior who suffers with us.
You come and stand inside our pain.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer
in body, mind, or spirit;
give them courage and hope in their troubles.

Lord, in Your mercy

Hear our prayer.

We pray especially for the fires in California,
for the firefighters, first responders,
and all whose lives are touched by disaster.
Grant them safety, strength, and peace.

O God, we hold before You all who have died,
we pray that Your will for them may be fulfilled;
grant them eternal rest,
and may the light of Your face shine on them.

Lord, hear our prayers
that we may love You with our whole being
and willingly share the concerns of our neighbors.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 24 | Year C

O God, we pray for the holy Church of God,
that it may be filled with truth and love,
and be found without fault at the day of your coming.
For our Presiding Bishop Quintin Moore,
for our own Bishop Ed Gungor,
for all bishops and other ministers,
and for all the holy people of God.
For all who fear God and believe in you, Lord Christ,
that our divisions may cease,
and that all may be one as you and the Father are one,
we pray to you, O Lord.

Lord, in your mercy

Hear our prayer.

O God, we pray for the mission of the Church,
that in faithful witness it may preach the Gospel
to the ends of the earth.
For the peace of the world,
that a spirit of respect and tolerance may grow
among nations and peoples.
For those in positions of public trust,
that they may serve justice,
and promote the dignity and freedom of every person,
we pray to you, O Lord.

Lord, in your mercy

Hear our prayer.

For all who live and work in this community,
for a blessing upon all human labor,
and for the right use of the riches of creation,
that the world may be freed from poverty,
famine, and disaster.

For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and all who suffer;
for refugees, prisoners, and all who are in danger;
that they may be relieved and protected.
For our enemies and those who wish us harm,
and for all whom we have injured or offended.

For all who have commended themselves to our prayers;
for our families, friends, and neighbors;
that being freed from anxiety,
they may live in joy, peace, and health,

For all who have died in the communion of your Church,
and those whose faith is known to you alone,
that, with all the saints,
they may have rest in that place where there is no pain or grief,
but life eternal, we pray to you, O Lord.

All this we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Proper 23 | Year C

God of Goodness and Life,
we bow our heads before You.
As we come together to offer our prayers,
and ask for Your wisdom,
nestle us more deeply under Your wing.
Dear family, let us pray:

Unseen Lord,
no one compares to You!
Matchless and wonderful,
always welcoming us;
through our folly, You still invite us:
“Come as you are.”

Everyone created uniquely,
designed exactly as You desired us.
We find our joy in You,
in times of doubt and times of great confidence.
Show us Your faithfulness. Demonstrate Your mercy.
in this community, this city, this world.
May Your mercy fall freely on us all.

Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

Deeply-loving God,
everyone is in Your care.
Show Your mercy on the world.
Those in Syria who face new violence
resulting from the actions of those far away.
You hold them still.

Hold in peace every Christian, here and abroad,
risking their lives through persecution.
Open our eyes to see them clearly.
Fix the poor on our hearts, even those among us
poor in compassion, empathy, and the will to act.

O Lord, we pray for Your passion.
May we see You in all things.
In both the high and the humble,
enacting Your love in our world,
so that You may be glorified.

Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

Dependable God,
You always care for us.
Restore us in ways we cannot foresee,
even, Lord, in ways that break us,
knowing You make all things right.

Ignite us with Your justice;
where we are entrenched in error,
ease us toward Your truth.
Show Your kindness to us
as we extend our gratitude toward You.

Heal all those in our midst,
all in pain, whether physical, emotional,
mental, financial, or familial.
Intervene on our behalf,
that we may be given to good works
on Your behalf.

Now we offer our own requests, silently or aloud:

[Silence]

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 22 | Year C

Family of God,
we join together in our joy and grief,
our sorrow and celebration
and offer our prayers on behalf of
the Church and the world.

O God, we pray for all who confess your Name.
May we be united in Your truth,
live together in Your love,
and reveal Your glory in the world.
May we join our hearts to Christ’s in praying:
that we all may be one.

Leader: Lord, in your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

Lord, we pray for all our leaders.
Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations,
in the ways of justice and peace;
that we may honor one another
and serve the common good.

Give us all a reverence for the earth as Your own creation.
May we use its resources rightly
in the service of others
and to Your honor and glory.

Bless all those whose lives are closely linked with ours,
and grant that we may serve Christ in them,
and love one another as he loves us.

Leader: Lord, in your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

Comfort and heal all those who suffer
in body, mind, or spirit;
give them courage and hope in their trouble,
and bring them the joy of your salvation.

Lord make me us all instruments of Your peace.
Where there is hatred may we sow love,
where there is injury, pardon,
where there is doubt, faith,
where there is despair, hope,
where there is darkness, light,
and where there is sadness, joy.

O God, grant that we may
not so much seek to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it's in dying that we are born to eternal life.

All this we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Proper 21 | Year C

Families of all:
We're here today to get closer to God.
While we gather, listen closely
to what the Lord would say.
Let us pray:

Lord of Greatness and Power,
We bow our heads to show
we love all You do.
From water to ice,
from fire to magma,
we love everything You have given us.

When our loved ones leave
or we miss our friends,
it happens because
You made a beginning and a middle,
and we wait for You to write the ending.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

O God, in whom we put our trust:
We give You thanks.
We will trust in You and will not be afraid,
for You are our strength and our might.
We mourn for loved ones who have passed,
may they enter their eternal rest.
For those who hurt, we pray You would heal.
We pray for the homeless to find a home.

Let us be a light in the world, O God.
Help us to comfort those who mourn,
and spread peace and love wherever we go.
Guide us so we may help those who hurt.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer.

Lord who knows us by name,
We humbly ask You to grant us strength
for this week and the weeks to come.
Help us pursue righteousness,
and grant us peace of mind.

We pray for those in leadership roles
in our country, our state, and our city,
Grant them wisdom to guide us through
difficult times.

Lord, we ask that You would make Your
presence known to us over this next week.
We know You are always with us,
but we ask You to help us realign our thoughts
toward You so You become our main focus.
We offer now our own prayers,
Either silently or aloud:

[Silence]

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 20 | Year C

Brothers and sisters,
family of God:
Let us not be lax in offering
supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and thanksgivings
On behalf of everyone,
whether gathered here or not.
Let us pray:

Lord Over All,
You sit high above all our earthly leaders
You stoop to conquer,
and yet You meet us wherever we are.
Who is like You?
There is none like You.
You encompass all space, high and low.

We lift up our leaders to You.
Leaders at all levels and in all facets.
We pray for all in positions of leadership,
that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives
in all godliness and dignity.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

Lord Over Life,
Blessed be Your name
From this time on and forevermore.
We thank You for Your constancy,
for Your faithfulness and mercy.

There are those among us
who, like the prophet Jeremiah,
lift up their voices in lament, saying,
“My joy is gone. Grief is upon me.
My heart is sick.
The harvest is passed. The summer is ended.
And I am not saved.”

We hurt with those who hurt.
We mourn with those who mourn.
We expectantly await You
to gird us with hope and joy,
with peace and comfort.
Give us strength today.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

Lord Over Creation,
Where we have sinned, we repent.
Remember not our past sins;
let Your compassion be swift to meet us.
Let our care for Your creation extend for generations to come.

Lift the weak out of the dust,
lift the poor from the ashes.
Demonstrate Your faithfulness
so that we may be full of faith
in You and in one another,
one Sanctuary family.

May our service be done for You only,
and not for material things.
Let the things of this world
assume their proper place in our list of priorities.
We offer now our own prayers,
whether silently or aloud:

[Silence]

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 19 | Year C

O God,
Your word tells us you hear our prayers.
We cry out to you.
We come together as a church body,
humbling ourselves before You and seeking Your face.
Help us to walk in a manner
worthy of the call You have given us.
Help us in all our interactions with one another
and those we come in contact with everyday.
May we have humble and gentle hearts
and bear with one another in love.

Lord help us to to pursue the things that make for peace
and give us discerning hearts to know your will.
We thank you for the courage you give us to be obedient.
Lord, you have given us what seems like an impossible task.
You ask us to deny ourselves,
take up the cross and follow You.
As we lift up these words for Your church,
may we seek You first, setting aside our own desires.
May we become intercessors for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Leader: Lord in your mercy

All: Hear our prayer

Loving and caring God, we live in confusing times.
We often crave simplicity and the ease of black and white thinking,
But You have called us to live by Kingdom values
and not to take the easy way out.

We pray for our nation and leaders
and other countries around the world.
May we work together to find solutions to difficult problems.
Provide our leaders with the knowledge needed
to approach each situation in ways that make for peace and justice.
Remind our leaders why they dedicated their lives
to public service and encourage them in their commitment
to us and one another.

Triumphant Father, we continue lifting prayers
for the aftermath of hurricane Dorian.
Thank You for providing comfort to those impacted
and helping them to recover all that was lost.
May Your favor surround them and bring them peace.

Leader: Lord in your mercy

All: Hear our prayer

O God, we lift up the city of Tulsa.
Where there is chaos bring peace,
and where there is hate pour out Your love.
We thank You for working out Your kingdom agenda in Tulsa!

We pray for those suffering in our community.
May we be like Paul, remaining fixed on You in the midst of hardship.
With praise, we thank You for always being by our side.
You said you would never leave us nor forsake us.
Thank You for always keeping Your promises to us!
You are making all things new; may we trust that truth
and allow it to silence the lies that speak the opposite!

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen!

Proper 18 | Year C

Creator God,
You made all, whether we see it or not.
And Your creative impulse
did not fizzle out with the stars;
You create anew, even still.

We are the work of Your hands,
an ongoing work, ever unfinished.
May we remain pliable,
submitting to Your will,
standing firm in Your strength
and not in our own.

Reveal Yourself to us
in ways that we can comprehend You
and in ways that we cannot.
Search us out and know us,
so that we may better know You.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Restorer God,
In the midst of our mourning and grief
over the damage wrought by Hurricane Dorian,
the devastation in the Bahamas,
the destruction in North Carolina,
and the disturbances along the east coast,
we ask for Your mercy.

Have mercy upon all those affected,
those who have lost all:
loved ones, homes, identities.
Have mercy upon the helpers,
the first responders and clean-up crews,
guard their hearts as they do holy work.

Give us, Your Church, resolve
to care for Your world
and all Your creation in it.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Healer God,
We place our community at Your feet.
Where we need healing,
we ask for Your provision.
Heal our illnesses, our hearts,
our emotional hurts, our past traumas.

For those in our Sanctuary community
suffering from lack,
we ask for Your sustenance.
Sustain us financially, materially, emotionally,
so that we may overflow Your love
into one another, the Tulsa area,
the state of Oklahoma, our nation, and the world.

We humbly ask that You guide us to healing
of past wounds, of systemic hurts
committed in the names of leaders long gone.
Bring restoration and instill in us a commitment
to do the difficult work of unity.

We also lift up to You our own prayers now,
either silently or aloud:

[Silence]

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 17 | Year C

Lord God, friend of those in need,
your Son Jesus Christ has untied our burdens
and healed our spirits.
We lift up the prayers of our hearts
for those still burdened,
those seeking healing,
those in need within the church and the world.

Visit Your people,
wherever we are gathered throughout the world.
Pour out Your strength and courage upon us,
that we may hurry to make You welcome
not only in our concern for others,
but by serving them generously
and faithfully in Your name.

Lord, in Your mercy

Hear our prayer.

O God, we offer our prayers
in the wake of yet another mass shooting.
We pray for the town of Odessa, Texas.
May we resist the temptation to grow numb,
to refuse to accept this pandemic as normal.
Form us into a people committed to Your peace.

We pray for all those in the path
of hurricane Dorian;
spare them from tragedy,
and grant them safety.
Strengthen the aid workers, medical personnel,
and all first responders.

We pray for the fires raging across the Amazon.
Make us faithful stewards of the earth’s fragile resources.
Help us to care for this world You created,
as well as its inhabitants,
so we may be entrusted with the good gifts You give.

Lord, in Your mercy

Hear our prayer.

We pray for those among us
who may be suffering, grieving, or questioning;
for those longing for hospitality and welcome.
May Sanctuary be a house of rest and respite.
Receive these prayers, O God,
and transform us through them,
that we may have eyes to see and hearts to understand
not only what You do on our behalf,
but what You call us to do
and who You call us to be
so that things may be “on earth as it is in heaven.”

All this we ask through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Proper 15 | Year C

Family of God,
In times of sorrow and in times of rejoicing,
Our Lord calls us to pray,
To enter boldly, with thanksgiving and praise.
Together, let us present to God
our thanksgiving, praise, and prayer.

God of Goodness,
We consider Your lovingkindness.
We marvel at Your grace.
In times of uncertainty and unrest, fear, and darkness,
we rely on Your generosity;
we rest in Your care.
Grant us peace in this time,
and make us signposts of Your goodness;
that all may see Your compassion and care for the world.

O God,
You promise to heal our broken world;
to make what is wrong right again.
Together we ask that Your Spirit
would hover over the chaos of hatred, injustice and violence.
Breathe new creation.
And breathe upon us, Your people;
to enable us and empower us
to be a city on a hill in the midst of this darkness.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy.

All: Hear our prayer.

God Who Speaks,
Give us ears to hear and eyes to see.
Write Your law upon our hearts and minds,
and remember our sins no more.
In Your nearness, give us strength not to hide from You,
but let us hear Your word faithfully,
that it may burn through us like fire.

We pray for the leaders of this city, state and nation;
that they too would hear Your voice.
Turn the hearts of our leaders to righteousness
and grant them wisdom
that they may be faithful to Your voice and calling.

Lord, Your people long to hear Your voice.
Grant us faith to run this race
and the courage to cast off all that hinders us
from hearing You faithfully.
Let us not become entangled in sin.
Instead, help us fix our eyes on You,
that we may be faithful participants
as You speak words of healing to our broken world.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

God of Compassion,
We cast our cares upon You.
For those who grieve, bring peace.
For those who fear, bring confidence in Your goodness.
For those who suffer sickness, bring healing.

We entrust the cares of this life to You, O Lord.
To You we give stress, anxiety, and depression,
trusting that each is wrapped up in Your love.
Guide us to help where we need it
and to be help where it is needed.

With confidence, we pray for a vision of Your love for us
And a deeper understanding of Your mercy toward us.
Open our hearts to a fuller knowledge
of Your lovingkindness and compassion
That through each of us, the world may see Your goodness.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 14 | Year C

Friends in Christ,
God invites us to hold the needs of our sisters and brothers
as dear to us as our own needs.
Loving our neighbors as ourselves,
we offer our thanksgivings and our petitions
on behalf of the church and the world.

God of justice,
Your word is light and truth.
Let Your face shine on us to restore us,
that we may walk in Your way,
seeking justice and doing good.

O God, we pray for Your holy catholic Church,
that we all may be one.
May every member of the Church
truly and humbly serve You
and glorify You in all places.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

O God, we pray for all who hold authority
throughout the nations of the world,
our own country, state,
and this city of Tulsa.
May You move their hearts toward justice and peace,
and grant that we may honor one another
and serve the common good of all people.

We pray for places plagued by violence,
for Kabul, Afghanistan, Syria, and Cape Town, South Africa,
for the communities of El Paso, Dayton, and Gilroy.
Come and fill us with Your light and love,
that we may be witnesses to your Kingdom
in a dark world.

We give You thanks for the helpers,
the peacemakers and encouragers;
may we count ourselves among them
in bringing comfort and respite to
grieving hearts and cold places.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

O God, we pray for our enemies
and those who wish us harm;
for all whom we have injured or offended.
We pray for ourselves;
for the forgiveness of our sins,
and for the grace of the Holy Spirit
to amend our lives.

Hear our prayers, God of power,
and through the ministry of Your Son
free us from the grip of the tomb,
that we may desire You as the fullness of life
and proclaim your saving deeds to all the world.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 13 | Year C

Family of God,
sisters and brothers,
Our Lord Jesus taught us to pray,
to ask God, to seek God,
to knock on God’s door.
Let us now do so.
Let us pray.

Lord Who Hears,
We give thanks to You
with our whole hearts;
let us hold nothing back
but expel everything in gratitude.

We ask that Your peace would be felt
throughout the world.
From the unrest in Hong Kong
to the civil war in Syria
to those experiencing unprecedented heat worldwide.
Use Your Church to provide,
to show them that You Hear.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

Lord Who Can Be Found,
We seek You in high places and low places,
Here in the midst of Your Family,
and elsewhere in the mundane of our daily lives.
We seek You knowing that,
when we do,
You love to show Yourself to us.

May we find You in unexpected places this week.
Show Yourself to the lowly and the esteemed,
to those who work and those who are looking for work,
to the outcasts and the insiders,
to those whose walk with You has never been better
and to those who hear Your name
and experience pain, doubt, and disillusionment.

Show Yourself to those who have
been acted upon by the malicious.
Victims of domestic violence,
of any kind of abuse,
of bad deals and unscrupulous business practices.
Even there, You can be found.

Show us You, in Your unbounded glory.
Show Yourself to those affected by mass shootings this week,
in California, in Texas, and Ohio
and in places that didn’t make the news.
Comfort the grieving, heal the injured,
and encourage the downtrodden.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

Lord Who Opens Doors,
Some of us find the door open with a single knock;
others have bloodied our knuckles to no avail.
Even so, Lord, we trust You,
to open Your door in Your time.

Give us patience where we need to wait,
and boldness where we need to step forward.
Open doors in our lives;
doors of healing for those who are sick,
doors of peace for those who are in turmoil,
doors of joy for those who are numb,
and the Doors of Heaven for those entering eternal rest.
Open Yourself to those among us in need.

May we be a people who declare Your goodness
to a world full of closed and locked doors,
that You might receive the glory
as we, Your Church, proclaim Your name.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 11 | Year C

Lord God, friend of those in need,
your Son has untied our burdens
and healed our spirits.
We lift up the prayers of our hearts
for those still burdened, still seeking healing,
those in need within the church and the world.

We pray for the church in all her expressions.
Continue to refine and re-form her,
Where she is right, strengthen her;
where she is in want, provide for her;
where she is divided, reunite her.

We pray for Bishop Quintin Moore - the presiding bishop of the CEEC.
For our bishop, Bishop Ed Gungor, and for all bishops and other ministers,
and all our brothers and sisters in Christ working for justice, freedom, and peace.

Leader: Lord, in your mercy.

All: Hear our prayer.

O God, let us continue to feel deeply
the tragedies affecting our brothers and sisters
around the world.
Refusing to remain numb and indifferent, we pray...

For the Democratic Republic of the Congo
where they are suffering the second largest ebola outbreak,
and where more than 1,600 people have died.
For those with no place to call home,
immigrants and refugees around the world
who are suffering and living in fear.

May your loving presence be with those who cry out in fear of the future.
For those experiencing intense heat and drought
in places like India, Zimbabwe, and France.
Those suffering from lack of water;
May the water return to nourish, heal, and wash
those who are thirsty and in need of new life.

Leader: Lord, in your mercy.

All: Hear our prayer.

We pray for our friend and missionary Cara Boss
as she prepares to serve some 1,200 patients
in the remote mountain region of Guatemala.
Grant her grace, safety, and endurance this week.
Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations,
in the ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another
and serve the common good.

We pray for our enemies and those who wish us harm,
and for all whom we have injured or offended.
For all who have died in the communion of your Church, and
those whose faith is known to you alone,
that, with all the saints, they may have rest in that place
where there is no pain or grief, but life eternal.

Hear our prayers, O God,
That we may love you with our whole being
And willingly share the concerns of our neighbors.

All this we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Proper 10 | Year C

Brothers and sisters,
because we have the Hope of Heaven,
like the Apostle Paul and Timothy,
we pray unceasingly:

We pray for those among us who suffer
from lack, from unemployment,
from sickness, from grief.
We pray for those among us who rejoice
for bounty, for provision,
for health, for peace.
We pray for those among us
who are numb to Your world
and all its beauty and terror.

Wherever we are,
revive and refresh us,
so that we, Your church,
may bear witness to Your grandeur.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

In Your decadent, irresponsible love,
You call herdsmen to prophesy,
Gardeners to speak truth to the powerful.
You point us toward Heathens who embody You
more faithfully than the Holy.
Let us embrace these examples.

Let us live as people in exile
who see the enemy, the foreign,
the stranger, and the alien
and run toward them
and not away.
Rather than see Your world
as barren and limited,
let us see it as it is:

full of abundant possibility and promise,
so that we may live
faithful, exilic lives
that speak a resounding rebuke
to a world full of fear.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy,

All: Hear our prayer.

O God, one of the many things we learn from the Cross
is that we win by losing;
by laying down our lives for our neighbors,
by loving our enemies, turning the other cheek,
going the extra mile, and praying for our persecutors.
Let us carry this Holy Loss into our world.
Lives are at stake, but Babylon will not save us.
Only You will.

Let this Sanctuary body,
and Your Church at large,
be the hope of the world.
Let the investments of our
energy, time, emotions, and resources
reflect that conviction.

We know we never leave Your sturdy Hand.
Remind us of Your faithfulness now,
as we add our own prayers and petitions,
either silently or aloud.

[Silence]

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 9 | Year C

God of salvation,
who sent your Son to seek out and save what is lost,
hear our prayers
on behalf of those who are lost in our day,
receiving these petitions and thanksgivings
with your unending compassion.

God of all nations and peoples,
your Son commanded his disciples
to preach and heal throughout the world.
Grant us, by the power of the Holy Spirit,
the zeal to proclaim the good news of peace and justice,
and gather all humanity into life with you

O God, we give you thanks
For all the blessings of this life
For family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and strangers,
Who nurture us so that the love of God may grow in us.
We pray that your love, your word, like a seed,
May grow to produce good fruit in us.
May your love be like a seed, taking root and growing strong.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer

We pray for the leaders of various nations and cities,
That they may lead with strong hearts, gentle hands, and generous spirits,
With compassion and mercy,
With wisdom and grace.
May our leaders reflect your will,
guiding their actions and decisions.

We pray for those who serve in harm’s way,
For those who live in dangerous places,
Those who live in areas of war and strife,
Those who live in fear,
For those who carry the anxiety of unemployment,
Questioning how they will pay their bills or buy food,
For all who struggle to find dignity in life.
Grant that your grace would bring peace and safety to all people.
May your love be like a seed, taking root and growing strong.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer

We pray for the city of Tulsa
and the rising number of violent crimes across our neighborhoods.
Grant us a readiness to share the burdens of our community,
A willingness to attempt solutions to social problems,
And the zeal to join our efforts for the common good.
Put an end to gun violence wherever it manifests,
And help us to trust in your justice and mercy over and against
The myth of redemptive violence.

O God, we pray for our law enforcement officers,
that you would keep them from the temptations
To apply force improperly,
To use their authority unwisely,
To rely on the instruments of coercion exclusively.
Give them strength as our defenders
Give them gentleness when they serve those who are hurt or neglected
Give them sympathy for those whom they serve.

Life-giving God,
heal our lives,
that we may acknowledge your wonderful deeds
and offer you thanks from generation to generation
through Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
May your love be like a seed, taking root and growing strong.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 8 | Year C

We are called to freedom,
brothers and sisters;
let us now practice that freedom
and pray for one another.

God of Good Things,
Bring joy where we are destitute;
bring peace where we are anxious.
Where we need patience and kindness,
give us opportunities to practice them.

When our hands are clenched with fear;
ease them open with Your generosity and faithfulness.
When we are tempted to berate others or ourselves,
whisper words of gentleness and self-control.
So that we may live entirely from Your love.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer

God Who Leads Us,
We have always looked
to other people for answers;
strong leaders to whom we can pledge our allegiance.

Let us forsake that precedent
and follow only You
Let us not seek after power,
whether it be political, spiritual, organizational;
Instead, let us choose to follow You.

To let You so fill our vision
that we follow You wherever You may go.
To the wild and haunted places,
to the banal and dreary places,
and to all the unmemorable places in between.
Wherever You are,
let us call that “home.”

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer

God of Presence,
You are not a fickle god
who grades us on how hard we perform our worship.
You are The Good Parent.

You hear Your children when we ask,
no matter how imperfectly.
Even when words fail us,
You still hear us.

You do not sit above and wait
for the right incantation to summon You.
You are with us now and always,
whether we feel You or not.

We thank You that You hear these petitions
which we now speak, either silently or aloud.

[Silence]

This world is a gift,
a masterpiece of Your creation.
As we come to Your table
and then go out of this place,
we pray for this world and all the people in it,
especially the least of these,
—the You In Human Form—
those among us who are suffering,
and the persecuted Church worldwide.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Proper 7 | Year C

Family of God:
where divisions no longer exist
and false, manmade categories fall away
into glorious and diverse unity,
Let us now join together in prayer.

God of Provision,
You cared for Elijah
when he fled for his life.
Let us be the ones
to care for the Elijahs among us,
however they may come to our attention.
The poor, the sick, the underfed,
the social outcasts, the filthy, the tattered,
the young, the old,
the orphaned, the childless,
the grief-stricken, the bereft,
So guide our eyes that we may see them
as the beautiful image-bearers of You that they are.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer

God Who Faces Us,
Thank You for not turning away;
that we are not an embarrassment to You,
but we are Your children,
whom You love.

When we forget Your love,
Remind us of it.
Get our attention however You must.
Make us reminders of Your love
to all those we encounter
in person, in passing, and online.

Lord, let Your eyes meet ours
whether we’re merry or miserable.
Be present in our laughter;
sustain us in our grief.
May we always keep our senses
tuned to Your front-facing frequency.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy

All: Hear our prayer

God of Deliverance,
You encountered a man among the dead,
You saw his need, You asked nothing of him,
and then You set him free.
And only then did You guide him to proclamation.
Let us, like him, proclaim throughout Tulsa
what You have done for us:

The freedom You have brought us,
the purpose You have given us,
the delight You take in us.
The unearned grace in which You have bathed us.

We now proclaim Your glory
and Your desire for deliverance
as we each articulate
and add our own prayers,
either silently or aloud:

[Silence]

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.