Please feel free to join us in the prayers prayed in worship this Sunday -- World Food Day -- October 16, 2022:
Loving God,
you created the world in love,
and you love us still.
You have come to us in Jesus Christ
with love, healing, justice, peace, and tender mercy,
to save us from all that does us harm.
You hear the cries of the vulnerable,
and so we voice the needs we see in the world,
in our own lives, and in the lives of others.
We pray for those who are hungry,
for food enough and more,
for systems that secure food and nutrition
so that all your children might live and thrive.
We pray for an end to systems that oppress,
particularly systems of American racism,
and unjust economic systems.
We pray for those who are unhoused, shelter,
for those who are hurting, healing,
for those who are lonely, companionship,
for those who mourn, comfort.
“Loving, listening, encouraging God,
we know that there is no shortage of ways
that we can help to heal our world.
We just need the willingness to see those ways
and the courage to act.
So, we pray for Your inspiration and strength,
to use the abilities and resources we have
for the sake of those who need them.
We pray for those of us who have plenty –
of wealth that can lift some out of poverty,
of power that can influence the world
toward justice and equity,
of relationships that can connect
those who can help each other,
of creativity that can inspire and challenge through
new ideas and new visions,
of time that can be used to feed the hungry, transport the weary,
or befriend the lonely.
And we pray for all who need ordinary, gifted people
to ease their grief, their pain, their trauma, their need, and their fear. Help us to pray and not give up,
so that we might find
ways to help as we may,
for the healing of your world.”[1]
Knowing that we are never alone,
we join our voices with the voices of all who have ever called your name,
praying the prayer that Jesus taught:
Our Father/Mother, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
[1] The italicized portion of the prayer is adapted from a prayer written by John van de Laar, and included in World Food Day prayers offered by the United Church of Canada. See https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/2022-08/world-food-day-2022_cfgb.pdf