May 26, 2019 – Sixth Sunday of Easter
The following prayers have been adapted for congregational use by Rebecca Garber
We invite you to include the Anglican and the Roman Catholic Bishops of your region in your prayers.
Anglican Bishops:
- Bishop Logan McMenamie, Diocese of British Columbia
- ArchBishop Melissa Skelton, Diocese of New Westminster
- Bishop David Lehmann, Diocese of Caledonia
- Bishop David Lehmann, Diocese of Kootenay
- Bishop Barbara Andrews, Diocese of The Territory of the People
Roman Catholic Bishops:
- Archdiocese of Vancouver – Archbishop Michael Miller
- Diocese of Kamloops – Bishop Joseph Nguyen
- Diocese of Nelson – Bishop Robert Bourgon
- Diocese of Prince George – Bishop Stephen Jensen
- Diocese of Victoria – Bishop Gary Gordon
Prayers for May 26, 2019 – Sixth Sunday of Easter
Trusting in the goodness in life and living, we pray for all believers, the world, and those in need.
A moment of silence
To the words “Free us to be what we were meant to be” you are invited to respond “Your mercy is great.”
Remind us of the simplicity of our calling: that we love God and love our neighbours as ourselves. May we live through the complexities of living this out by remembering how butterflies navigate extraordinary distances and eagles return to their nests year after year to raise their young.
Free us to be what we were meant to be. Your mercy is great.
Make water and sunshine, darkness and light, sustain the growth of food on this planet. Let us re-commit ourselves over and again to ensuring that the earth’s abundance is shared so that all are fed. May we use and conserve the water that quenches our thirst and nourishes every cell of life.
Free us to be what we were meant to be. Your mercy is great.
Your tree of life pushes forth leaves of healing upon nations. Let each of us put aside our fear of differences in thinking and living, and erode from within the hatred that pushes nation against nation in war. Only by clinging to our common humanity can we move beyond genocide, civil wars, terrorism, and violence.
Free us to be what we were meant to be. Your mercy is great.
Grant us the courage to be strong and well. Let us shirk off the stress and habits that keep us sick and suffering. Comfort us as we struggle with the challenges of living with the weaknesses we have in body and soul. Restore health and wholeness to those we name aloud or silently within our hearts.
(include those listed in the bulletin for prayers)
Free us to be what we were meant to be. Your mercy is great.
While giving thanks for those who lay down their lives in service to country and conscience, we pray for a world in which freedom and justice develop through people like us pursuing a greater vision, enabled by the power of example and non-violent resistance to what is wrong, what fails to serve the sanctity of life.
Free us to be what we were meant to be. Your mercy is great.
Incite creative expressions of your love through our work with Anglican Church of Canada and Bishop (name bishop in your region), the Roman Catholic churches and Bishop (name bishop in your area) and our own Bishop Greg. We offer prayers for the churches of our synod, especially Grace in Dawson Creek and Deo Lutheran in Salmon Arm and Pastor Erik Bjorgan, and for our global mission companion, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Peru.
Free us to be what we were meant to be. Your mercy is great.
Teach us to walk the earth in sunlight and in moonlight until we know deeply what it means to be alive and to find within us the kingdom of God preached by a simple Galilean who has come to be called Christ.
Free us to be what we were meant to be. Your mercy is great.
We pray all this in the name of Jesus, celebrating the Alpha and Omega that is within and beyond us. AMEN.
