Opening Prayer
Dear heavenly father,
This year is not like every year,
But like every year we bring palm branches to your church.
We remember Jesus’ walk to Jerusalem,
His entrance to the Holy City,
His week of suffering and dying,
And the fickle responses of the people,
Unsteady and brittle, like leaves in the wind.
Dear Jesus,
This year is not like every year,
And so we come to you with our worries and concerns:
For friends and family, for neighbors and those on the frontlines,
For people in urban centers like New York, New Orleans,
Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia,
For the poor in the slums of the world’s mega cities,
For the elderly and vulnerable:
Have mercy on us, all of us!
Dear Spirit of God,
This is not an ordinary year,
So please give us wisdom and give us strength,
Give us compassion and give us your healing power,
Give us a bigger heart and humility to learn
From our mistakes and shortfalls
And grow from this disaster
As a human family.
Come, Holy Spirit, and bless us
with your healing power!
Amen.
Prayers: To Get Through these Times
Dear Lord, in this time of crisis and quarantine, we pray especially for those in our community who are suffering: owners of small restaurants and businesses that are now closed; people who work in the hospitality industry and especially all the low-paid staff without securities. Help them to get through this time!
Dear Lord, in this time that is unlike other times we have experienced, help us to adapt and be resilient. Bless especially those whose plans and goals for this year have been shattered. Help us to reflect on our lives, whether that leads us to make changes or appreciate anew what we have. Send your Holy Spirit and help us to get through these times!
Dear Lord, we pray for our neighbors who live across the street from us, next to us and whom we sometimes don’t see for long times. We don’t always know what their lives are like, whether they experience hardship or unexpected joys, calm or turmoil. Be with them and help them to get through these times!
Dear Lord, we pray for our Bishop and our pastors all across the synod as they lead their flocks and make changes to their ministry. Bless especially congregations in transition and also bless our neighboring churches no matter their creeds. Bless also other houses of worship and help us all to help our people to get through these times!