For those who provide healing, education, protection and aid

D Lord, we thank you for the blessings of medicine and those who practice the healing professions. Hear the cries of those who struggle because they cannot access medical help, especially children and the aging. Help us to avoid waste in healthcare. Hear us, O God.
C Your mercy is great.
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For social service agencies, relief organizations, shelters, food pantries, and all who care for those in need, we give you thanks, O God. Inspire people to participate in the many opportunities to help people in need.
Hear us, O God. your mercy is great.
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For the people who lead and serve our country: for our president; for senators and congress women and men; for those who sacrifice family time and leisure to serve the people in this country. Bless and strengthen them and help them work together across political divides, let us pray.
C Have mercy, O God.
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Merciful God, on this day, on this weekend, we remember military who are serving or have served our country, both here and abroad. We lift up in our prayers diplomats, peace corps volunteers and those who support charitable causes in places far away from home. We especially remember those who have died in service to their country. Hear us, O God,
C Your mercy is great.
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For those who work to keep us safe: police officers and firefighters, military and international peacekeepers, local and national leaders; that God’s peace and compassion come to us, let us pray.
C Have mercy, O God.
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Inspire the work and words of artists, poets, philosophers and teachers. Help us listen to people who possess wisdom and are able to put into words things that transcend ordinary thinking. Lord, in your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
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D Lord, we pray for police officers in the line of duty. Bring back a healthier measure of respect for those who serve us all. Calm violence wherever it erupts in our community. Lord, in your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
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For our elected leaders

D O Lord our God, today we pray for our elected officials. Give them moral strength, wisdom and vision to lead our country. Straighten out what is crooked and reform what is broken. Hear us, O God.
C Your mercy is great.
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Lord we thank you for our government, imperfect as it is. We ask that you bring out the best in our public representatives. We pray for nations preparing for elections; for countries suffering from floods, storms, or famines; for those living in refugee camps. Lord, in your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
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Together let us pray for our president, our congress, our senate and all people called to serve the people in our country that they may act graciously, serve passionately, lead courageously and reflect humbly. Lord, in your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
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Lord, we pray this morning for our country, for the health of our democracy, for wisdom and good leadership in our government, for equality, and for charity amongst our people. Lord, in your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
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We pray for our own country in these times of polarization. Bring Americans everywhere together to support justice, freedom, charity and peace. Bless our elected leaders, both locally and nationally; give people wisdom in their political judgment. Lord, in your mercy,

C            hear our prayer.

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We pray for our president, our governor, our state and US representatives, our country, our democracy. Lord, help us to weed out what is harmful and support what is good in our country. Help us also to be servants in our community, as no system can ever fulfill the needs of all the people. Hear us, O God.
C Your mercy is great.
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Lord, draw leaders away from bitterness and into your ways of kindness and mercy. Replace blame and malice with forgiveness and justice. Begin with us and let your Holy Spirit dwell in our souls. Hear us, O God.
C Your mercy is great.
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Lord, we thank you for our public servants and government officials who work on behalf of all people. We thank you for unselfish and enlightened people who advocate in the halls of justice and guide legislation that breaks the bonds of injustice. Together we rejoice:
C Thanks be to God!

For the local community
Lord, the cities of the world are stricken by poverty and violence. Bless our city, Philadelphia, its mayor and its leaders, as they seek to curb violence and encourage good citizenship. Let your light shine! Hear us, O God.
C Your mercy is great.
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Lord God, we pray for our community. Bless our schools as they prepare for a new year. Waken people’s hearts that they may see and tend to the needs of their neighbors. Strengthen family relationships and neighborly bonds. Lord, in your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
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We pray for our country and its leaders, for our community and its champions. Bless our families here in (town/city), bless children going back to school, bless all single parents who juggle many responsibilities. Lord in your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
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For those on the fringes of society

We pray for those on the fringes of society, those afflicted by addiction and mental illness; refugees and displaced persons; for those without food or water. Shine your light into our darkness. Lord, in your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
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Holy God, we thank you for the light of the gospel, the gift of community, the joy of the arts. May those who live in prisons, in poverty, and in isolation see hope in your light. Hear us, O God;
your mercy is great.
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Lord, we are reminded every day and every week of the many problems and crises in our world. Still, people go hungry and violence breeds more violence. We pray for your light to end darkness. Lord, in your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
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For a merciful world: where faithful employees are treated with respect; where mentally ill people are loved; where those in mourning and pain are comforted, let us pray.
C Have mercy, O God.
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For a better world and a better society

We give you thanks , O Lord, for the liberties we enjoy and the opportunities given to us. Help us to make the most of it and in turn share with others what we have received in your grace. Lord, in your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
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For continued healing of the scars that our country bears from its racist past; for those afflicted with a reopening of old wounds, hate crimes and violence directed at innocent people. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
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We pray against violence in our country and against the use of weapons to murder innocent people. We pray against the insanities of mass shootings and mourn our inability to stem the tide of bloodshed. Lord, in your mercy,
C hear our prayer.