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Weekly Prayers of the People

Watching and waiting as Advent begins, we pray for the life of the church, the world, and all who yearn for wholeness and spiritual wealth. 

Knowing not the times and places that the Divine will break apart our ordinary lives, our assumptions, our sometimes sleepy lives, we turn our faces towards you. Strengthen us in our time together that we will be ready—and will be willing partners—in God’s perpetual working in our imperfect world,  and in our imperfect lives.

We sit in holy silence, basking in your presence,  Wait for the Lord.

Knowing not the outcome of our planet and the wondrous lives it supports, we take up our tasks to protect the environment. Sustain the balance of all living things, and save us from drought, bitter cold, eroding coastlines, and fires and floods that diverse life may flourish.

We sit in holy silence, basking in your presence,  Wait for the Lord.

Knowing not when our confusion, our pain, our distress will be wrapped up in your redemptive love, we await your coming. Feed us hope, day by day, small meals that encourage us to carry on. And, as we are fed, may we grow in the wisdom to demand the best from our leaders and take our place among those working against conflict, oppression, poverty, and hopelessness.

We sit in holy silence, basking in your presence,  Wait for the Lord.

Knowing not when we or someone we love will be suffering, make us ready to be there with them. Warm the long nights of the homeless and all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit. We sit in holy silence, basking in your presence,  Wait for the Lord.

Knowing not what is coming, and how you will re-enter the world over and again, guide us to see you in our world. Our congregation cries out to you to guide our worship life and community, that our hearts and hands reach out in generosity as we connect with the wider community.

We sit in holy silence, basking in your presence,  Wait for the Lord.

Knowing not when we will come to a calm acceptance of your coming into our lives and keeping us safe, make us patient. Teach us to surrender to the realities of life while never giving up on the vision that in dealing with our challenges and loving one another, we can find peace.

We sit in holy silence, basking in your presence,  Wait for the Lord.

Knowing not when you will come, bless our partnership with the Anglican Church of Canada and other churches of our area; and our own Bishops Kathy and Susan as we seek to be your people together. We offer prayers for the churches of our synod, especially Peace Lutheran in Abbotsford and Pastor Dean Andersen and Emmaus Lutheran in Burnaby and Pastor Timo Saarinen.

We sit in holy silence, basking in your presence,  Wait for the Lord.

Knowing not when other disasters will come for people of this world, we pray in distress and alarm over international political thuggery that leaves millions injured, maimed, hungry and homeless. Our hearts grieve over events in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Haiti, North Korea and China. Bounties of food are stolen or interrupted, property is destroyed and refugees have no place to find shelter. Aggression replaces diplomacy and human  decency. Lord, have mercy on this world.

We sit in holy silence, basking in your presence,  Wait for the Lord.

You are blessed among us in all times and places, in the good times and the hard times. We swaddle our prayers in the warmth and safety of the Christ.

Amen.