Prayer of Intercession

Sunday, 11 August, 2019

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Prepared and led by Hope S. Antone

Let us pray for the world, the Church, and for one another.

Almighty God, you created the world and entrusted it to us to be our home. Yet your creation is now groaning from abuse, violence, and strife. We know that climate change is real for we feel intense heat here while natural disasters affect other places. We pray for the many victims of the monsoon floods in Myanmar and those affected by typhoon Lekima in east China. May you strengthen the survivors to rebuild their lives and homes. Help us to do our share in addressing climate change in daily life. God in your mercy, transform your people.

Living God, we pray for the people and churches of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. May humanitarian work ensure food security and livelihood for the people. Help and sustain the efforts to save children and people from turning to crime, begging or becoming enslaved. May there be stable political rule and peace in these countries. God in your mercy, transform your people.

Loving God, we remember the innocent victims of recent mass shootings in the United States; the victims of killings in Mexico; the victims of extrajudicial killings and red-tagging in the Philippines. We specially remember the Rev. Ernesto Estrella from the UCCP. We also pray for the people in the Kashmir region administered by India as they deal with the threat to their autonomy raised by the Indian government recently. May governments learn to uphold human rights and dignity of the people. God in your mercy, transform your people.

Faithful God, we pray for the ongoing protest movement in Hong Kong. May you be the strength and shield of the protesters, especially the young people, students, and others from the different sectors who are asking for change. Guide them with wisdom, discernment, patience, and perseverance. Kindle in the hearts of politicians, government leaders and advisers, the police and military, a spark of humility and servant leadership that they may live out their role to protect and serve the people. Let them find strength, not weakness, in becoming humble and sincere to reach out to the people in the spirit of genuine understanding and honest reconciliation; that together they can work out a resolution to the issues besetting Hong Kong. God in your mercy, transform your people.

Gracious God, we thank you for the success of the children’s summer program, made possible through your guidance, the leadership of our ministers, and the help of volunteers. We pray that the children will continue to grow in the way of Christ – increasing in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor. God in your mercy, transform your people.

Healing God, we pray for the continuing recovery of Lucy Lim and Ramon Bultron and for the patience and strength of their family members and caregivers. We also lift up to you others who may be ailing, hurting or lonely and whose names we whisper from our hearts… May you grant them healing, hope and faith, and restore them into fellowship with those they love. Help us to provide the right support so we can help reduce the anxiety and pain of those who are sick. God in your mercy, transform your people.

Holy God, accept our intercession through the name of Christ Jesus. 

Prayer of Intercession

Sunday, 4 August, 2019

Prepared and led by Cecilia Yeung

Let us pray for the needs of the world, our community and the church. After each petition, I will say, “Lord, we know through Your love,” then join me in saying, “all will be changed.”

Let us pray.

Faithful God, we thank you for your creation. You entrusted this beautiful world to us to be our home. As faithful stewards, we take part in the caring of the world we live in. This includes the caring of the land and the caring of your beloved people. Despite all that is happening in the world and around us, on this Communion Sunday, we humbly come to you with grateful and humble hearts, thanking you for your gifts of Bread and Wine, symbols of your great love and sacrifice for us.
Lord, we know through Your love
ALL WILL BE CHANGED

Merciful God, awaken us to the needs of the people who are living in the war zones of the Middle East and Africa. Countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and many others we have not named. You see these people wander in the wilderness. You hear their cries of hunger and thirst. You feel their souls in distress. Help us to see what You see, help us to hear what You hear, and help us to feel what You feel. (Psalm 107:4-6) Teach us to be advocates for peace and open our hearts and hands to pray and give gifts to help our neighbours.
Lord, we know through Your Love
ALL WILL BE CHANGED

Almighty God, you are God the ultimate provider. In You, we are sufficient. We pray that You may direct the leaders of the countries affected by natural disasters, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, the Philippines. Grant them those in governance of these places wisdom and understanding, help them to respond, quickly and effectively.  Direct them that they may do what is right in your sight. May they follow your divine will to restore the nations on the paths of safety.
Lord, we know through Your Love
ALL WILL BE CHANGED

God of Unity, May You Unite all emergency response agencies in an organized and harmonious fashion to bring quick and effective relief and resolution to all situations arising from natural disasters.
Empower us as ecumenical citizens of the Kingdom of God to do our own part, financially, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Give us strength to offer our support to those in need.
Lord, we know through Your Love
ALL WILL BE CHANGED

Liberating God, we pray for those who are victims of terrorism, communal violence, and persecution because of their faith or religion. We remember the people of Uyghurs, Tibetans, and many regions in China who are forced to be fed with anti-Christian propaganda. We also pray for the 35 innocent civilians in Negros Island of the Philippines and their families. May people of faith and no faith come to understand that despite our differences, we share a common humanity and that we can only learn to live together as one.
Lord, we know through Your Love
ALL WILL BE CHANGED

God of Justice, we cry out to You for our city in this time of need. Please help those in authority to be humble and wise in their decision making. Help those who are demonstrating to be peaceful and considerate. Please restrain our anger and frustration from creating violence and harm. Without You this situation seems to be hopeless, so we ask for Your wisdom to prevail where human wisdom fails and political expediency takes precedence.
Lord, we know through Your Love
ALL WILL BE CHANGED

Righteous God, we pray for the people and churches of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea. May God restore human rights and freedom for those who suffer from different kind of humanitarian abuses. We pray for your healing, particularly those who have come forward to relive these painful experience so that community and Governments can bring the perpetrators to justice.
Lord, we know through Your Love
ALL WILL BE CHANGED

Merciful God, we pray for those seeking comfort from pain, relief from affliction, healing of their infirmities. We remember Ramon’s recovery after his operation and Beth Ramon’ wife as she tends to his needs, and others whose names we whisper from our hearts. Help us to provide the right support so we can help reduce the anxiety and pain of those who are sick.
Lord, we know through Your Love
ALL WILL BE CHANGED

God of love, bless the children who will be here for the Summer Holiday Club starting tomorrow. Pray that our children are filled with the love of God. That they will know how deeply they are loved, and that love will overflow onto others.
Lord, we know through Your Love
ALL WILL BE CHANGED

We pray all these in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ,
AMEN

Prayer of Intercession

Sunday, 28 July, 2019

Prepared and led by Emelia Pobee

Heavenly father, we praise and magnify your holy name. We thank you for all your guidance and protection and all that you do for us in our lives.

This morning, we come again before you committing the world into your hands. We pray for the people of India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan as severe floods have left many dead and several people homeless in these countries. We pray that you comfort those who have lost family members and that you give hope to those left behind as they try and start a new life. We pray that their governments will take precautionary measures to avert any outbreak of flood related disasters especially where sanitation and water delivery systems are damaged. May world leaders take serious actions and implement policies to respond to global climate changes.

We pray for the people of Congo where an outbreak of Ebola has claimed more than 1,500 lives. We pray for strength for frontline workers physically and spiritually. We also pray that a result proven vaccine can be developed against this disease.

In the mainland, persecution of the Christian faith is on the rise. We pray that you O lord will strengthen the faith of pastors and members of churches under prosecution and give them protection and peace.

We pray for Hong Kong as protests against the extradition bill continues. We especially pray for victims who were attacked at Yeun Long following the protests last week. We pray for healing for those who are injured and traumatized. Oh Lord, quiet the soul of the people and help this city restore her reputation for stability and peacefulness.

In our ecumenical prayer cycle, we pray for the people and churches of the Republic of Congo, Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe. We pray for fair and elections and political stability in these regions and economic development that shall benefit all especially the vulnerable. May the witness of the churches and all faith groups continue to be strong.

For our congregation, we pray for members and friends who are facing health challenges and going through treatment and medication. We particularly pray for Ramon Bultron who will have heart surgery tomorrow. We pray for success of the surgery and a good recovery.

We also pray for renovation plans of the church building scheduled to start in October.

We commit our upcoming summer vacation bible school for the kids as well as the different activities to celebrate the 95^th anniversary of the church. May you O Lord continue to guide KUC to serve with vision and courage.

This we pray through your son Jesus Christ, Amen.

Prayer of Intercession

Sunday, 21 July, 2019

Prepared and led by Bruce Van Voorhis

God of Hope, there are many concerns today in our hearts; our spirits are weary from the many issues facing us and your people around the world. Bless our community and your world with hope, Lord.

God of Compassion, we lift up to you today the people of South Asia affected by the recent fatal floods in Nepal, India and Bangladesh. We pray for your comfort for those who have lost their family members and friends and immediate relief for those who have lost their homes and livelihoods. We also ask for water for those cities in India whose reservoirs are almost dry and their groundwater is precariously low. May the leaders of South Asia and all countries around the world take meaningful actions to address climate change that is believed to have created these adversities. Bless these people with compassion, Lord.

God of Mercy, we lift up to you today the people of India, especially Muslims in the Northeast of the country, who are required to bring documents to what are called Foreigners Tribunals to prove their citizenship. Often poor and illiterate, they frequently do not possess these documents and thus potentially face detention, deportation and/or the loss of their citizenship. We pray that the Indian government will cease what appears to be a discriminatory policy towards our Muslim brothers and sisters and instead implement policies that respond to their poverty. Bless these people with mercy, Lord.

God of Life, we lift up to you today the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo who are facing the deadly Ebola virus. Not only must health workers treat the victims and try to protect themselves from this fatal disease, but they also face being attacked by armed militias in the country’s long civil conflict and the suspicions of patients and their families who do not bring their infected relatives to health clinics or avail themselves of an experimental vaccine. We ask that you will soothe the pain of the families of those who have succumbed to this disease, and we pray that the virus will not spread and infect more people. May health clinics and health workers no longer be targeted by the militias, and, indeed, may the political issues of the country be resolved through dialogue and not violence. We pray too that leaders responsible for combating Ebola will be guided by you to find an answer to make this incurable disease curable. Bless these people with life, Lord.

God of Justice, we lift up to you today Buddhist monks and nuns in Tibet who have been expelled from a spiritual teaching and meditation center in Sichuan Province in China and sent to their hometowns to undergo so-called re-education in detention centers. We also remember the more than one million Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang Province who have been sent to concentration camps for what the government describes as “vocational training.” We pray that the Chinese government will not only profess that religious freedom is respected in the country but that their words are reflected in their actions so that all people of all ethnic groups can practice their faith freely and not be detained for their faith and culture. Bless these people with justice, Lord.

God of Wisdom, we lift up to you today the people of Hong Kong. For more than a month, our city has been divided over an extradition bill proposed by the government.  Violence has often erupted between the police and protesters with scores of people sent to the hospital and arrested. We pray for your wisdom to guide our community out of its spiral of tension, division and violence. Put us, Lord, on the path to dialogue and reconciliation. May the government listen to the voices of the people and react with responses that reflect their will. Bless our city with wisdom, Lord.

God of Peace, we lift up to you today with others around the world as part of the global ecumenical prayer cycle the people and churches of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. For too long, Lord, the people of these lands have suffered from conflict, tribal divisions, poverty and corruption. We pray that your peace will be restored to these lands, that the people of different tribes will see themselves in the reflection of others. We also pray for good governance and an end to corruption. May the upcoming election campaign in Burundi be non-violent and the elections free and fair, and may the recent threats, arrests and killing of human rights activists in the country cease. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, we ask that women who have endured sexual violence receive justice and counseling for the trauma they have experienced; and in Rwanda, may the scars of genocide heal. Bless these people with peace, Lord.

God of Health, we lift up to you today those in our own faith community of Kowloon Union Church. We remember and pray for Lucy, Ramon, Jenny, Sandy, Shirley and the Rev. Kwok Nai-wang as well as the mothers of Regina, Pearl and Wincy. May they have renewed health, energy and strength. Bless our members with health, Lord.

We lift up all of these prayers to you, Lord, in your Son’s name. Amen.