Prayer of Intercession
Sunday, 21 November, 2010
Lucia Wah

Dear Lord, we give you thanks this morning for your gathering us of different nationalities before you and listening to your word. We thank you for your promise that you will hear us when we make requests in your Son’s name, and that you will be in our midst.

We pray for the World

- We remember the collapse of a poorly constructed building in India that took 70 people’s lives and caused over 130 to be injured. Many of those who lived there were impoverished job seekers. We also remember the blaze in Shanghai. Lord, console the hearts of those who lost their dear ones and strengthen the survivors with your care, and supply them with what they need after the disasters.
- We rejoice for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi. We pray for a free and democratic Myanmar where people can enjoy basic human rights and dignity. Lord please enlighten this country and those who are in office with your word and gospels so that they will come to you and experience your gracious love and blessing.
- We pray for the prisoners of conscience in China. They have been jailed due to their open criticism and courageous protest against the overwhelming social injustice and unrighteousness. We especially pray for the release of Zhao Lianhai who was sentenced to two and a half years’ imprisonment for chanting slogans and gathering illegally “to stir up trouble.” His action had been to help families seek justice after their children became ill from drinking melamine-laced milk. God, we pray that your justice will be done in every case in China and in all parts of the world.

We pray for Hong Kong

Regard the threat of bird flu being spread in Hong Kong recently, we pray for the health of all citizens in community. God, please help people in Hong Kong keep their physical, psychological and spiritual well being.

We pray for our church

- Regarding the renovation project at the Manse and the future ministries’ development of KUC: Lord please guide us to engage in God’s mission with love and wisdom.
- We pray for the health of our senior members: Lord, please give Helen Tan a speedy recovery from her knee operation, and please be with Rev. and Mrs Tan, Bishop Samuel and Mrs Samuel bless their well-being.
- We also remember those who cannot be with us this morning due to work or ill health. We ask for your presence, peace and joy with hem.
- We thank you for Abraham’s safe return to his home country and pray for your guidance to him in his turning a new page in life there.
- An extraordinary general meeting (EGM) will be held today after the Service for the approval of 2011 budget by the congregation and updating the progress of the renovation project of the Manse. Father God, may your Holy Spirit be with us so that whatever solutions we reach will be fulfillment of your will.

Ecumenical cycle of prayers

In the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle, we pray for the people and churches of Burkina Faso, Chad , Mali , Mauritania and Niger. We pray that you fill your churches with all truth, in all truth with peace. We pray for your guidance, strength, blessing, protection and provision to the churches in these countries and your children can bear witness to your love and care amongst their counterparts.

Prayer of Intercession
Sunday, 14 November, 2010
Jim Seymour

Dear Lord, we give thanks for the bounty with which You have provided us, and accept our responsibilities to respond by generously addressing the needs of society and our planet.

In this phase of the ecumenical prayer cycle, Kowloon Union Church joins in solidarity with our fellow churches around the world for the people and churches of Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon,

We pray that the forthcoming election in the Central African Republic will be peaceful and that the results reflect the will of the people

We pray that Equatorial Guinea’s substantial oil production will result in benefit for the country’s poorest people.

Finally, Cameroon, that troubled land, to which today we are sending brother Abraham: that country is in desperate need of greater transparency and corruption mitigation. May the authorities there, especially the police and military forces, see the wisdom of ceasing their mistreatment of ethnic minorities, homosexuals, and political activists. We express confidence that, with Your help, Abraham will be able to make a positive contribution there.

For elsewhere in the World

We pray for positive results out of the G-20 meeting in Seoul; may the world’s leaders have found a way to lift the world out of the current recession.

We stand in solidarity with those Pakistani security officers who are genuinely trying to bring peace to their besieged land. We note with sadness the Thursday suicide car bombing at the Karachi Crime Investigation Department, which focuses on apprehending extremists who are trying to bring down the government. We pray that the forces of peace may prevail.

We pray for the peoples of the Middle East. May their often misguided leaders revisit the tenets of the founders of their various religions, and find therein the messages of peace, love, and forbearance.

We thank You God for the release in Burma from house arrest yesterday of Aung San Suu Kyi. We pray that her freedom will be genuine, and that she will be able to resume her public life.

We pray for the world's prisoners. In China, we pray for an end to the extra-judicial labour-reeducation regime. May all of China’s prisoners, be treated humanely and justly. We especially pray for the people in China’s mental institutions, many of whom are not mentally ill.

We rejoice in the rewarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the imprisoned Liu Xiaobo, "for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China." We regret that Beijing has chosen to frame this as an attack on China’s "sovereignty," and has been trying to bully foreigners from attending the award ceremony on December 10 in Oslo. May the international community be steadfast in its response.

We note with sadness the revival of the death penalty in Taiwan.

Locally, we pray for those Hongkongers who are sick, and for those who travel to work abroad.

We note that the Provisional Minimum Wage Commission has imposed a modest minimum wage of $28 per hour. We pray that this may be a first step toward lifting the 18% of our people who are living below the poverty line. These people have few resources with which to face life. They deserve a fairer system in which power and resources are shared more equally amongst people from all sectors of society. In the words of today’s reading from Isaiah, may they enjoy the fruits of their labour.

We pray for a democratic culture and genuine democratic political system here.

For Our Congregation

We pray for the health of senior members of Kowloon Union Church: the re- covering Helen Tan, Rev. and Mrs Tan, Bishop and Mrs Samuel.

Regarding the renovation project at No. 2 Jordan Road: May the Lord guide us to engage in God’s mission with love and wisdom We bear in mind our forthcoming EGM. We pray that members and leaders are prepared to join the meeting with enthusiasm to review various church missions. May we all be prepared to serve God’s mission, and to grow in faith as individuals and as a Church.

Finally, we of Kowloon Union Church pray that we may become better stewards of God's creation on this planet, and pledge to treat our environment as a limited resource, to be guarded for the benefit of future generations.

Amen.