Prayer of Intercession
Sunday, 6 March, 2011
Gabi Baumgartner

God, we pray for contentment

Because there are people in our world who suffer even more if we keep taking more than our share.

God, we pray for social and gender justice

Because there are people in our world who are abused, ignored or punished for their mere existence.

God, we pray for humbleness

Because in the name of progress we destroy your creation - and waste land, water, food and lives every day.

God, we pray for strength

for those who have lost their house, family or livelihood due to disaster, war or human ignorance.

God, we pray for peace

to fill the hearts of all those who are bitter with hatred.

God, we pray for courage

to replace the fear and lies in this world.

God, we pray for gentleness.

May you be the reason for the smile on our faces.

God, be with those who in the coming season of lent actively take a step back and practice abstinence and turn the attention inward.

In our congregation we especially put before you those who

- are actively involved in groups and roles – give them wisdom to know when and where their actions are needed.

- need your comfort because they feel sad, discouraged or lost.

- are apart from their family members, as they do their best to stay in touch with them.

God, touch our hearts to enable us to love each other.

In the ecumenical prayer cycle we pray for the countries of Myanmar and Thailand.

Prayer of Intercession
Sunday, 13 February, 2011
Jim Seymour

Oh Lord, we give thanks to You for the rich diversities and resources You have provided the world’s peoples. Give us reverence for the earth as Your own creation, that we may use its bounty rightly in the service of others, and to Your honor and glory. We are determined to become better stewards of this planet, and treat our environment as a limited resource, to be guarded in Your name for the benefit of future generations. We realize that solving the world’s environmental problems requires not that the poorer nations forego development, but that the rich do with less.

Guide the people of Hong Kong, and of all nations, in the ways of justice and peace; that we may honour one another and serve the common good. In particular, in this phase of the ecumenical prayer cycle, we join in solidarity with our fellow churches and pay respect to our brothers and sisters in the successful and prosperous European democracies of Portugal, Spain, Italy and Malta. We rejoice in the way human rights are honored in these lands. We pray that these countries will be able to manage their current fiscal difficulties in a way that will avoid hurting the less affluent citizens and migrants.

We pray for peace in the many countries around the world where there is strife. We lament that, even long after the end of Western and Japanese imperialism, many people still suffer from human rights abuses, dictatorial rule, poverty, armed conflict, religious tensions and poor health. May God’s love and justice prevail, and the Holy Spirit unite people together in hope. May the recent development in Egypt prove to be a step toward the country’s democratization.

May we recognize a moral responsibility to condemn and combat the murderous spread of homophobic hatred in Uganda, and honor the memory of slain gay rights activist David Kato.May Ugandan leaders and their international Christian supporters rethink the appropriateness of the "Anti-Homosexuality Bill" that would criminalize any advocacy or support for gay and transgender people.

We pray for China, where rapid economic growth has exacerbated many social problems such as wealth disparity, especially the problem of farmers’ lands being confiscated for redevelopment. May good governance, with impartial rule of law free from corruption prevail. We pray especially for the civil society activists imprisoned there who are ill, such as: Hu Jia 胡佳. May he be provided medical care, and shown the mercy he deserves.

And we pray for the refugees from North Korea now hiding in China. If any are able to come to Hong Kong, we pledge to help them start new lives.

We pray for the world's prisoners, from Guantànamo to Tibet. May they be treated humanely and justly, and find eventual freedom, especially those whose so-called crimes were only in the realm of thought.

Oh Lord, we pledge that the one in seven humans on this planet who suffer from hunger will remain in our thoughts until all have sufficient food. Especially we pray for the 850,000 Hong Kongers living in poverty, a figure that appears to be increasing. We are truly shamed that, in this affluent community, more than one person in nine lives below the official poverty line.

Lord, we pray for Hong Kong sisters and brothers who are ill, or live under stress due to such pressures as derive from work and family. We ask for Your mercy and kindness for them, and the gifts of rest and peace. Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind or spirit, give them courage and hope in their troubles.

As Paul said to the Galatians (6:8), may we exhaust ourselves in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time if we do not give up.

And now let us, each in our own language, join together in the prayer Jesus taught us: [The Lord’s Prayer].

Prayer of Intercession
Sunday, 23 January, 2011
Gabi Baumgartner

God, we pray for peace

Because there are people who are caught in the middle of tensions.

God, we pray for stable political and social environments

Because there are people unsure of their livelihoods; not knowing how to cover their basic needs. There are people suffering constant fear in their lives.

God, we pray for help in need

Because there are people bereaved of their homes, belongings and family members.

God, we pray for health

because there are people fighting illnesses, people who suffer in their bodies.

God, we pray for strength and courage

to step up and out of our comfort zone to show our solidarity and care for people around us.

God, we pray for wisdom.

to know when and where our actions are needed.

God, we pray for love

to see ourselves and everything around us through your eyes.

God, we pray for a heart of compassion

to make miracles happen.

God, in our congregation we especially put before you

- the families who suffered the loss of a loved one

- Friends who during these weeks of festivities feel like they have nothing to celebrate.

God, help us to help each other.

In the ecumenical prayer cycle we pray for people and churches of Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.