Prayer of Intercession

Sunday, 24 July, 2016

Rey Asis

O Lord God, we offer ourselves humbly to you. 

You are like the light that shines through our windows every time we wake up in the morning. You warm our hearts, lift our spirits, and give us strength to face every new day to be your willing and able stewards of love, light and justice wherever we go.

We thank you for giving us free will – so that we could discern good from evil, love from apathy, solidarity from alienation. We ask for your forgiveness for those times we falter, when we choose to veer from your righteous path.

Today, as we gather here at Kowloon Union Church, we seek blessings not only for ourselves but especially:

For those who have been ravaged by storms, droughts and earthquakes, like our brothers and sisters in China. May you bring comfort and warmth to them who have lost their livelihood, homes and even loved ones in these unfortunate events.

For those who have died and have been injured from human folly – the car bomb attack in Belarus, the stabbing of passengers in Bavaria, the attack on protesters in Kabul, the beating of Dalits in India, the shooting in Munich. Please welcome the souls of our siblings who have passed, reside in those who have caused this, and guide our leaders and people in restoring order while ensuring the safety and security of everyone.

For the people who hold free speech dearly to their hearts, for those whose rights and freedoms are under threat, for those who have fallen victims to hatred and indifference. May you guard them at all times and shine your light upon them, please keep them safe from harm and their countries stable, peaceful and free.

We pray for Hong Kong and our congregation – many of us will be going on vacation, many of us will be reunited with families abroad, many of us are kept away from our loved ones because of work yet feeling the warmth of filial love here. Please keep our city safe at all times and may all people here have enough provisions as we go along our daily lives.

We also include in our prayers the people and churches of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.

Lord God, as your sons and daughters, may we be the light that shines with love and life for our siblings in need. May we be like you giving to those who ask and opening doors to those who knock. We offer ourselves to you Lord God and may you grant our wishes and the wishes of our brethren. This we pray through your Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Prayer of Intercession

Sunday, 3 July, 2016

Robert Lam

Lord, we give thanks for the long weekend, a time to rest from work. We also give thanks for the different periods of thunderstorms and bright sunshine, bringing nourishment to the earth and the watering of our plants, and helping to make our air and our buildings clean.

We pray for the world.

We mourn for all those who died in the terrorist attacks, one after another, in different parts of the world, in the US, in Istanbul and in Dhaka. We pray for ourselves, that we may not be callous and numb to the suffering and anguish that these attacks have brought to the families and friends of the bereaved. Lord, we ask that you give us a heart of compassion. We also ask for wisdom in our approach to media and to the reporting of these attacks, aware that some of these attacks happened because the perpetrators want the media attention for their acts. We pray for those who preach the message of peace and hope instead of hatred and violence. Lord, prosper their work.

We pray for China.

We give thanks for the growing number of churches and believers in China. We give thanks to the work of the Christian student movements in many universities around the world where Chinese students have gone abroad in furthering their studies. We give thanks to your loving care for the people of China in bringing these students back to China where they have become witnesses of your Gospel to their families and friends. May they be salt and light to their community and their country.

We pray for Hongkong.

We give thanks to the 19 years of stable government and general well-being since return. Lord, there are deep divisions in our community, between government and the people and between different political parties. There are also deep concerns about the erosion of the rule of law and about freedom. In all this, we ask for your wisdom. Help us to be humble before you and to wait for your guidance.

We pray for Kowloon Union Church and the new council. We pray that the church will continue to be a beacon and a home to the marginalized. Strengthen us in our work of peace and justice in our community.

In the ecumenical cycle of prayer, we remember the people and churches of Bolivia, Chile and Peru. We give thanks for those who feed the poor although they don’t have much themselves, and for the churches working for social justice with and for the poor.  We pray for social, economic and political reforms that they may bring justice for all. We pray for an end to drug trafficking throughout the region and the availability of other economic alternatives.

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

Amen.