Prayer of Intercession

Sunday, 26 August, 2018

Prepared and led by Hope S. Antone

Sisters and brothers in Christ, let us join our hearts and minds in praying for those in need in the world and our community.

Creator God, you made a beautiful world and entrusted it to us for our sustenance and care. We pray for those who suffer from drought, bushfires, heavy rain or flooding in different parts of the world. We remember those who lost loved ones, property and livelihood. Be with those who risk their lives to save the victims, attend to the needs of survivors, and deliver relief and rescue operations. Strengthen our resolve to address climate change starting with our own lifestyles. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our prayer. 

Holy God, in Christ you show us your will for peace. We pray for communities that are torn apart due to acts of terrorism, war, and crimes. We pray for those who are forced to migrate or to find asylum in other places. Give to world leaders and governments the wisdom and desire to make right decisions and to work together for the good of all. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our prayer. 

Gracious God, thank you for our families, friends and neighbours and those with whom we work. Help us when we quarrel or fall out, to quickly put things right and forgive one another. Thank you for the fellowship of this our church family. May our worship not only honor you with our lips, but also with our hearts, minds, and actions in daily life. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our prayer.

Living God, we thank you for new life, symbolized by the gift of twin daughters to Rose Muiruri’s family.  May they become strong and grow according to your will. We lift up to you our children and young people as they prepare to return to or start school. We pray that through wise guidance from parents and teachers, they will be led towards an appreciation of your goodness and love, and an understanding of a higher purpose of their life. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our prayer.

Merciful God, we lift up to you those whose lives are restricted by illness and disease; and hear in Hong Kong, by the dengue fever scare. We specially remember Fr. Harold Naylor, Mae Mae Bondoc, Rev. Kwok Nai Wang, Lucy Lim, the mother of Rod Lam, and others who are in our minds and hearts... May your healing hands touch them through those attending to their needs. We also pray for those who recently returned to you; may they find eternal rest. We pray for those who died unexpectedly due to accidents (like Ms. Jumiati Supadi from Indonesia). We pray for peace for their souls and comfort for those they left behind. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our prayer.

Loving God, we pray for church communities as they strive to witness to your love and will. We remember the World Council of Churches in its 70^th anniversary and pray that the ecumenical movement will continue to work for the unity that Christ prayed for. We lift up to you Pope Francis during his visit to Ireland; may his message be one of love, hope and healing, particularly for those who have been badly let down by the church due to abuse. We also remember the house churches in Mainland China that are faced with crackdown or persecution. We pray for freedom of religion/though/belief, based on values of justice, respect, and compassion. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our prayer.

Mighty God, we pray for the people and churches of Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal – may they experience true healing from the wounds of the slave trade in their colonial past. Guide the leaders of their governments to work for equality and justice, by upholding the rights, welfare and common good of their people. Lord in your Mercy: Hear our prayer.

Faithful God, may we live each day in your presence, discovering you in prayer and worship, through your creation, and in the dignity of every person we meet. Walk with us through our life’s journey, so we can become companions to the lost, the hopeless and the homeless. We pray all these in the name of Christ Jesus who taught us to pray (saying the Lord’s Prayer according to our chosen language) –

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen. 

Prayer of Intercession

Sunday, 5 August, 2018

Prepared and led by Nam Boo Won

Oh Lord, our savior,

We thank you at this moment for leading us to be able to pray for the peoples and your whole creation, particularly those who are suffering from many forms of injustice, violence and non-peace. 

Among others, we are witnessing in recent days, the stark effects of global warming at every corner of the globe. Many people, especially the elderly and the children, have suffered tremendously and even died due to unexpected heat and simmering hot weather. We pray for those who are so vulnerable to this hot weather and having no way to protect themselves from these heat waves. Creator God! protect them with your cooling wind, and awaken us to combat climate change by transforming our lifestyle as stewards of your creation, the mother earth. We also pray you for the victims of earthquake, floods and landslides and other natural calamities in Asia and the world that are taking place more often than before. 

Several days before, we heard there was a serious collapse of a dam that was under construction by a Korean company, which led to huge inflow of river waters into a city, causing many deaths and thousands of people evacuated and displaced. Annoyingly, this tragedy is mainly due to the belated warning given to the surrounding residents though the company knew the danger earlier. We pray God for those victims and families. Give them courage and hope so that they would not lose their will for life by overcoming these sufferings and agonies. We pray that companies particularly trans-national companies to be honest and accountable to the people at whose community they are working.

The unabated sufferings of uncountable people are continuing, if not aggravating, in the countries of Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Zimbabwe, Palestine, Cambodia, Pakistan, and India to name a few, caused by murders, political killings, terrorist attacks, and other forms of violence. We know this is humanity’s betrayal to your teachings and the purpose of your creation, seeking selfish greed and power to dominate others and even your creation. Oh God of justice and peace, we pray for your divine intervention in these conflicts and sufferings. Enlighten and equip us so that we could commit ourselves as peace-makers in this troubled world.             

On the other hand, we are happily informed of some good news happening in the Philippines and Korean Peninsula. A peace process is making progress in each of the two countries: between the central government and a minority religious group in the Philippines, and between North Korea and the United States. We’ve got a news that North Korea handed over the remains of 55 American servicemen killed during the Korean War in 1950s, to American authorities.

We pray that lasting peace would be established by the genuine will of political leaders of both sides, by overcoming differences and reaching a common ground for mutual understanding and conditions for peace building. We believe this is not possible without your guidance. Oh God of history, we seek your intervention towards peace and self-determination of nations and peoples as well as harmonious co-existence despite differences in their beliefs and ideologies.     

We again pray for a nuclear-free world not only in Japan and the Korean Peninsula but also in the whole world. We remember the atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Bhopal nuclear disaster, Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster and many more, which brought uncountable victims and great miseries to humanity. Oh Father, awaken those who trespass God’s creation order to repent their sins.

For this week’s ecumenical prayer cycle, we pray for the people and churches of Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Equatorial Guinea. Oh Lord, guide the people of these countries into peace, justice and abundant life you promised if we all obey and follow your teachings and life.

Caring and Healing God, we now pray for our church. We specially pray for those suffering from illness or undergoing treatments. We remember Mae Mae Bondoc, Rev. Kwok and his wife, Hosanna, and other members of KUC in our prayers and hope for their speedy and complete recovery by your loving grace. We also pray that the children’s summer program next week will bring God’s abundant love to all those participating and preparing it. Do remember and bless those many unseen hands who are sincerely working hard for KUC community in many ways to help fulfill your Mission.

All these we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!