Prayer of Intercession

Sunday, 13 September, 2020

Prepared and led by Tong Chong Sze

For the World and Hong Kong

• Merciful God. We pray for the world that is still struggling with the coronavirus. In Hong Kong, close to 5,000 have been infected with 100 deaths, while around the world, a staggering 28 million people have contracted COVID-19, and over 900,000 people have lost their lives. We pray that you comfort those who have lost their loved ones to the pandemic, and we continue to pray for the mental and physical health of the medical staff and cleaners who are working in the forefront to protect us. We also pray for success of new vaccines to be developed soon that may save more lives and let the world gradually get back to normal living.

• Although everyone is being affected by the pandemic, the impact is not felt equally. According to a recent poll conducted globally by BBC, the coronavirus pandemic has hit poorer countries harder than the rest of the world, sowing inequality globally.  May God’s mercy and provision be with those who suffer from the economic downturn due to COVID-19, through effective policies to bring forth more equality and generous sharing amongst people. 

• The West Coast of the United States – California, Oregon and Washington, has been hit by the worst wildfires in the last three decades. Thousands of acres of land have been burned.  Hundreds of homes have been destroyed. Thousands of people suffered power outage. The smoke has affected the air quality and the vulnerable ones with poor health condition will suffer most. May the government and community be able to address the problem effectively, and provide adequate support and care to those in need.

• Hong Kong opposition activist and Vice- Chair of People’s Power, Tam Tak-chi, was arrested by the police’s national security unit last Sunday, charged with allegedly uttering seditious words under the Crime Ordinance. Democratic LegCo member James To Kun-sun raised the concern about such arrests over speech crimes could be violating the Basic Law and international covenants that protect freedom of expression. Let us pray for an independent and fair judicial system to uphold human rights and protect the righteous. May God’s justice prevail.

For the Congregation

• We give thanks to God for Lucy’s good progress in her medical recovery, may we continue to uplift our prayers for her good health and good spirit.

• Remember and pray for the needs of family members from our congregational members: Linda’s sister Tess, Victoria’s brother-in-law Drew and her sister Heather, Connie’s grandmother, Bruce’s mother.  

• We pray for our children and their parents as online classes at home in the new school term will bring them a lot of adjustment and challenges.

• We also pray for our church leaders and a smooth Council meeting this afternoon. May your holy spirit guide their deliberations throughout.

For the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle

• We lift up in prayer today the churches and people of all faiths of  Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay. I would like to share the prayer by Bishop Aldo Etchegoyen from the Methodist Church of Argentina:

O God, Lord of the wind and the sea,

of the mountains and the valleys,

of the world and of the church:

in the midst of fear and insecurity

give us trust and hope in you. 

We live in a world

where the gales of power

blow strong enough to shake life itself,

where from the arrogant and the interests of the powerful

roll the waves of injustice and violence. 

We pray for those suffering

because of their poverty, their ignorance,

their limitations,

because of their colour or status, social or sexual.

We think of your church sailing on a sea

where the waves of racism, militarism, sexism

and economic marginalization hurt human life. 

Take care of your church and put in it

a sincere love for those who suffer,

a clear vision of your will,

healing, pastoral words for the needy,

and a valiant, prophetic proclamation

against those who create violence and pain. 

O God, rebuke the uncontrolled wind of terrorism and war.

Turn it towards peace and human development

so that in place of lies, truth is strengthened,

in place of weapons, there are schools for all children,

in place of luxury, the world adorns itself

with bread for the hungry

and life blossoms everywhere. 

O God, Lord of the wind and the sea,

may your strong mercy calm the whole earth.

In the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen

Prayer of Intercession

Sunday, 6 September, 2020

Prepared and led by Judy Chan

Let us pray. After each petition, Lord in your mercy, please respond: HEAR OUR PRAYER.

O Holy One, week after week, we come before you with hearts full of sorrow - for the problems of the world, in our community, indeed in our own lives. We come because you tell us to pray, not as a last resort, but as the first priority, to trust You in everything.

So, let us pray for a world still suffering from the coronavirus epidemic. Though our situation improves in Hong Kong, COVID-19 still rages in other places. We especially pray for wisdom in schools struggling to provide quality education while caring for the well-being of students, teachers, staff and their families.

Lord in Your mercy, HEAR OUR PRAYER.

We pray for our community still suffering from political turmoil and polarization. Like so many places around the globe, trust in government is at an all-time low. Help us see that despair is not the only option, that optimism or pessimism are not our only choices. Surely, the truth is somewhere in between. Surely, we possess enough spiritual and material resources, that if we stand together and share what we have, we can survive the stony road we trod.

Lord in Your mercy, HEAR OUR PRAYER.

We pray for ourselves, for Kowloon Union Church and all those touched by our ministries and members. We remember Christian Action after last Saturday’s fire in their Centre for Refugees in Chungking Mansions. We remember those seeking decent, affordable housing. We remember our senior members – Mrs Samuel, Mrs Chang, Peter and Judy, and those among us recovering from illness – Lucy, Linda’s sister Tess, Victoria’s brother-in-law Drew, and all those who care for them in hospital and home.

Lord in Your mercy, HEAR OUR PRAYER.

In the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle, we remember the nations of Ghana and Nigeria. We pray for victims of injustice as well as deadly disease. Still, we must give thanks for the churches there who have been so faithful in preaching the Gospel and serving all people in the society. We give thanks for Christians and Muslims who take risks working for dialogue and reconciliation. We give thanks for economic growth that especially benefits the poor. And we give thanks how people especially in Nigeria have been sustained by You O God in the face of attacks and violence in the movement of population groups and from extremist elements like Boko Haram.

Lord in your mercy, HEAR OUR PRAYER.

And now, a prayer from Ghana:  We offer You, O Ruler of men and women and of heavenly beings, the gold of our costly service. Take the labour of our hands, the skill of our minds, the power of our organization. Purge us of pride, and stir us from sloth, that refined by your grace, we may become better servants of Your kingdom, now and hereafter.

We offer to You, our Lord and our God, the incense of our worship and prayer. By the gift of Your Holy Spirit, You have hung forth a star in the lowly heaven of every Christian soul; grant us eager feet to follow wherever it leads, until our searching souls are blessed with the vision of Yourself, who are our heaven and our home, forever.

We offer to You, O Man of sorrows, the myrrh of your church’s sufferings. When we have nothing else to give, this offering remains. Where You are on the cross, there also may Your servants be. May Your perfect sacrifice avail to make our light affliction redemptive in the world, that sharing the fellowship of Your sufferings we may rejoice in the power of Your resurrection, now and forever. Amen.*

* (From the Assembly of the International Missionary Society, Ghana. In: “With All God’s People”.)