Prayer of Intercession

1 June 2025

Prepared by Victoria Caplan

Sunday in Ordinary Time

It is Eco-Concern Sunday and next Thursday is U.N. World Environment Day . Let us turn our hearts, minds, and souls to the privilege and duty of being good stewards (caretakers) of creation: air, water, soil, and all living creatures, including our sisters and brothers..

In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.  As we pray, after I say,“God in your mercy”, please respond, “Hear our prayer.”

Almighty Creator God

Thank you for the beautiful world you made and sustain: the fruitful earth, the clean air & pure water.

But, your creation groans in suffering because of our foolishness, greed, and unjust systems. We turn your abundance into scarcity, poison, and disasters: fires, floods, avalanches, and drought,

Grant us and our leaders the will and ability to care for your world properly and heal it. 

God, in your mercy 

hear our prayer 

God of the Prophets

Protect all who call out injustice and oppression and work for positive change. Give patience, strength and comfort to those who strive and suffer to repair the world. 

Awaken a sense of justice and mercy in people in power and call them and us to good action. 

God, in your mercy 

hear our prayer 

Life Giving Spirit, God of Peace

We pray for the many places where there is war and fighting. We pray for people who lack safety at home or outside their homes. Heal their physical, mental, and spiritual wounds. 

Direct our families, our communities, and every nation, in the ways of kindness, justice and peace; that we may honour one another, and seek the common good.

God, in your mercy 

hear our prayer 

God of Love

You have chosen us and commanded us to love everyone as you love us. But it is hard.  Help us see your image in each face we meet. Help us treat everyone not as a thing, but as a fellow child of God. Help us change our irritable, angry, envious, greedy, prideful, rude, and mean, ways. Help us act patiently and kindly.

God, in your mercy 

hear our prayer 

Healer and companion of all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit:

Look after people in fear, danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble: the sick, the lonely, the abused, the addicted, the grieving, the homeless, the imprisoned, the poor, the oppressed, refugees, victims of disasters, and people who see no path forward to safety and stability.

Strengthen them in their hours of need. Give them courage and hope in their troubles; relieve and protect them, and bring them the joy of your salvation.

In particular, we pray for  Kevin Ng, Jeanette Lee,  Kulwinder,Ng Kam Lee, Joy Babasa, John Mamgmasih, Betty and Dick Blakney, Revd. Bud Carroll and Revd. Kwok Nai Wang; Mrs. Samuel and the mothers of Alex Melwani and June Tang.

God, in your mercy 

hear our prayer 

Triune God, who we meet in community:

Thank you for our Kowloon Union Church family, the Christian community in Hong Kong and throughout the world.  Help us build each other up.

God, in your mercy 

hear our prayer 

For the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle:   We lift up in prayer the churches and people of all faiths in Angola and Mozambique.

God, in your mercy 

hear our prayer 

Rejoicing in the fellowship of all your saints, we commend ourselves and the whole creation to your unfailing love.   

Amen

Prayer of Intercession

25 May 2025

Sunday in Ordinary Time

Prayer for Migrants, Refugees and other Displaced People

O God of life and history, awaken us on the realities of forced displacement of people due to poverty, unemployment, landlessness, war, and conflict. These realities result from economic and political structures, policies and programs that prioritize and perpetuate profit over people, commodification of labour over rights and welfare, monopoly of resources over public good and sharing, exclusion over inclusion.

O God, hear our prayer! Empower us to stand for justice, human rights and dignity!

Compassionate and merciful God, there are 94 million migrants, and 12 million refugees      in countries    in the Asia, Pacific and Middle East regions. Their already vulnerable situation is     exacerbated by policies that perpetuate discrimination, exclusion and xenophobia.       Many of them face the anxieties of losing      their jobs and livelihood; are deprived of social and economic relief; abandoned; criminalized and deported without service and assistance.

O God, hear our prayer! Empower us to stand for justice, human rights and dignity!

O God, listen to their cries and lamentations! They who are victims of abuse, exploitation, trafficking and modern slavery. They who are forced to flee, become undocumented and are victims of violent crackdown. They who are deprived of social services and suffer domestic abuse. They who labour for long working hours without decent accommodation or sufficient food. They who are unjustly incarcerated, prosecuted and detained and whose lives are on the brink of execution. They who are displaced by wars and conflicts, ecological destruction, and even political persecution.

O God, hear our prayer! Empower us to stand for justice, human rights and dignity!

O God, be with us as we urge host governments of the Asia Pacific and Middle East region to uphold the whole being of millions of migrants, refugees and other displaced people living and working in their countries. May they implement policy reforms that promote equal protection, decent work and service assistance regardless of person’s status. May they desist in implementing the policies and regulations that perpetuate and promote discriminations, exclusion, xenophobia, abuse, exploitation, trafficking and modern slavery.

O God, hear our prayer! Empower us to stand for justice, human rights and dignity!

O God, empower us as we call sending governments to address the root causes of forced migration. May they realize that there is no genuine and lasting development from treating people as commodities. They must prioritize creating opportunities for people to live decently and humanely in their home country.  They must address the desperation of millions who are left with no choice but to leave their families behind and work abroad. May they give high credence to the interest of its migrants, provide them with necessary service and protection, ensure that their rights and welfare are upheld at all times.

O God, hear our prayer! Empower us to stand for justice, human rights and dignity!

O God, guide us as we celebrate our diversity as members of faith communities of Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists finding unities in serving the migrants, refugees and uprooted people. May our various ministries and programs serve as infrastructures of service, advocacy and campaign, and sanctuary that affirm the sanctity of life and protection of human rights and dignity. May we continue our solidarity and accompaniment until the realization of your kingdom of justice, compassion and abundant life prevails.

O God, hear our prayer! Empower us to stand for justice, human rights and dignity!

O God, strengthen the commitment of migrant serving institutions who in their steadfast dedication to serve and empower migrants, refugees and uprooted people are also facing difficulties, harassments and intimidation. May they continually provide timely and relevant service and assistance to individuals and groups in need of help. May they find support from individuals, communities and groups who are enlightened by their kind of service and dedication that uphold the very essence of humanity and compassion.

O God, hear our prayer! Empower us to stand for justice, human rights and dignity!

O God, in our ecumenical prayer We lift up in prayer the churches and people of all faiths in the Indian Ocean Islands: Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles. May the government of these countries prioritize the rights and well-being of their people and the faith communities to accompany them in realizing Jesus’ promised of abundant life. 

As we end this prayer for migrants, refugees and other displaced people may I invite to say the Lord’s prayer. You may pray it in your own 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. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen