Prayers of the People [Maundy Thursday 2015]

The congregation to which I belong, St Stephen's Episcopal, and Grace Lutheran Church, a few blocks away here in Houston, have started a tradition of sharing Maundy Thursday services, in particular because Grace Lutheran is used on Thursday evenings each week for Montrose Grace Place, a service to homeless youth. So while Grace's facilities are occupied, St Stephen's plays host to this service. I particularly like it since my heart is still pretty Lutheran (don't tell the priests at St Stephen's, which is really to say don't remind them because they know) and this brings together my two families of faith.

The planning committee for this service asked me to write the Prayers of the People for this service. I was happy to comply. Lacking anything else to say this evening, I offer those prayers to the internet. At least one is fairly specific to our congregations, but I invite you to pray the petitions you can with us.

(For those who were at the service, these are the prayers as I sent them to the churches. There may have been editing/corrections. I haven't done a line by line comparison, in case anyone notices any differences.)

Prayers of the People
Maundy Thursday, 2015

CLERGY: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs, saying we hear your commandment to love one another as you have loved us.

We come before you this night, O God, to remember and re-enact the final hours of your Incarnation, Jesus, Emanuel. May the whole church, all over the world, be stirred afresh by his example, serving with a sacrificial heart. Let all your many churches use their differing gifts to complement one another and live in holy friendship. We hear your commandment to love one another

as you have loved us.

Great God of justice and mercy, our world is full of instant news and sudden startling images. We pray for your Spirit to move among all who hold authority, from nations' elected officials to terrorist cell leaders, that all people might live in peace. Let your servant church ever be a witness to the powerful, loving our enemies and healing those broken by conflict. We hear your commandment to love one another

as you have loved us.

Your abundance, O God, is everywhere around us and yet there remain people hungry and in need of life's essentials. Strengthen our ministries to the homeless and poor, even as we act as advocates on their behalf to the wealthy and powerful. We hear your commandment to love one another

as you have loved us.

We lay before you our concerns as two congregations of your Church, Grace Lutheran and St Stephen's Episcopal, friends in Christ and co-workers under your Reign. We are both facing changes in our parish lives, some hard, some exciting, all moments for new creation. Comfort our anxieties, give us vision, show us how to love those you have entrusted to us. We hear your commandment to love one another

as you have loved us.

Many of us are hurting in body, mind or spirit. We pray for your healing touch for all who suffer in any way. Among us, we pray for _____________, also for these we name silently and aloud. [pause] Help us be your instruments of restoration to health and wholeness. We hear your commandment to love one another

as you have loved us.

We remember those who have died, friends and family, and all the saints who have borne witness through the ages until we find ourselves in this moment before you. May we be faithful to you and one another into our final breaths. We hear your commandment to love one another

as you have loved us.

CLERGY Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen