If the Lord had not been my help,
my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
When I thought, “My foot is slipping,”
your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.
When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul. (Psalm 94:17-19)
We invite you to join us as we share new prayers each week for the vulnerable among us facing challenges, fears, and threats. We will name many of the harms unfolding around us and acknowledge what is being erased, lost, and threatened.
Please join us in prayer and share these prayers with your dioceses and parishes.
We are one church united in prayer, naming reality in the face of lies, creating space for grief in the face of denial, and freeing space in our souls for hope. We gather to be the body of Christ for one another—bearing one another’s burdens—and pointing the world to the cross and its redemptive power already at work through our witness (even when it may not feel like it).
These prayers are not a replacement for action; they offer grounding and space to discern what actions each of us feel compelled to take. We may feel called to meet with or contact our elected officials, participate in community organizing, provide services to those in our communities, or join in protests or acts of civil disobedience.
As a church, our advocacy continues, and we invite you to join us. The Episcopal Public Policy Network has weekly action alerts, resources, webinars, and trainings. Learn more here.
Prayers for the week of July 18
For a Church Focused on Christ
Creator God, our only king, you have called your church to be the body of Christ in the world, not a servant of power, but a witness to truth. The scourge of Christian nationalism confuses loyalty to nation with loyalty to Christ. Guard our hearts from idolatry, and remind us that our freedom is found not in earthly dominion, but in the self-giving love of Jesus, crucified and risen. Help us engage in the public square with compassion and courage, practicing the call to speak truth and conquer injustice, yet remember to never compromise our witness to the one in whom all authority rests. We ask this through your Son, our true Lord and Savior. Amen.
For Those Who Will Go Hungry This Week in the U.S.
God of mercy and justice, we lift before you the millions in our nation who face empty cupboards and unanswered cries for help. As food banks grow overwhelmed and safety nets unravel, we remember that your Son taught us that when we feed the hungry, we serve Christ himself. Strengthen the volunteers, the caregivers, and community leaders who labor to meet their rising need and stir our hearts to generosity, courage, and advocacy. All this we ask for the sake of your holy name. Amen.
For Visibility and Inclusion of the Disability Community
Crucified and Risen Christ, who bears the marks of human pain, your vision of justice and love never excludes anyone based on their physical abilities, yet in our broken world, we often do. Forgive us and stir us to repentance as we celebrate the richness of your creation during Disability Pride Month. Help us build communities where accessibility, dignity, and full participation are the foundation, not the exception. Empower us to recognize your image in every body and every mind. Let your kingdom of radical inclusion be made visible among us now, as we advocate for those whom the world too often leaves behind. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Healthcare Workers in Palestine
God of healing and compassion, whose hands once touched the sick and made them whole. We call upon you now, not in whispers, but with the urgency of sirens. In a land where hospitals like Al-Ahli have become targets, where healers like Dr. Ahmad Atallah Hamed Qandil have become the victims, and where ambulances are met with bullets, let your presence shield the innocents and your compassion flood the hearts of those who harm them. Embrace and protect those who risk their lives to tend to the wounded, renew their courage, and grant them strength that outlasts airstrikes. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Afghans Who Lost Their Temporary Protected Status in the United States
God of radical love, you have commanded us to welcome strangers. Teach us to embody this radical grace as your people. We grieve the end of the Temporary Protected Status of Afghans in the United States. We pray for those who fear deportation and could no longer work legally in this country due to this action. May your Spirit be with all those who advocate for the just treatment of migrants by the U.S. government, and charge all governing authorities to enact policies that honor the dignity and protect the safety of the vulnerable. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
