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 May 2
Prayer for Police and Policing
God of justice, we lament the ways our systems of law enforcement have not been just and have disproportionately harmed people of color. We lament the executive order that will weaken the small gains that have been made toward reducing police violence. We cry out with those raising alarm at the militarization of our police forces, and join them in calling for investment in healthy community development and violence reduction. Hear us, O Lord, and strengthen us to push for justice. Amen.
Prayer for Indigenous Communities
God, our comfort and consolation, we lament the Trump administration’s decision not to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day and the pain and anger this has caused in Indigenous communities. Help our Indigenous siblings to remember that they are beloved by you no matter what the powers and principalities dictate, and help your church to be a strong ally. Amen.
Prayer for Coalition Building
Holy God, Three in One, you promise that wherever two or three are gathered in your name, you will be with them. We ask for your Spirit to guide us in nurturing new and existing local relationships that center one another’s humanity, and to strengthen local, state, and national coalitions working for justice. The challenges we face are great, but so is our capacity to find community and hope together; help us to feel this truth and to act on it. Amen.
Prayer for Yemen
God of all nations, we pray for the people of Yemen as they continue to live through civil war. This week, we especially pray for and with those injured in a U.S. strike on a refugee camp. We lament the United States’s complicity in the violence, and we commit to being strong advocates for peace and humanitarian aid, in the name of your Son. Amen.
Prayer for Discernment in Digesting Online Content
Most High God, your Son is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In his name, we raise to you our concerns about false, distorted, or fabricated information which is increasingly shared online and through official channels. Help us all to be wise consumers of information, and grant protection and healing to those who have been harmed by untrue posts. Amen.
