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 October 10
For the End of Human Trafficking
God of freedom and justice, you break every chain and call us to true liberation. We hold before you the victims of human trafficking. We lament the significant human trafficking increase and insufficient protection revealed by the recently released Trafficking in Persons report. We grieve the evil that robs your children of dignity and freedom, and we cry out for your deliverance. Turn our sorrow into action: to rescue the oppressed, to shelter survivors, and to work toward justice. Grant wisdom, boldness, and compassion to advocates and all who labor for freedom. Through Jesus Christ, our redeemer, who sets the captives free and lives to make all things new. Amen.
For Families Relying on Food Assistance Programs
God of sustenance, you nourish your people with your love and feed the world with the fruit of the earth. We lift before you the families who fear losing access to food assistance programs amid the continued shutdown of our government. Many people in this nation already live on the edge of hunger, and the threat of losing this important safety net deepens their worry. Strengthen your church to feed the hungry and to speak for those whose voices go unheard. Pour out your comforting spirit upon them and move the hearts of leaders for the sake of the vulnerable. Sustain all who labor so that no child or parent goes unfed. Through Jesus Christ, the bread of life, who gave himself for the life of the world. Amen.
For LGBTQ+ People Amid the Reality of Conversion Therapy
God of unending love, you instill dignity and glory in every person. We grieve the reality of conversion therapy, which seeks to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of a person you have knit together beautifully. As the Supreme Court is reviewing bans of conversion therapy—raising fears that protections may be undermined—be with all those who have suffered the cruelty of this treatment. Empower your church to confess that conversion therapy violates the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ persons. Uphold LGBTQ+ advocates and, above all, pour out your hope on every LGBTQ+ person who has been the victim of mistreatment, discrimination, and abuse. We ask this in the name of Jesus, amen.
