Prayers of the People for Advent

We’ve used these prayers for a few years at Church of the Good Shepherd, Watertown.

O come, o come, Emmanuel, and ransom us from all that darkens our hearts and holds our spirits captive.  Hear us as we pray to you, saying  “Sun of Righteousness, Hear our prayer.”

O come, thou Wisdom from on high, and show your Church the ways of righteousness. We pray for all who serve you in their ordained or lay leadership. We pray for our bishops – Alan and Gayle. We pray for our sister parishes—St. Andrew’s, Ramallah, & St. Matthew’s Zebabdeh. We pray with Anglicans around the world today for…..see list.We pray with all those in our diocese today for…..see list. Sun of Righteousness, Hear our prayer.

O come, o come, thou Lord of might, and direct the nations of the world into pathways of justice, peace, and sustainability.  Let those who hold authority in this nation and in all nations, use the power entrusted to them to end long-standing divisions, lift up the lowly, and protect this earth and its future. Sun of Righteousness, Hear our prayer.

O come, thou branch of Jesse’s tree, and give to all who fear or doubt a renewed faith and healing of spirit. We pray for all those who are bowed down with anxiety, uncertainty, or depression. We pray for those who seek shelter as the weather turns colder. We pray for those on our parish prayer list, including:  read one column of list.Are there others?

Sun of Righteousness, Hear our prayer.O come, thou Key of David, come, and be with those who mourn in this season of Advent. We pray for those who have journeyed to their heavenly home and give thanks for the victory o’er the grave given them through your grace. Sun of Righteousness, Hear our prayer.

O come, thou Dayspring from on high, and give us hearts able to thank you for all the ways in which you have cheered us and blessed us. We offer our gratitude for all good gifts – large and small – For our lives, for this community, and for this very moment.  Sun of Righteousness, Hear our prayer.

O come, o come Emmanuel, and hear now these other prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings, which we offer either silently or aloud……