Prayers of the People for Easter

The following form of Prayers of the People is used at New Song for Easter Sunday and for the entire fifty days of Easter Season.

Leader
Living Christ, you are risen from the dead! Love reigns! You are life stronger than death. Raise our eyes to see you as the new day dawns.

We pray for the Church. Today we offer our joy that we celebrate your glorious resurrection with our brothers and sisters around the world. Envelop your people with a sense of your risen presence, today and always. (the people may add their prayers, spoken or unspoken)

For the household of faith, the church of the risen Christ, we pray:
Be with us and bless us, O God.

We pray for our nation. God of hope, teach us the difference between reaching down and reaching out. Guide the many of privilege who determine the destinies of others. Lead us not only to share our wealth, but to enter with hope into the poverty of those who do not share our good fortune. (the people may add their prayers, spoken or unspoken)

For our nation and for our common good, we pray:
Be with us and guide us, O God.

We pray for the whole world. God of creation you have given us a world of glorious diversity. Give us the eyes to see the beauty of your cosmic patchwork. Give us open hearts and the confidence to invite all into the bond of your love, that in unity with you, we may bring your peace and goodness and vision to all people. (the people may add their prayers, spoken or unspoken)

For the welfare of our world, we pray:
Be with us and unite us, 0 God.

We pray for this community. God who came to earth as one of us, help us see you in each member of this community. Bless the many gifts of our members and keep before us the image of the Servant Jesus, that joined with him we remain ready to kneel with basin and towel before each other and before those you continue to bring into our midst. (the people may add their prayers, spoken or unspoken)

For our community we pray:
Be with us and help us, O God.

We pray for all who suffer. God of compassion, open our hearts to bind and heal in your name. Bless all of those who ask our prayers, and give us courage to learn the names of others. Be present, through us, to those who need your comfort. (the people may add their prayers, spoken or unspoken)

For all who suffer and struggle, we pray:
Be with us and heal us, O God.

We pray for all who have died. God who has loved us from before birth and God who loves us beyond the grave, we remember those who have died in the glorious hope of the resurrection, and we remember those who mourn, that they may be assured with that same hope. (the people may add their prayers, spoken or unspoken)

For all who have entered new life in Christ's resurrection, we pray:
Be with us and raise us, 0 God.

Presider
Glorious Lord of Life, we praise you, that by the wondrous resurrection of your Son, you have delivered us from sin and death and made your whole creation new; grant that we who celebrate with joy Christ's rising from the dead, may be raised from the death of sin to the life of righteousness; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen.

Susanne Watson Epting has written these prayers for all in the Diocese of Iowa, and beyond.

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