Intercessory prayers are in the form of petitions, asking God for help with a number of issues both within the church and in the world.  We pray responsively – the Assisting Minister (a lay person in the church) prays and invites the congregation to respond.  The prompt for the response and the responses themselves after each petition can change, but often times the congregation responds “Hear our prayer”. 

The use of these kinds of responsive prayers goes back to the Litany, a long prayer dating back from the first centuries of the church.  The petitions don’t just focus on the theme of the day, although they can be related.  The Assisting Minister sets the stage for our petitions by asking the congregation “let us pray for the church, the world, and all of creation.”

Here are some of the petition topics from a service back in Lent this year:

• Praying for the church; for ministry leaders in our congregation and the wider church.
• As we have a preschool attached to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, we also play for the school staff members.
• We pray for God’s good creation, and all who work to take care of it.
• We pray for leaders at all levels of government – local, state, national and world leaders.
• We pray for all those who are suffering trials or distress or sickness.
• We pray for ministries of care and hospitality.
• We pray for peace.

God commands that we pray, and there are countless passages in Scripture that give instruction on what, how, when, where, and for whom we should pray.  Here are just a few examples:

I Timothy 2:1-2 “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

John 4:24  “Pray that the church will worship God in spirit and in truth. “

1 Peter 5:2-3  “Pray that our leaders will serve humbly as godly examples to all.”

2 Chronicles 7:14  “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

James 5:14-15 “If any of you are sick, they should call for the elders of the church, and the elders should pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. Prayer that comes from faith will heal the sick, for the Lord will restore them to health. And if they have sinned, they will be forgiven.”

I believe corporate prayer can be very powerful for a congregation.  After all, Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”  We know that God is in our midst when we make our petitions.

According to Whitney Hopler in her article “4 Benefits of Congregational Prayer” (https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/benefits-of-congregational-prayer.html), praying as a congregation creates a sense of unity and purpose, mutual encouragement, and the shared blessings of answered prayers.  Remember the passage in Acts 4:31, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”  This first Pentecost, where all the disciples received the Holy Spirit, was one of the most beautiful answers to anyone’s prayers! 

And what a privilege it is to be able to pray to our heavenly Father, Christ our Lord, and to the Holy Spirit as a community of believers.  The next time you have the opportunity to offer prayers of intercession in your own church, think about the beauty and power of what you are participating in, and who you are praying with – all children of God!  May grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.  Amen.