Public Policy and Witness Weekly Prayers – March 28
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 March 28
Prayer for Those Facing Execution
Oh, God, giver and source of life, we pray for the more than 2,000 souls on death row. We ask for your comfort and peace to descend upon the loved ones of those recently executed in four states. We lament any loss of life, Lord. You are the God of mercy as well as justice; help our legal systems to embrace restorative practices over retribution. Amen.
Prayer for Sudan
Holy God, who has taught us to love and care for one another, we join with our siblings across the globe to lament the ongoing civil war in Sudan. We pray for your protection over the millions displaced; help world governments to offer support. May your son, the Prince of Peace, speak to the hearts and minds of Sudanese and international leaders so that years of fighting may cease, and humanitarian aid may reach the suffering. Amen.
Prayer for Honoring All in Our Diversity
Oh, Divine Parent, we acknowledge that we are all part of your family, and we lament the ways we have divided ourselves from one another. We know each of your beloved children bears the divine image and deserves to be respected, seen, and honored. We lament the distortion and erasure of history as the names and stories of people of color, women, queer people, Indigenous people, and immigrants have disappeared from government websites. We recommit ourselves to the work of building a beloved community where all are known in the fullness of who you created them to be. Amen.
Prayer for Good Governance
Holy One, rock of our salvation: we raise to you our concerns that the foundations of our democratic republic are being attacked and disregarded. We pray for all in government to respect the public’s right to free speech, a foundation of our democracy. We pray for the safety of all who exercise their right to express their opinions. May those in power remember their duty to uphold the principles that contribute to the pursuit of justice, equality, and protection from harm. Amen.
Prayer for Just and Humane Immigration
God of all nations, we ask that your presence be especially felt among immigrant communities where fear and sorrow reign. We lament for those who have been deported, and we lament for their loved ones. We cry out with those who are raising alarm about the conditions in foreign prisons to which our government is sending some deportees. Help us not turn away from the suffering or forget these neighbors, Lord, but to be steadfast in our accompaniment and our push for justice. Amen.
Contact:
The Office of Government Relations
eppn@episcopalchurch.org