Easter Prayers of the People amidst COVID-19

Let us now with joy and humility, approach the God who conquered death and rose victoriously from the grave, handing over all our hearts and lives before the throne of God, beseeching our Lord in prayer, and crying out:

L: Christ is Risen!
P: Christ is Risen, Indeed!
ALL: Hallelujah!

Christ, you went to the cross, suffered, and died - and yet you still defeated the grave. You broke the chains of sin and death - for us and for all creation. May we never forget the power of the cross. May we never lose sight of the empty tomb. May your praises never be far from our lips.

L: Christ is Risen!
P: Christ is Risen, Indeed!
ALL: Hallelujah!

Our Lenten fast has come to an end. And yet...there are so many in our world who are still wandering in the Wilderness, who cannot yet see the Garden at the end of the journey. We are all still in the Wilderness of the COVID-19 pandemic. Be with us now. Be with those that are sick. Those who are isolated. Those who are fearful. Any and all who are grasping at straws, struggling with their new reality. Guide us all through the Wilderness that every tongue may proclaim:

L: Christ is Risen!
P: Christ is Risen, Indeed!
ALL: Hallelujah!

Today we especially lift up those who face the daily reality of this pandemic, including health care workers from hospitals to nursing homes and essential workers from first responders to grocery store workers. Protect them from all harm. May they know you are ever by their side. May they feel the power of the Risen King guiding them through their day.

L: Christ is Risen!
P: Christ is Risen, Indeed!
ALL: Hallelujah!

Be with your Church, O Lord. Today our Easter celebration looks more like that first Easter than we are used to. Locked in our homes, uncertain and afraid. We long to be joining our voices together in praise. We long to be in worship together. Remind us that the power of the resurrection does not rely on our traditions or rituals. May we be overcome with the joy of Easter. Help us all proclaim:

L: Christ is Risen!
P: Christ is Risen, Indeed!
ALL: Hallelujah!

And Lord, we ask that you be with the dead and the dying. Give to them the sure hope and assurance of your coming resurrection, that we will be joined with you and all the saints in the Kingdom of Glory.

L: Christ is Risen!
P: Christ is Risen, Indeed!
ALL: Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Christ is Alive! The God who is Love has defeated death. May your hope be founded in nothing less than the promise of the Resurrection. And so now it is with the confidence of Easter people that we pray the prayer that Jesus taught us...

Prayers of the People for Palm Sunday, Amidst COVID-19

Friends, let us come before the Lord in prayer. Praising God’s name, claiming Jesus as our Messiah, and entrusting our lives and world over to the God who is worthy of our praise. Saying:

L: We choose to say:
P: Hosanna! Praise the Lord!

We are in the midst of strife and uncertainty, anxiety and illness and a global pandemic. It is too easy to turn to fear. To bickering and pessimism. Keep us from despair. Deliver us from all burdens and may we find rest and peace in your care.

L: We choose to say:
P: Hosanna! Praise the Lord!

Soon the shouts of Palm Sunday will turn to the jeers of Good Friday. We know that we have the capacity for both within us: to praise and to scorn, to accept and reject. To choose that which is life-giving and that which is death-wielding. Forgive us for those times we have joined in with the crowds of Good Friday. Nevertheless,

L: We choose to say:
P: Hosanna! Praise the Lord!

We know that if we were to keep silent, even the rocks would sing out your praises. Your creation rings out your majesty. From the shores of Lake Erie to the first daffodils of Spring. Even among our current circumstances, we join creation in your praise. We thank you for all that is good and well in our lives.

L: We choose to say:
P: Hosanna! Praise the Lord!

Today especially we ask that you be with those who work in healthcare: doctors and nurses, janitors and administrators. From nursing homes to hospitals. Protect them. Keep them safe. Help give them the tools and protections needed to care for the sick and the dying. Give them strength and endurance, compassion and peace.

L: We choose to say:
P: Hosanna! Praise the Lord!

Be with those workers deemed essential: from factories to grocery stores and everywhere in between. Keep them safe and protect them in their daily task. May you labor alongside them, that they feel your presence with them.

L: We choose to say:
P: Hosanna! Praise the Lord!

May your wisdom be given to your leaders: in all levels of government, in all positions of leadership, in the world and in the church. May they make decisions that prioritize saving lives. May their leadership be filled with compassion and love for the least of these.

L: We choose to say:
P: Hosanna! Praise the Lord!

Be with our local businesses, Lord. We know and love this town. We know the people in each shop, the workers, the owners, the relationships and mutuality we have with each other. Help us weather out this storm together.

L: We choose to say:
P: Hosanna! Praise the Lord!

Be with your church, O God. Scattered, yet gathered. Eagerly awaiting resurrection and yet mourning this year’s loss of Easter traditions. Knit us together at this time. Help us truly embody the love of Christ to each other, to our neighbors, to the world. May we be the Church outside of the building walls.

L: We choose to say:
P: Hosanna! Praise the Lord!

And lastly, Lord, be with the sick and the dying. Where there is hope, bring healing. Where there is death, may they find life in you. May all those who are alone in hospital rooms feel the loving presence of your Holy Spirit. May all those who pass from this life be reunited with us in the resurrection that is to come.

L: We choose to say:
P: Hosanna! Praise the Lord!

We join the crowds in praising Jesus this day. We know and claim him as our Messiah. We trust in his unending love and care. May praise never be found far from our lips and may our hearts ever be directed in prayer to the one who always hears us.

And so now with the confidence of children of God, let us pray that prayer that Jesus taught us...