Intercessor:  Glorious are you, oh, Sacred Mystery.  We bow before you in awe and wonder—even without seeing you, we love you, and without touching you, we embrace.  Here at Emmanuel we celebrate your Presence in so many ways:  through all the people and all the causes we gladly serve and for which we pray; through your holy sacraments in which you are revealed through words, and bread, and wine, and through the transformations and healings of body, mind, and spirit that restore us again.

I will bless you at all times;  your praise shall ever sing in my heart.

We bless and thank you for the tireless service of our priests, Berto and Hugh, and our Bishop Greg and Presiding Bishop Michael, and all those who serve them in so many skilled and heartfelt ways.  We thank and pray for our vestry and their care for our church, and for all who extend their reach to those in need despite the restrictions and limitations we must face.  Each member of our community is a reflection of you, and dear to us.  Help us to serve mindfully, attending to the highest good of all your people and your entire creation.

I will bless you at all times; your praise shall ever sing in my heart.

We ask grace and guidance for political leaders who struggle to implement important policies influencing criminal justice, immigration practices, climate issues, child care, drug rehabilitation and the many other social and environmental needs that affect the world’s burgeoning population. Let us not be complacent about the pain and struggles of others. Help us to fully recognize and release our own insecurities that we might better benefit our community and the greater world. Teach us to practice non-harm, to shun greed, and joyfully protect and celebrate the beauty of your earthly creation. 

I will bless you at all times; your praise shall ever sing in my heart.

We pray for teachers and students as they continue to navigate the challenges of this global pandemic.  And our prayers also continue for health care workers, whose efforts and goodness do so much to benefit everyone. Help them to continue to give their best and to reflect your love in all they do.

I will bless you at all times; your praise shall ever sing in my heart.

We pray for the homeless, the confused, the lost, the victims of war and natural disaster, and those special causes and persons known privately to us (Pause):…and for all those on our Parish Prayer List: … and those for whom no one prays.

I will bless you at all times; your praise shall ever sing in my heart.

And for those who’ve died, including Joyce Burghardt, and those who grieve lost loved ones, especially the Burghardt family, we ask that their souls be illumined by your radiance, and that they dwell in the certain knowledge of your great love, now and forever.

I will bless you at all times; your praise shall ever sing in my heart.