Prayers of the People, Easter 5C

​You come to us in quiet moments, Lord,
revealing new possibilities,
new ways of thinking about old ideas,
and sometimes your people get up and go
and sometimes we criticize those who do.
Hear our prayers for prophets and apostles
as they break new ground and proclaim your vision
in word and in deed.
Hear, also, our prayers for those who fear
the thing they do not understand,
who cannot wrap their heads around
the new thing you are doing in our midst
and the ways in which you call us to do it.
Be present to all of us in these moments of inspiration,
we pray, and grant clarity of vision and of call,
that those who dare to follow will go courageously,
and those who stay behind can be witnesses
of your redeeming power.

You send us out, equipped and empowered,
to bring Good News to those who long to hear it.
Grant us discernment that we do not go off half-cocked, Lord,
Certain of our own will and claiming it is yours.
Give us compassion for the stranger who is hurting,
For the lonely who are lost and afraid,
For those struggling with cognitive disabilities
Who are trapped inside their deteriorating minds,
For the feeble and the aged,
For the powerless whose voices are not being heard
Or acknowledged
And help us stand for justice against those who abuse their power over others
To create impossible situations that will follow them forever.


You fall on us, Holy Spirit, and baptize us anew
with insight and understanding
and igniting a passion for living according to the will of God
made known in Jesus Christ.
Fan the flame you spark in us into flame.
Restore to us the joy of salvation.
Lead us into praise in all circumstances,
knowing that you alone are sovereign
and that you hold our days in your hands
from the beginning of time.
Send us forth into a world that longs to hear
the Good News of the Gospel
and equip us to make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Sustainer of Life,
and teaching them to obey all you have commanded.