Prayers of the People, P+5B

O Mighty Fortress,
You are our stronghold in times of trouble;
you are our protector and our strength.
Hear our prayers for those who are held captive
by systemic injustice,
by underground slavery,
by black market selling of humans,
by drug and alcohol abuse,
and by corporate greed.
We lift them to you with deep awareness
of our own complicity
in the oppression of those who suffer
at the hands who abuse power.
Transform our perspectives.
Guide us in the way of justice and compassion.
Teach us how to live in ways that liberate others
to enjoy the freedoms currently reserved
for the privileged.

Gracious Lord,
we lift our praises to you;
we rejoice in your deliverance.
Hear our prayers for our enemies.
Hear our prayers for their well-being,
that joy and hope and peace
might enliven them to new ways of being
in the world ...
ways that celebrate diversity,
inspire gratitude,
and encourage listening to those who think
differently
in order to find solutions
to age-old conflicts 
and reflect the wisdom of your kin-dom.

Good and Loving God,
we are grateful for your presence in times of need
for the ways in which you release us from snares
and for your persistent call to care for the poor.
Be present with your people, O Great Provider,
offering comfort to the grieving,
granting opportunities to those in poverty,
and thwarting the plans of the wicked.
Be present through the church, we pray,
that we might be your hands and feet in the world,
visiting the lonely and imprisoned,
carrying the Good News to those in despair,
sharing our resources with those who have little,
and working toward 
a more just world.