PRAYERS FOR THE COVID
CRISIS FROM AROUND THE WORLD-WIDE CHURCH
COLLATED BY THE REVD CANON
CYNTHIA DOWDLE OBE AND ULTAN RUSSELL
1. BRITISH METHODIST CONNEXION
God of all hope we call on you today.
We pray for those who are living in fear:
Fear of illness, fear for loved ones,
fear of other’s reactions to them.
May your Spirit give us
a sense of calmness and peace.
We pray for your church in this time of
uncertainty.
For those people
who are worried about attending worship.
For those needing to make decisions
in order to care for others
For those who will feel more isolated by
not being able to attend. Grant us your wisdom.
Holy God,
we remember that you have promised that nothing will separate us from
your love – demonstrated to us in Jesus Christ.
Help us turn our eyes, hearts and minds
to you. Amen
2. WASHINGTON EPISCOPAL DIOCESE
(adapted from
New Zealand)
God of the present moment
God who in Jesus still the storm and
soothes the frantic heart
Bring hope and courage to all who wait or
work in uncertainty
Bring Hope that you will make us all
equal to whatever lies ahead
Bring us courage to endure what cannot be
avoided
For your will is health and wholeness
You are God and we need you. Amen.
3. UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
In this time of COVID-19, we pray:
When we aren't sure, God, - help us be
calm.
when information comes –
from all sides, correct & not, help
us to discern.
when fear makes it hard to breathe,
and anxiety seems to be the order of the
day,
slow us down, God.
help us to reach out with our hearts,
when we can't touch with our hands.
help us to be socially connected,
when we have to be socially distant.
help us to love as perfectly as we can,
knowing that "perfect love casts out
all fear."
Help us, O God, that we might help each
other.
In the love of the Creator,
in the name of the Healer,
in the life of the Holy Spirit
that is in all and with all, we pray. Amen
4. UNITING CHURCH OF AUSTRALIA
Gracious and loving God,
Give wisdom and strength to all those
in our community and around the world,
who are responding to the coronavirus –
health professionals, government
officials, aged care providers, school leaders.
May those who mourn the loss of loved
ones
to the virus, be comforted.
May those in our community who are
feeling anxious, find peace and reassurance.
May our congregations, and faith
communities
be places of compassion, attentive to those
who are impacted by coronavirus.
May we be communities
of empathy, love and care, in all we
face., Amen.
5. THE UNITED REFORMED CHURCH
‘God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.’ (Psalm
46:1, NRSV)
As so much is re-shaped by Coronavirus
Covid 19, let us pray with:
people left unwell, beckoned by death or
bereaved.
people providing professional health care
and advice, looking after loved ones at home
or working to create treatments and
cures.
people shaping the response of nations
and neighbourhoods, of commerce and industry, of service & voluntary
organisations and of communities of faith.
people who are anxious or afraid, alone
or isolated.
Living, loving God, we praise you,
and through times of peril we lean into
you,
for in Jesus Christ.
You have trodden paths as difficult as
ours,
revealing there a love that nothing
defeats,
a love that bears us through.
Even as we strive to behave responsibly,
and to care reliably,
so we feel after you
that in these uncertain times
we might trust you are with us,
our refuge and strength,
and our faith, hope and love might be
renewed,
through Jesus Christ, Amen.
6. ARCHDIOCESE OF LIVERPOOL PRAYER
God Our Father, each
person is precious to You.
You are the Giver of life.
Have mercy on us and protect us at this time,
as the Coronavirus threatens health & life.
You are an ever-present Helper in time of trouble.
Watch over those who are suffering,
Give strength to those who are aiding the Sick
& give courage to all in this time of anxiety. Amen.
7. WORLD PEACE PRAYER
Lead us from death to life,
from falsehood to truth.
lead us from despair to hope, from fear
to trust;
lead us from hate to love, from war to
peace.
Let peace fill our heart, our world, our
universe.
8. MARQUETTE JESUIT UNIVERSITY
,MILWAUKEE
May we who are merely inconvenienced
remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors
remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury to work from home
remember those who must choose between preserving their
health or making their rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care
for our children when their schools close
remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips
remember those that have no place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money
in the tumult of the economic market
remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for a quarantine at home
remember those who have no home.
During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms
around each other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbours. Amen.
9. REVD DR BARBARA GLASSON
PRESIDENT OF THE METHODIST CONFERENCE
We are not people of fear:
we are people of courage.
We are not people who protect our own
safety:
we are people who protect our neighbours’
safety.
We are not people of greed:
we are people of generosity.
We are your people God, giving and
loving,
wherever we are, whatever it costs
For as long as it takes wherever you call us. Amen
10. MISSIO – CATHOLIC MISSION AGENCY
God our Father,
we pray for those who are suffering,
for those who are grieving,
for those who are anxious, and
for those who work tirelessly to care for
the sick.
God our Father, your Son Jesus Christ
came into our world to heal us of all
division
and bring us life in abundance.
By the power of your Spirit help us
strive together
as one family of many nations to help
those in
greatest need during this crisis. Amen
11. EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF WASHINGTON
God of healing and hope, in Jesus you meet us
in our places of pain and fear.
Look with mercy on those
who have contracted the new virus,
on any who are vulnerable,
and on all who feel in danger.
Through this time of global concern,
by your holy spirit,
bring out the best, not the worst in us.
Make us more aware of our interdependence
on each other and of the strength
that comes from being one body in you.
Through Christ, our wounded healer. Amen.
12. ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF DENVER
Lord Jesus, you came into the world to heal our infirmities
and to endure our sufferings.
You went about healing all and bringing comfort to those in
pain and need.
We come before you now in this time of illness asking that
you may be the source of our strength in body, courage in spirit and patience
in pain.
May we join ourselves more closely to you on the cross and
in your suffering that through them we may draw our patience and hope.
Assist us and restore us to health so that united more
closely to your family, the Church, we may give praise and honour to your name.
Amen.
13. NATIONAL COUNCIL of CHURCHES AUSTRALIA
Gracious God, We give thanks anew
for your providence and presence.
We prayerfully seek your grace, amidst COVID-19 here and
overseas.
We pray for those in need of healing.
We pray for your peace with those who are anxious or
grieving.
We pray you will continue to strengthen and sustain all
those who are serving in response.
We pray for your Holy Spirit’s discernment amidst the many
choices and decisions facing our national, community and medical leaders.
We pray we each might see quickly what more we can do to
help those who are vulnerable.
This prayer for our nation in the family of nations, with
all that is on our hearts, we gather now and pray through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
14. EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN SYNOD (USA)
Gracious Heavenly Father, Creator and Preserver of all
things,
we come before Your throne of grace
on behalf of our families and friends,
ourselves and all in our world
who feel the fear of contracting
a new disease that is spreading quickly.
Strengthen our bodies and spirits,
that we might be spared this sickness.
Give wisdom and knowledge to doctors, nurses and all who provide care
for the sick and suffering
as well as to our world’s leaders
who bear responsibility for their citizens.
If it is Your will,
heal those who are suffering from infection and bring the
spread of this virus to a swift end.
Throughout all days of trial, remind us of
Your great love and the forgiveness and salvation
earned for us by Your Son, Jesus Christ.
In His name we pray. Amen.
15. THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND
Keep us, good Lord,
under the shadow of your mercy
in this time of uncertainty and distress.
Sustain and support the anxious and
fearful,
and lift up all who are brought low;
that we may rejoice in your comfort
knowing that nothing can separate us
from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ,
you taught us to love our neighbour,
and to care for those in need
as if we were caring for you.
In this time of anxiety, give us strength
to comfort the fearful, to tend the sick,
and to assure the isolated
of our love, and your love, for your
name’s sake.
God of compassion, be close to those who
are ill,
afraid or in isolation.
In their loneliness, be their
consolation;
in their anxiety, be their hope;
in their darkness, be their light;
through him who suffered alone on the
cross,
but reigns with you in glory. Amen.
16. THE
REV. FLORENCE LI,
AMERICAN BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETIES
O Merciful God, in a time of unknowingness,
fear and lack of knowledge regarding the origins of coronavirus.
We come to you with open arms,
Welcoming people from all other places,
Acknowledging our human frailty and our
need for your healing power.
O God, we pray for the loss of life,
For those who care for the sick
and ask for recovery to those in need of
healing.
We pray for the cure of this disease and
restoration of health.
We praise you, O God,
in time of trouble and confusion;
You have reminded us
that you are our loving God and Saviour.
Help us to spread Christian faith
as we seek your truth and love each day. Amen.
17.EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF VIRGINIA
Holy, Gracious, Loving God; Our times are
in your hands, and these times have brought us to a strange moment. We read the news. We hear the stories.
We know of people who have either tested
positive for the Coronavirus or have been in a room with people who have tested
positive. And we wonder.
We know that there is fear out there, and
we ask you to help us to turn this fear, our fear, into an opportunity for your
love.
We pray for all who have been affected by
this illness, for those who are afraid, for all healthcare workers, for our
hospital system, for all leaders who are making decisions that affect their
people.
We pray for our community, and …..
Guide us all, because we haven't done
this before and we are figuring out how to do it as we are doing it.
Lead us, bless us, fill us with your
peace and with your presence
So that our faith may always exceed our
fear, and that we may be a part of the healing work that you are doing.
And we pray it all in your name. Amen.
18. CHURCH OF AUSTRALIA – SYDNEY DIOCESE
Sovereign Lord, you are the hope and
healer of your people and have promised a world where there is no more sickness
or crying or death.
By your death and resurrection you have
set your people free from the penalty of sin and death.
We pray your kingdom come, your will be
done on earth as it is in heaven.
Turn the hearts of many now experiencing
fear and anxiety that they may find that peace which is the fruit of the death
and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord
In whose name we pray, Amen.
19. RC DIOCESE OF KILDARE & LEIGHLIN
Loving and healing God,
We, turn to you in prayer,
Confident that you are with us
and with all people in every moment.
We stand before you as people of hope,
Trusting in your care and protection.
May your faithful love support us
and soothe the anxiety of our hearts.
Generous God, fill us with compassion and
concern for others, young and old,
That we may look after one another
in these challenging days.
Bring healing to those who are sick with
the virus and be with their families.
May those who have died
rest in your eternal embrace.
Comfort their family and friends.
Strengthen and protect
all medical professionals caring for the
sick
and all who work in our medical
facilities.
Give wisdom to leaders
in healthcare and governance
that they may make the right decisions
for the well-being of people.
We pray in gratitude
for all those in our country
who will continue to work in the days
ahead
in so many fields of life for the sake of
us all.
Bless them and keep them safe.
O God of creation and life,
we place ourselves in your protection.
May the mantle of your peace enfold us
this day and tomorrow. Amen
20. XAVIER JESUIT UNIVERSITY, OHIO
So we pray and we remember that:
Yes there is fear - But there does not
have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation - But there does
not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying - But there
does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness - But there does not have to be disease of the
soul
Yes there is even death - But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to
live now. Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your
panic-
The birds are singing again,
The sky is clearing, Spring is coming
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square. – SING.
21. CHURCH OF IRELAND
Almighty and All–loving God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
we pray to you through Christ the Healer
for those who suffer from the Covid–19
in Ireland and across the world.
We pray too for all who reach out to
those who mourn the loss of each and every person who has died as a result of
contracting the disease.
Give wisdom to policymakers,
skill to healthcare professionals and
researchers,
comfort to everyone in distress
and a sense of calm to us all in these
days of uncertainty and distress.
This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ
our Lord
who showed compassion to the outcast,
acceptance to the rejected
and love to those to whom no love was
shown.
22. MELANESIAN PRAYER
O Jesus,
be the canoe that holds me up in the sea of life.
Be the rudder that keeps me in the straight road.
Be the outrigger that supports me
in times of temptation.
Let your Spirit be my sail
that carries me through each day.
Keep my body strong
so I can paddle steadfastly on in the voyage of life.
We ask this prayer though Christ Our Lord. Amen.
23. A MEDITATION BY BISHOP MICHAEL CURRIE
PRESIDING BISHOP, EPISCOPAL CHURCH, USA
Let us pray: In this time when we are all
affected by the coronavirus, whether directly or indirectly, whether
physically, biologically, psychologically, spiritually, and for many
economically, it may be helpful to remember that we're in this together.
Jesus came among us in the first place,
to show us the way to be right and reconcile with the God who is the creator of
us all, and right and reconciled with each other as children of this one God
who has created us all, and therefore as sisters, brothers, and siblings, one
of another.
Jesus came to show us how to be in a
relationship with God and in relationship with each other, came to show us how
to live not simply as collections of individual self-interest, but how to live
as the human family of God. That's why he said love the Lord your God, love
your neighbour as yourself. Because in that is hope for all of us to be the
human family of God.
So look out for your neighbours, look out
for each other. Look out for yourselves.
Listen to those who have knowledge that can help to guide us medically and help
to guide us socially.
Do everything that we can to do this
together, to respond to each other's needs and to respond to our own needs. We
ask this prayer in Jesus Name.
24. ST TERESA OF AVILA
Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God lacks nothing.
God alone suffices. Amen.
Lord, grant that I may always allow
myself
To be guided by You, always follow Your
plans,
and perfectly accomplish Your Holy Will.
Grant that in all things, great and
small,
today and all the days of my life,
I may do whatever You require of me.
Help me respond to the slightest
prompting
of Your Grace,
So that I may be Your trustworthy
instrument for Your honour.
May Your will be done in time & in
eternity by me,
in me, and through me. Amen.
25. RT REVD GREGORY CAMERON OF ST
ASAPH
BISHOP OF ST ASAPH (CHURCH IN WALES)
Dear Father, who created us, and redeemed us,
and who has promised us your love,
be with us in a time of danger and of worry.
May those who suffer, or who are ill,
know the blessing of your grace,
while we who are well be inspired by your Spirit
to be wise and to be servants,
working for the healing and wholeness of all,
each in our own way.
Keep us calm and cautious,
strong and open to service,
So that we take care of those around us,
and also ourselves.
We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
26. CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF CLOGHER
God of Love, we turn to you with
prayerful hearts and with confidence in your loving presence among us now and
in every moment of our lives.
We stand before you as a people of hope,
trusting in your care and protection.
May we be comforted by your love in these
anxious times.
Generous and Merciful God fill us with
compassion and concern for others, young & old.
That we may look after each other in
these challenging times, especially those among us who are vulnerable.
May your example give us the courage we
need to go to the margins, wherever they may be. Heal us of our fear.
Healing God bring healing to those who
are sick with the Coronavirus and be with their families and neighbours.
We pray especially who those who are
isolated, that they may know your love.
Stay by our side in this time of
uncertainty and sorrow.
God of Strength, accompany all those who
serve us with such love and generosity in the medical profession and in all our
healthcare facilities.
We give thanks for their continued work
in the service of people.
We ask you to bless them, strengthen them
and guide them with your abundant goodness.
God of Wisdom, we ask you to guide the
leaders in healthcare and governance; that they may make the right decisions
for the wellbeing of
people.
O God of creation and God of life, we,
your people here in …, place ourselves and our world in your protection and
love.
May your peace be with us and enfold us
today, tomorrow and during the time ahead. Amen.
27. IOWA CITY 1ST UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH
Dear Lord, We now live in a ‘Coronavirus
world’.
Please remember, we are still the church
even though we are not physically gathered, and that when we get together
again, we will celebrate.
In the meantime, even though the world
seems to have cancelled everything right now, as people of faith let us
remember:
•Caring will not be cancelled
•Love will not be cancelled
•Acts of Kindness will not be cancelled
•Relationships will not be cancelled
•Hope will not be cancelled
•Music will not be cancelled
•Reading and Study will not be cancelled
•Self-care will not be cancelled
•Faith will not be cancelled
This is our prayer. Amen
28. US CATHOLIC BISHOP’S CONFERENCE
For all who have contracted coronavirus –
We pray for care and healing.
For those who are particularly vulnerable
–
We pray for safety and protection.
For all who experience fear or anxiety -
We pray for peace of mind and spirit.
For affected families facing difficult
decisions between food on the table or public safety -
We pray for policies that recognize their
plight.
For those without adequate health
insurance -
We pray that no family will face
financial burdens alone.
For those who are afraid to access care
due to immigration status - We pray for recognition
of the God-given dignity of all.
For our brothers and sisters around the
world - We pray for shared solidarity.
For public officials and decision makers
- We pray for wisdom and guidance.
Father, during this time may your Church
be a sign of hope, comfort and love to all.
Grant peace. Grant comfort. Grant
healing.
Be with us, Lord. Amen.
29. POPE FRANCIS ADAPED FROM MARCH 27th
URBI ET ORBI MEDITATION
Let us all reflect that in the midst of this crisis the Lord
asks us and, in the midst of our tempest, invites us to reawaken and put into
practice that solidarity and hope capable of giving strength, support and
meaning to these hours when everything seems to be floundering.
The Lord awakens so as to reawaken and revive our Easter
faith. We have an anchor: by his cross we have been saved. We have a rudder: by
his cross we have been redeemed.
We have a hope: by his cross we have been healed and
embraced so that nothing and no one can separate us from his redeeming love.
In the midst of isolation when we are suffering from a lack
of tenderness and chances to meet up, and we experience the loss of so many
things, let us once again listen to the proclamation that saves us: he is risen
and is living by our side.
The Lord asks us from his cross to rediscover the life that
awaits us, to look towards those who look to us, to strengthen, recognize and
foster the grace that lives within us. Let us not quench the wavering flame
that never falters, and let us allow hope to be rekindled.
Embracing his cross means finding the courage to embrace all
the hardships of the present time, abandoning for a moment our eagerness for
power and possessions in order to make room for the creativity that only the
Spirit is capable of inspiring.
It means finding the courage to create spaces where everyone
can recognize that they are called, and to allow new forms of hospitality,
fraternity and solidarity.
By his cross we have been saved in order to embrace hope and
let it strengthen and sustain all measures and all possible avenues for helping
us protect ourselves and others.
Embracing the Lord in order to embrace hope: that is the
strength of faith, which frees us from fear and gives us hope.
Amen.
30. WORLD VISION
Jesus, during Your ministry on Earth
You showed Your power and caring
by healing people of all ages and
stations of life from physical, mental, and spiritual ailments.
Be present now to people who need
Your loving touch because of COVID-19.
May they feel Your power of healing
through the care of doctors and nurses.
Take away the fear, anxiety,
and feelings of isolation from people
receiving treatment or under quarantine.
Give them a sense of purpose
in pursuing health and protecting others
from exposure to the disease.
Protect their families and friends
and bring peace to all who love them. Amen.
31. CHURCH IN WALES
O God, you know us
to be set in the midst
of so many and great dangers,
that by reason of the frailty of our
nature
we cannot always stand upright:
Grant to us such strength and protection
as may support us in all dangers
and carry us through all temptations;
Through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.
