06/20/2026
Since tomorrow we will be having our Bishop's Visit with 6 (!!) Confirmations, we will not have our usual Prayers of the People. As is customary in the Episcopal Church, we do the prayers for the Confirmands on Sundays like these. Which is wonderful and it does mean we won't have our typical intercessions for Father's Day.
But that does not mean we cannot or will not pray for this! So here are our prayers:
The Prayer Leader says: With all our heart, soul, mind, and body, let us pray to God;
God who listens, we pray for all who suffer, asking that Your comfort the sick, sad, oppressed, lost, and lonely.
On this Father’s Day, we especially intercede, asking You to hear the cries of those for whom this day is complex or sorrowful, remembering especially
fathers who have lost children,
those grieving strained relationships with their fathers,
those who do not know their fathers,
for those who long to be fathers,
and for those who miss their fathers.
We especially remember incarcerated fathers and their children,
fathers enduring war, genocide, and oppression as they care for their children,
and fathers who are separated from their children because of violence.
Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer.
Caretaker of the details, we pray for Your church;
teach us to love like You love and serve as You serve.
We pray for our bishops, priests, deacons, seminarians, our Bishop’s Committee,
and all who serve You in Your church.
Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer.
God who does not leave us orphaned,
thank You for our home, Jubilee Episcopal Church;
help us draw up more chairs and spaces around Your crowded table.
We give thanks that when we break bread,
we know we do so in the company of the communion of saints,
and because of this, we remember and honor the dead (+)
entrusting that they are now in Your care,
dwelling where there is no pain or grief but life, eternal.
Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer.
God who keeps watch at night and by day;
we pray for Your love to make us all instruments of Your peace.
We pray for all in civic authority and ask You to empower all of us to
strive to honor the dignity and worth of every human being.
Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer.
Father who counts the hairs on our heads and numbers the stars in the sky;
we thank You for fathers.
We thank You for father figures in our lives,
for grandfathers, uncles, and foster parents.
We thank You for teaching fathers to be gentle, steady harbors
in a world that so often sells short the capacity all people have for tenderness.
Thank You for revealing Your love to us in the call to love our children
in this sacred vocation of parenthood.
We also thank You for all who are part of the village of fathering,
including teachers, nurses, caretakers, cleaners, childcare workers,
and today we especially pray for those who hold these professions and are themselves fathers.
Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer.
Keeper of every child and tender of every wound;
empower us to seek Your justice by knowing Your joy;
embolden us to stay gentle hearted;
and help us seek always after You in all that we do.
Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer.
And now, either silently or aloud, we offer up our prayers before God –
The people are invited to offer their own prayers. The community may respond with “Hear our prayer.”
