Seasons of Grace. Ann Lewin
pray as though the world is something apart from us – we are part of the problem, as well as being potentially part of the solution. Alan Ecclestone wrote in an article about prayer4 that everything we do, say or think is either prayer or anti-prayer. Intercession is a way of praying that expresses our intention of putting our energy alongside God’s energy. We don’t simply hand everything over to God for God to sort out, we offer ourselves to God to be used. Intercession is dangerous prayer, for we are quite likely to be challenged with ‘What are you going to do about the situation?’ We won’t all be called out to the troubled spots, but we may well find ourselves being nudged into supporting those who do go. And one of the ways our intercession can be most fruitful is in asking questions of those with power – political pressure is part of this prayer.
It is important to remember those who perpetrate evil, as well as the victims. We sometimes hesitate to do that, because we think that to pray for someone somehow suggests that we are approving of their actions, or praying for their well-being. The ‘evil doers’ are also loved by God, and our prayer is an expression of our desire that they will know that love for themselves, and experience a change of heart and action. They are only different from us in the degree to which they give reign to their murderous desires – few of us can say that we have never had a desire to harm someone. ‘Lord, have mercy’ is a prayer that we all need to pray.
It is sometimes helpful to pray using a visual aid, and a physical action. A map of the world can be used in conjunction with various objects:
Read the vision of the New Jerusalem, Revelation 22.1–2, and invite people to place a leaf on the map.
Read Julian of Norwich’s vision of the hazelnut (Revelation of Divine Love, Long Text ch. 5) and invite people to place a hazelnut on the map.
Remind people that Jesus is the light of the world, and invite people to place a lit candle on the map.
The action can be accompanied by a brief spoken prayer.
(Reassure participants that this is not a Geography test – God understands what we want to pray for even if we are not very sure where in the world it is.)
When sufficient time has elapsed for all who want to take part to do so, draw together all the prayers, spoken aloud or inwardly, in the words of the litany which follows. The response to the petition ‘Come, Lord’ can be varied according to the situation. ‘Let your healing power be known’ is one possibility, or ‘Let your love be shown’.
End the time by praying that in everything we are, or do, or say or think we may be signs of God’s kingdom, as we say the Lord’s Prayer together.
A litany for the world
In the places of decision-making
and the places of powerlessness:
Come, Lord . . .
In the places of wealth
and the places of poverty:
Come, Lord . . .
Where we are healthy
and where we are sick:
Come, Lord . . .
In the streets of plenty
and in the dark corners and alleys:
Come, Lord . . .
Where people are oppressed
And in the hearts of the oppressors:
Come, Lord . . .
In our places of worship
And where there is no faith:
Come, Lord . . .
In our places of learning
and in the depths of our ignorance:
Come, Lord . . .
In our homes and our welcomes
and where people couldn’t care less:
Come, Lord . . .
Note
4 In Jim Cotter, ed., Firing the Clay, Cairns Publications, 1999.
Leading intercessions
Being asked to lead the intercessions in a service can strike terror into people’s hearts! A workshop drawing on the ideas set out in the section ‘Praying for the World’ can offer people a chance to look at what is involved, and develop the basic skills required to encourage everyone present to pray.
As well as discussion about what we think the prayer of intercession is, it is helpful to have material for people to look at – there are many books on the market now which give ideas. And it is useful, too, to let people try out the sound system, or see how their voices work in the building used for worship.
When I run a workshop, I normally prepare intercessions for a particular occasion, usually a couple of Sundays ahead, and explain what led me to include or exclude some items which might have been appropriate. Selection is a very important principle – we can’t pray for everything every week. World events and local situations can change in the time between the preparation of the prayers, and the service in which they will be used, so it is important to be able to be flexible.
I have drawn up some guidelines which can be useful as a basis for discussion and practice.
Set the preparation in the context of your own prayer. Ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
When preparing the prayers, look at the readings and themes for the day. If possible, ask the preacher what the sermon is likely to be about. Look at parish/diocesan/circuit cycles of prayer.
Select from all the above, and your local knowledge and awareness of what is happening in the world to decide on the areas you want to pray for.
Look at some of the available books for ideas. You may discover helpful ways of saying things. You do not have to use whole prayers – the odd sentence is often useful.
When you begin to write your prayers, remember to address them to God.
Remember to give thanks, as well as to ask.
Remember how your sentences begin, and keep them consistent. (If you ask for God’s blessing on someone or some situation, don’t, within the same sentence, say for.)
Keep the prayers brief – let people have time for their own thoughts and prayers.
On the day, have a pen handy, so that you can put in last-minute requests, or respond to something the preacher has said. But don’t re-preach the sermon, or try to improve on it!
When the time comes, wait for people to settle physically, and leave a space for them to gather their thoughts.
Speak slowly – feel that your pace is slow. Pray the prayers, rather than just saying them.
Pause. Let spaces grow between the sentences. Give people time to respond inwardly to what you have said.
Breathe deeply, hold your head up, and look towards the end of the place in which you are speaking. Pitch your voice low (especially women) – that way the sound carries further. Throw your voice to the end of the room.
If you want to change the response to the petitions, make sure people know what they have to say. Instead of ‘Lord, in your mercy’ with the response ‘Hear our prayer’, you might want to say, ‘Lord, hear us’ with the response ‘Graciously hear us’. So tell the congregation, and give them a chance to try it before you continue with the prayers. It is probably best not to change the response in the middle of the prayers.
Leading prayers is your offering to God. You don’t have to worry about whether