Many churches now involve members of the congregation in writing the intercessions for the Sunday morning service.

Some people love this opportunity to lead others in public prayer, but for others it can be daunting. If you are new to writing intercessions, or if you want to refresh your approach, here are a few simple tips.

Read the scripture readings for the day – all of them, including the psalm – several days before Sunday.

While the readings are still fresh in your memory, pray for your church family.
Listen to the news as much as you can for the whole of the week before you are leading the intercessions.

Generally speaking, intercessions follow a clear format, with specific concerns to be covered (the Church, the world, our King and Government, our communities, the sick, the departed). But for a fresh approach, why not start with the day’s psalm?

Of course, some psalms will lend themselves much more easily to be used in this way and if structuring the prayers around the day’s psalm doesn’t seem to come naturally, then it is probably best not to push it. Some psalms, however, just cry out to be used as part of our living, corporate prayer. And what a resource they are – surely no aspect of the relationship between God and his people is left unexplored in this rich and poetic book of the Bible.

Here is an example. Psalm 111 was the lectionary psalm for the Fourth Sunday in Epiphany, 29 January 2012. Why don’t you look up the lectionary psalm for next Sunday and write your own?
Our prayers today take Psalm 111 as their starting point, as we bring our thanks, our praise, our requests and our fears to God.

Praise the LORD! Let us give thanks to the LORD with all our hearts.
Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.

Lord we thank you for our homes and our communities. We ask you to bless all those who live in our town and who worship in its churches. We pray for your hand to be upon all who serve our communities – in the schools, the local councils, in the shops and pubs. We pray for doctors and community nurses and for all those who work to make our part of the country a better place. And we ask for your presence to be known by every family living in our streets today.

Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer

The LORD is gracious and merciful. He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant.

Lord we pray that your greatness be known throughout the world. We hold in our thoughts those who do not have our advantages – those who go hungry, those whose homes or families have been destroyed by violence and war, those who have nothing in this life to hope for. We pray Lord that your peace may flow over all the Earth, and evil cease to torment your children.

Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer

He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.

They are established for ever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
Lord we ask for your blessing upon our Queen and our Government. Open their hearts to your Spirit of Wisdom and make them instruments of your good purposes.

We pray for the Church. We pray for Christians everywhere, and ask for your blessing upon our ministers and worship leaders.

Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer

He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant for ever.
Holy and awesome is his name.

Lord we ask for your healing love to surround those who are suffering in mind, body or spirit. We pray that you may meet them where they are, and draw them to you.

And when the time comes for your children to come home to you, we pray that you will give them a gentle and a quiet passing. We commend to your tender love all those who have died recently.
May your Holy Spirit, the Comforter be with their family and friends, and with all those who mourn the loss of loved ones.

Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practise it have a good understanding.
His praise endures for ever.
Lord we ask you to give us the wisdom that comes from seeking you, the freedom that comes from serving you and the peace that comes from opening our hearts to your love.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Richenda Milton-Daws
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.