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Prayer petitions for Sundays follow the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer Cycle and can be incorporated into the prayers at weekly worship. Weekday entries are offered as guides to prayer for the global, social, and outreach ministries of the church. Thank you for your continued prayers for the life and mission of this church.

1 Give thanks for the dedicated service of Rebecca Duerst and David Sensenig, who serve the two Lutheran church bodies in Namibia. Rebecca teaches science at the Oshigambo High School in Ondangwa, and David teaches English at Martin Luther High School in Omaruru.

2 9th Sunday After Pentecost

We pray for all the people of Canada and the United States of America: for the young and old; for women and men; for the hungry, the poor and those who live with plenty; for the broken and unloved; for those hurting and those who heal; for those who live without hope and those who bring meaning to life; we ask that your mercy and loving-kindness may abound.

3 We thank God for Pastor Bonnie Wilcox and the 25 volunteers from Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, St. Paul, Minn., who cleaned out basements, tore down vinyl siding, listened to stories of and offered comfort to flood victims in Bremer County, Iowa.

4 Pray for Pastor Chad and Natalie Rimmer, who serve as leaders of the International Church of Copenhagen in Denmark.

5 We thank God for congregations who choose to learn from one another and grow together in faith and action, especially Trinity, Minneapolis; Nokomis Heights, Minneapolis; and Mount Olivet, Plymouth, Minn.

6 Give thanks for Jean Wahlstrom and Marv Kananen, who serve in Tanzania. Jean is a Christian education developer and pastoral counselor at the Maasae Girls Lutheran Secondary School and Marv teaches at Moringe Sokoine Secondary School in Monduli.

7 Celebrate Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd and Parroquia Luterana San Francisco de Asis, Aurora, Ill., who have merged into one multicultural congregation -- New Hope Lutheran Church/Iglesia Luterana Nueva Esperanza -- which seeks to "nurture faith, receive grace, honor diversity and bring hope."

8 Remember in prayer the Rev. David and Carla Schick as they conclude their service in Slovakia. Ask God to bless them as they return to their family in United States.

9 10th Sunday After Pentecost

God of creation, we thank you for the awesome beauty of the land and sea in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia, for the rich diversity of peoples, and for your sons and daughters who seek to live your will.

10 Pray for the Rev. Bradn and Natalja Buerkle. Bradn is a professor at Novosaratovka Seminary in St. Petersburg, Russia, teaching church history and directing contextual education for pastors.

11 Praise God for the pastors of ELCA prison congregations and for the faithful people from neighboring congregations who bring the love of Christ to those incarcerated.

12 International Youth Day

Remember in prayer Christie Hanson and Pastor Eric Anspach-Hanson, serving the English-speaking congregation at Tokyo Lutheran Church, a congregation of the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church (JELC). Christie and Eric are also involved in youth programs of the JELC in the area.

13 Pray for the Essential Pieces program of Lutheran Family Services of Virginia. Ask God to support this social ministry organization in its mission to walk with parents of children with autism and to guide and strengthen these families.

14 Praise God for the work of Rev. Randall and Gail Mundt, who serve as leaders of the International Church of Austria.

15 Mary, Mother of Our Lord

Ask God to guide and guard the many people caring for aging or disabled relatives and others so that they can continue to live in their homes as long as possible.

16 11th Sunday After Pentecost

We thank you, O God, for the people of the Pacific island nation, whose vibrant faith gives reason to celebrate your goodness. We thank you for the many gifts of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea and its historic relationship with the ELCA.

17 Ask God to guide the churchwide assembly in its deliberations this week, sending the Holy Spirit to help the voting members make wise and loving decisions on behalf of the whole church.

18 Give thanks for the 1,000-plus voting members attending this year's churchwide assembly in Minneapolis. Often they sacrifice vacation days from work and time with their families to do the "business" of this church.

19 Thank God for the staff and visitors who have come to assist the churchwide assembly voting members in their deliberations and communications with the rest of the ELCA.

20 Pray for God's mercy on those called to do the work of this church at the churchwide assembly. Guide them in love and humility to bear the Gospel today and as they move forth into the world.

21 Give thanks for all those who have provided leadership over the years in this church and its predecessors; ask God to lead today's leaders to continue to lead faithfully as they continue the work begun so long ago.

22 Ask God to protect the voting members, visitors and staff of the churchwide assembly as they wrap up their week of work and travel home, providing safe journeys for all.

23 12th Sunday After Pentecost

God of grace, look with favor on the people and churches of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as they face new challenges and hope. We thank you for the links in faith and witness that emerge in the companion relationship between the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church and the ELCA Delaware-Maryland Synod and for the mission zeal that emerges from the strong companion relationship between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lithuania and the ELCA Grand Canyon Synod.

24 Bartholomew, Apostle

Pray for the members of the ELCA North/West Lower Michigan Synod who will partner with Thrivent Builds, ELCA Global Mission and Habitat for Humanity to build a house in their companion synod, the Papua District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea, in September.

25 Remember the many Lutheran social ministries that provide safe, caring spaces for people to live out their later years in loving community. Pray for the administrators, caregivers and residents of all Lutheran independent living, assisted care, and nursing care facilities.

26 Give thanks for the new partnership between ELCA Global Mission and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s "Mission in the World" and Global Mission programs. The two church bodies draw on their long history of cooperation as they move forward together in global mission.

27 We thank God for the life of Dave Sanders, developer of affinity groups considering issues of rural America, who died on May 31. We thank God for his commitment to the ELCA, his passion for rural ministry, and his kind, gentle spirit.

28 Pray for the new mission personnel who are being deployed this summer to many parts of the world. Give thanks for their service to Christ's Church and their devotion to mission in God's world.

29 August 29th is the four-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi, and many of those affected continue to struggle with the recovery process. In the midst of yet another hurricane season, pray today for those still working to rebuild from Katrina and other devastating storms.

30 13th Sunday After Pentecost

We thank you, O God, for the churches in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia; for the Christian education of children and young people; for increased practice of Bible reading and prayer in homes, and for perseverance in confessing the faith in a changing environment.

31 We pray for members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Saginaw, Mich., that the Holy Spirit may strengthen and equip them for their ministry with the youth of their neighborhood and that the love of God may shine forth through them.

This resource may be copied and shared among members and friends of the congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Prayer Ventures is produced by ELCA Communication Services in cooperation with other units of the ELCA. Contact info@elca.org for additional information: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Communication Services. 8765 W. Higgins Road, Chicago, IL 60631. Telephone 800/638-3522, ext. 2458.