Pastoral prayer offered at
Danville Congregational Church, UCC

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This morning we come to you oh God with many joys and concerns on our hearts. We turn to you in prayer because we know—we claim and believe—that you hear our prayers.

Dear God, known in this moment as our heavenly Father, the one who loves and adores us, Abba…

We lift up to you fathers…those who raised us, those who have been like fathers to us, pappas, daddies, uncles, grandfathers … For those who have to the best of their ability shown love, we offer gratitude. For those with whom relationship has been difficult, we ask for grace. For those missing fathers in this moment, comfort. For those fathers experiencing loss, healing.

We lift up Zoe Spears, age 23, a Black transgender woman from Maryland who was killed this past week, the fourth trans woman of color killed this Pride month, the tenth this year.

We say her name, Zoe Spears, and pray for her
and for an end to violence, hate, and fear.

We pray this morning oh God for the victims of the Pulse Massacre in Orlando, Florida 3 years ago last week—for the 49 mostly queer, people of color, who amid the sanctuary of the dance-floor lost their lives.

We light a candle to remember them
and hold them in this moment of silence.

We pray this morning oh God for the victims of Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church Massacre in Charleston, South Carolina four years ago this week—for the nine African-American saints attending a prayer service in the sanctuary of their Mother Church who lost their lives.

We light a candle to remember them
and hold them in this moment of silence.

Oh God, we lift up to you the one who suffers silently, the addict on the street, the one who thinks they have no one to pray for them—be in this moment real and present to them in a physical, meaningful way.

In the name of all that is holy, and the name of Jesus,

Hear our prayer,

Amen.