Daily Prayer for Peace
1:00 p.m.
Austria
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Call to Prayer
Lighting of Candle
Invitation
Today we will remember the people of Austria in our prayers. Located in Central Europe, Austria was once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire but it was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Neutrality, once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question since the Soviet collapse of 1991, and Austria's increasingly prominent role in European affairs. A prosperous country, Austria joined the European Union in 1995 and the euro monetary system in 1999. Manufacturing, powered by hydroelectricity, drives the nation's export trade; Austria also profits from iron ore, oil, and timber. Forests have been damaged by air pollution, despite environmental regulations. Farms, many located along the Danube River, provide 80 percent of food needs. Vienna is a world center of the arts. It is also the headquarters for many international organizations.
May the Spirit of God create in you an awareness of God's presence in your life--your longings, your sorrows, your hopes, and your dreams.
Prayer for Peace by Donald G. Brown, Pueblo, Colorado
All around us, every day, a moment arises, to have a good laugh, to share dreams and hopes, to simply hold someone in your arms and let them cry, to speak words of strength and comfort, to simply allow someone to voice their pain. The burdens are still there, but the chances to bring ministry are there, too, if we can learn to see them. Perhaps we can make a difference for you, Lord.
All around us, every day, your healing Spirit moves among us, as an impulsion, a longing, a vague desire within us to do something more. Help us to see the little ways, and not-so-little ways, too, that we can instill your love, your warmth, your will, into scenes and situations of pain and sorrow. A hug, a visit, a smile, help us to tell others they do not walk through this life alone. Show us how we can make a difference for you, Lord.
O God, may we always be assured that you are there before us, to support us, to strengthen us, and to love us, and that when we serve in your stead, we do make a difference indeed, in all that we do in your name, and for your cause, and that you, God, are the one who makes the difference, and through whom all things are possible.
May your Kingdom come is our prayer, in the name of your Son, Jesus the Christ, we pray. Amen.
Hymn - Bear Each Other’s Burdens - Hymns of the Saints #369
Please join us now, praying the Prayers of the People. During the moments of silence, you are invited to pray silently or meditate.
O God, as you recreate us, fill the depths with your newness. As old attitudes and ideas crumble, brush them away with the breath of your new life. As scabs of memory tear and hurt, cover the wounds with the healing balm of your understanding, forgiving and accepting love. And as our hearts question which way to go, by the shining of your spirit, show us the path.
Go in peace.