Prayer for those who lose hope

God, we pray for those who lose hope in their life for various reasons. It makes it worse to know that sometimes as individuals and communities we are responsible for this loss of hope. Help us to regroup our thoughts and priorities.
Teach us Jesus to offer hope to everyone. There are many reasons around us to lose hope but there are good and exciting reasons to have hope and use it to live. Show us how you offered hope to people every single time.
Holy Spirit, be with us and strengthen us so that we never lose hope. One moment of hopelessness is enough to ruin our life but one moment of hope can turn it around. May our prayers and life be filled with hope. Amen.

Prayer for church and religious leaders

God, we pray for church leaders who can make swift moves to safeguard people inside and outside the church. We ask for leaders with a strong prayer life, sincere mind, hard working attitude and a desire for love and peace. Even when we seek senseless actions, may church leaders be bold to hold the fort for God and God's people.
Help our leaders irrespective of denomination and religious affiliation to admit it when they make mistakes and learn from them. Give us the mind to forgive them and support them to become stronger so that they lead us even better. May we as people cut off the supply route of creating corrupt and bad leaders.

Bless our leaders Holy Spirit to always think about the good of people. May they not dream of things which people don't possess and may they not justify luxurious lives in the name of security and public work. Instead may our leaders reflect us the people so that they will know the issues which people face in all walks of life. Amen.

Prayer to start the week

God, as we start the week help us to stand well and be ready to start all that we need to do. There are many times when we lack the motivation and being demotivated is the worst thing that can happen. Talk to us and make us understand the reason why we need to do something so that we start on our own and not because someone pushed us from behind.
Christ Jesus, sometimes we are slow to start because we don’t have a manual to learn from. But knowing you and understanding your teachings should be a manual in itself. Prevent us from thinking of the finish line and instead make us concentrate on our start.

Holy Spirit, we can win even after a bad start by concentrating on our lane and learning how to use our energy and speed. Support us to concentrate on our lane instead of looking at all other lanes but our own. This week help us to start the race knowing that God will help us finish it well. Amen.

Prayer for decision making

God who chose to create us, help us to take decisions which are in the best interest of people. Many a time we choose not to decide because we don't want to hurt some people. But our indecision can also lead to irreperable damage.
Jesus, you chose whom to have with you, whom to heal, who to help and who to stand with. Help us to understand who are those who need us most and not just bother about who affect our feelings most. Life and ministry are a choice. Lead us well as we make that difficult choice.
Help us Holy Spirit when we have so many solutions and yet not one decisive decision in our mind. We will have to live with our decisions whether they turn out to be good or bad. Whisper into our ears that everything will be all right and we will be on the right path one way or the other. Amen.

Prayer for priests

God, help priests to understand their congregation well by spending time with them and knowing what they need. A priest in a church is a guide, counsellor, teacher, parent and friend. Strengthen priests to go beyond reciting of prayers and be something to everyone.
Jesus, may priests take you as a model for ministry. You ministered without a church but with several members. You were there for the people irrespective of your busy schedule. Whenever you were stressed out you did not get angry but withdrew in prayer and meditation.
Holy Spirit may priests be blessed by your renewal so that they know when to go in and when to withdraw from a congregation. A priest can make or break a church. May this realisation bring upon priests the self induced need for scrutiny, improvement and needful change. Amen.

Prayer for theological college/seminary

We pray for theological colleges and seminaries dear God. May teachers be inspired to guide students with their life and not just with their lectures. Help students prepare themselves for priesthood, teaching and various forms of service by using their time at seminaries as a time of learning through writing papers, preaching sermons, having conversations and knowing what it is to be human.
Jesus, you trained your disciples through sermons, talks, discussions and practical sessions. When you left they were ready to take your place for teaching and healing. May teachers in seminaries ready students to take over and carry on the mission of working in God's vineyard.

Holy Spirit, inspire seminaries to be the best institution for spiritual moulding where students become loving, well mannered, prayerful, sincere, hard working, truthful and committed to doing the Lord's work. May seminaries try to become the most apt place on earth for candidates to develop into what God needs them to. Lead everyone in various campuses to help and correct each other without hurting one another’s heart and soul. Amen.

Prayer for churches

We pray God for churches to be spaces that offer the best of the best to people. May luxury be replaced by the presence of God, love and peace of mind. People yearn for acceptance and warmth and we pray that churches become those places where everyone who needs love and care can walk in.
Jesus, may churches have walls and gates only as an ornamentation and not as an obstacle for people to walk in. May our churches not be defined by worship times but by their openness to throw open their doors to those who seek God and peace. Help us to open our churches to you Jesus so that everyone else will follow.

Lead us Holy Spirit in our conduct of churches so that God's will and not our will may be done. Help us to see everyone who walks into church as a child of God who needs the church for renewal, growth and love. Help us to be the church that God wants us to be. Amen.