99 Prayers Your Church Needs (But Doesn't Know It Yet)

Prayers for Unpredictable and Unsual Times

Cara Gilger

• Publisher: Chalice Press
• Year: 2019
• eBook ISBN: 9780827225350
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

When the unexpected comes and you can't find the words to pray, 99 Prayers Your Church Needs (But Doesn't Know It Yet) will provide the starting point that will help lead you to the prayer your congregation or pastor needs. From prayers for a family who has lost a loved one to addiction, to a prayer for the new pastor in a new congregation, these 99 prayers will help you respond to a multitude of unexpected prayer requests -- whether celebratory or grieving, or somewhere in between -- in the course of your congregation's life.99 Prayers includes blessings or prayers for: -when your pastor is facing criminal charges-those who have lost a loved one to an overdose-a member of your congregation formally changing their name-when your pastor has experienced the death of a child-when your pastor is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness-when your pastor has been arrested in a non-violent protest-your pastor's deployment as a military chaplain-a member of your congregation celebrating a milestone in sobrietyEditor: Cara GilgerContributors: Robyn Bles, Diane Faires, Shauna Flemming, Danny Gulden, Jamie Haskins, Megan Houston, Shane Isner, Stephanie Kendell, Billy Kilgore, Elizabeth King, Allison Lanza, Peter Mitchell, Ryan Motter, Suzanne Kerr Motter, Sunny Ridings, Kim Gage Ryan, Melissa St. Clair, Shanna Steitz, Arthur Stewart, Whitney Waller-Cole, Dawn Weaks, Kory Wilcoxson, Chris Wilson, Mark Winters, Selena Wright

Contents

Copyright

Introduction

Prayers for Individuals in Challenging Times

A family in your congregation has experienced a traumatic death

A member of your congregation has committed suicide

For those who have lost a loved one to an overdose

A member or close relative of the congregation passes away on deployment

A member of your community is facing mental health issues

A member of your congregation is struggling with depression

A member in your congregation is experiencing personal financial crisis

A member is placing their spouse into assisted living

A member of your congregation has miscarried

Social services has become involved with a family in your community

For someone beginning treatment for a longterm illness

A family in your church is being deported unexpectedly

Prayers and Blessings for Individuals

Blessing for a church member who is starting a new job

A member of your congregation is celebrating a milestone in sobriety

Blessing for a family who is making a long-distance move

For the new identity of one who is transitioning

For those who serve behind the scenes in ministry

Blessing for students who are leaving to study abroad

A member of your congregation is formally changing their name (refugees)

A family in your congregation is welcoming
a foster child

A prayer with a child for the passing of their pet

Prayers for Community in Challenging Times

A medical emergency occurs
during worship

Your congregation is struggling to pay bills

Your building has been on fire

Your building’s sprinkler system goes off
and damages your church property

Your church has been burglarized

Your church has been vandalized

Your community has sustained
a significant disaster

Your community has sustained a significant economic disaster

Your congregation experiences a significant drop in membership

Your congregation has sustained the ...

Table of contents

• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Prayers for Individuals in Challenging Times
• A family in your congregation has experienced a traumatic death
• A member of your congregation has committed suicide
• For those who have lost a loved one to an overdose
• A member or close relative of the congregation passes away on deployment
• A member of your community is facing mental health issues
• A member of your congregation is struggling with depression
• A member in your congregation is experiencing personal financial crisis
• A member is placing their spouse into assisted living
• A member of your congregation has miscarried
• Social services has become involved with a family in your community
• For someone beginning treatment for a longterm illness
• A family in your church is being deported unexpectedly
• Prayers and Blessings for Individuals
• Blessing for a church member who is starting a new job
• A member of your congregation is celebrating a milestone in sobriety
• Blessing for a family who is making a long-distance move
• For the new identity of one who is transitioning
• For those who serve behind the scenes in ministry
• Blessing for students who are leaving to study abroad
• A member of your congregation is formally changing their name (refugees)
• A family in your congregation is welcoming a foster child
• A prayer with a child for the passing of their pet
• Prayers for Community in Challenging Times
• A medical emergency occurs during worship
• Your congregation is struggling to pay bills
• Your building has been on fire
• Your building’s sprinkler system goes off and damages your church property
• Your church has been burglarized
• Your church has been vandalized
• Your community has sustained a significant disaster
• Your community has sustained a significant economic disaster
• Your congregation experiences a significant drop in membership
• Your congregation has sustained the passing of a member
• Your congregation is about to implement a staff reduction
• Your congregation is letting go of a staff member
• Your congregation is being protested
• Your congregation is facing a budget shortfall
• Your congregation is facing a challenge with government
• Your congregation is facing negative media coverage
• Your congregation is facing the loss of a significant community partnership
• Your congregation is marking a first anniversary since something sad
• A staff member or lay leader has been discovered stealing from the church
• Your organist or music leader calls in sick on Sunday
• Your youth group experiences something frightening on mission trip
• A congregation member is injured at camp or on mission trip
• A member of your congregation has been discovered to be a sex offender
• There has been an act of extreme violence within your town or community
• There has been an act of extreme violence perpetrated on children in your town or community
• Organization or business housed in your building has experienced public scandal
• Your community has sustained a significant social justice disaster
• A lament for racial inequality and prayer for reconciliation
• Your congregation is being threatened with a lawsuit
• Prayers for Community Discernment
• Your congregation is participating in new justice work within the community
• Your congregation is forming a new community partnership
• Your congregation is considering a merger
• Your congregation is considering closing
• Your congregation is considering significant changes to worship (time, format, etc.)
• Your congregation is considering becoming open and affirming
• Your congregation is discerning ending a long-standing and historical program
• Your congregation is discerning adding a new staff position
• Your congregation is discerning becoming a bilingual worshiping community
• Prayers and Blessings for Community Celebrations
• Your congregation is considering a building addition
• Your congregation is considering a building remodel
• Your congregation is seeding another congregation in your building
• Your congregation is supporting a new church start
• Your congregation is selling an existing building and relocating their ministry
• Your congregation is marking a first anniversary since something joyful
• Your congregation is sponsoring a family (immigrants, refugees, homeless transitioning)
• Your congregation is celebrating Pride Month
• Your congregation is hosting worship prior to Pride Parade
• Your community has received a significant economic benefit
• Your congregation experiences a significant spike in membership
• Your congregation has received a significant gift
• Your congregation has completed a successful capital campaign
• Blessing for a Habitat for Humanity home
• Your congregation is celebrating Earth Day
• Blessing for the demolishing of an existing building, with no plans to rebuild
• Prayers for Your Pastor
• Your pastor calls in sick on Sunday
• Your pastor has been arrested in a nonviolent protest
• Your pastor is about to lose their job and they don’t know it
• Your pastor is about to lose their job and they know it
• Your pastor has resigned suddenly out of conflict
• Your pastor is adopting a child
• Your pastor is beginning maternity leave
• Your pastor is beginning parental leave
• Your pastor is put on bed rest
• Your pastor is placed on short-term medical leave
• Your pastor has experienced the death of a child
• Your pastor’s spouse/partner is diagnosed with an illness
• Your pastor’s spouse/partner passes away unexpectedly
• Your pastor is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness
• Your pastor has died suddenly
• A beloved former pastor dies suddenly
• Your pastor is divorcing
• Your pastor is facing criminal charges
• Your pastor has been accused of sexual misconduct
• Your pastor has been caught in an embarrassing situation
• Your pastor is deployed as a chaplain
• Pastor is transitioning to a new role within the ministry
• Blessings for a pastor departing for sabbatical
• Blessing for a pastor returning from sabbatical
• About the Contributors
• About Bethany Fellowships