First Presbyterian Church of St. Louis (University City)

We continue praying for those around the world. This week, in addition to the people in Haiti, we pray for the peoples of North Africa: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Western Sahara, Tunisia.

Give thanks for:

• The testimony of St. Augustine and other theologians of the early church from this region of the world.
• The harsh beauty of the desert.
• The tiny minority of Christians who live faithful lives of love and witness.

Pray for:

• An end to civil unrest and terrorism in Algeria.
• An openness that recognizes and values differences, especially among religious faiths.
• Children and youth, who comprise more than half the population of these countries.
• Those who risk their lives to cross the seas for entry into Europe.

For this prayer experience we’re using various resources from In God’s Hands: Common Prayer for the World. This resource was created by the World Council of Churches, edited by Hugh McCullum and Terry MacArthur, with most of the core materials collected by students at Eden Theological Seminary.

We continue praying for those around the world. This week, in addition to the people in Haiti, we pray for the peoples of Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey.

Give thanks for:

• The Christian church and its continued presence in these lands associated with the early churches of the apostles.
• Christians who have remained strong in their faith and continue to be a witness to the gospel.
• The wonders of the Church of St. Sophia, the chants on Mount Athos, the frescoes of the early churches in Cyprus.
• Baklava, stuffed vine leaves, moussaka, feta cheese.

Pray for:

• Peace and the healing of entrenched hatred between Greeks and Turks.
• Comfort for those who grieve and strength for those who work for justice.
• Kurdish people, and all who face discrimination as minorities.
• An end to the division of Cyprus.

For this prayer experience we’re using various resources from In God’s Hands: Common Prayer for the World. This resource was created by the World Council of Churches, edited by Hugh McCullum and Terry MacArthur, with most of the core materials collected by students at Eden Theological Seminary.

We continue praying for those around the world.

In the upcoming week, pray for the peoples of the Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Iran, Iraq.

Give thanks for:

• Christians who practice their faith in countries where they are a small minority; those who meet in house churches and those who provide links to Christians worldwide.
• Muslims who live up to the ideals of their faith and advocate tolerance and peace.
• Those who work for democracy and human rights.
• The preservation of the art of these ancient cultures.

Pray for:

• Peaceful relationships between different tribes, religions and ethnic groups.
• Clean water for those who thirst in the desert.
• Muslims who make the pilgrimage to Mecca, that they may be safe during their devotion.
• An end to terrorism, lawlessness and state oppression.

For this prayer experience we’re using various resources from In God’s Hands: Common Prayer for the World. This resource was created by the World Council of Churches, edited by Hugh McCullum and Terry MacArthur, with most of the core materials collected by students at Eden Theological Seminary.

The Worship Committee has planned that in 2010 we will pray for those around the world, using various resources from In God’s Hands: Common Prayer for the World. This resource was created by the World Council of Churches, edited by Hugh McCullum and Terry MacArthur, with most of the core materials collected by students at Eden Theological Seminary.

In the upcoming week, pray for the peoples of Egypt, Israel and the Occupied Territories, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

Give thanks for:

• The endless source of inspiration that pilgrims of Islam, Christianity and Judaism find in the sacred places in the land called holy.
• The Middle East Council of Churches and its efforts toward Christian unity and justice.
• The Nile and its life-giving water.
• Olive trees that have survived many generations and still produce fruit.

Pray for:

• Peace in the region, especially between Palestinians and Israelis.
• Respect for human rights and an end to unjust imprisonment and extra-judicial killing.
• Those whose homes are in the slums, the cemeteries, the garbage dumps and the refugee camps.
• Those who insist on violent solutions and who see force as the primary means of solving conflicts, that they might find more humanitarian methods.