Prayer Ministry

Daily Prayer Ventures

June 2025

1 Pray that our words and actions will glorify God and reflect the immeasurable, unprejudiced grace God has shown humankind through the gift of Jesus Christ.

 2  Pride Month  Give thanks to God for the gifts, wisdom, leadership and faith of our LGBTQIA+ neighbors and siblings in Christ. Ask the Spirit to embolden us as we work together for justice, total inclusion and love for humanity in all its diversity.

3 Remember in prayer ELCA outdoor ministries across the country as they equip young adults to lead summer camp programs for people of all ages and abilities, encouraging spiritual growth, developing life skills and fostering relationships in Christ-centered communities.

4 Give thanks for the beauty, bounty and awe-inspiring complexity of nature — a gift from God that nourishes all of us. Promise to exercise wisdom and responsibility in using, protecting, sharing and restoring creation.

5 Pray for the leaders, voting members and others gathering for the assemblies of the Central/Southern Illinois, Central States, Indiana-Kentucky, Lower Susquehanna and New Jersey synods, that the Spirit will strengthen, guide and inspire them as they reflect on the mission of the church, choose leaders and encourage one another to proclaim the gospel and serve our neighbors in need.

6 Pray for the leaders, voting members and others gathering for the assemblies of the La Crosse Area; Metropolitan Washington, D.C.; Northeastern Iowa; Southern Ohio; and Southwestern Minnesota synods, that the Spirit will strengthen, guide and inspire them as they reflect on the mission of the church, choose leaders and encourage one another to proclaim the gospel and serve our neighbors in need.

7 Pray for the leaders, voting members and others gathering for the assemblies of the East-Central Synod of Wisconsin and Eastern North Dakota Synod, that the Spirit will strengthen, guide and inspire them as they reflect on the mission of the church, choose leaders and encourage one another to proclaim the gospel and serve our neighbors in need.

 8  Day of Pentecost  “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). We are never alone or forgotten. Give thanks to God that we have received the gift of the Spirit, who accompanies us throughout our baptismal journey.

9 Pray for summer ministries that serve congregations and their surrounding communities by sharing the gospel, stirring faith, providing day care and serving neighbors in need. 

10 Ask God to help us nurture a new generation of leaders for our church, our communities and our nation — people of faith, wisdom, compassion, creativity and courage.

11 Pray for our neighbors and siblings in Christ who languish in jails, prisons, correctional facilities or immigration detention centers, that the Spirit will inspire their faith and hope and that they might access skilled legal, physical, spiritual and emotional care.

12 Pray for the leaders, voting members and others gathering for the assemblies of the Florida-Bahamas, Grand Canyon and South Carolina synods, that the Spirit will strengthen, guide and inspire them as they reflect on the mission of the church, choose leaders and encourage one another to proclaim the gospel and serve our neighbors in need.

13 Pray for the leaders, voting members and others gathering for the assemblies of the Northern Illinois, Northwestern Pennsylvania, Southwestern Washington, Upper Susquehanna, Virginia and Western Iowa synods, that the Spirit will strengthen, guide and inspire them as they reflect on the mission of the church, choose leaders and encourage one another to proclaim the gospel and serve our neighbors in need.

14 Pray for the leaders, voting members and others gathering for the assembly of the Sierra Pacific Synod, that the Spirit will strengthen, guide and inspire them as they reflect on the mission of the church, choose leaders and encourage one another to proclaim the gospel and serve our neighbors in need.

 15  The Holy Trinity  “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). Pray that our faith in Jesus Christ, the embodiment of God’s unwavering love and forgiveness, will strengthen our confidence in both the reality and the mystery of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

16 For Father's Day (June 15), remember in prayer biological fathers, stepfathers, adoptive fathers and foster fathers, that they will treasure the joys of fatherhood and find support and wise counsel for the challenges of parenting, passing along their faith, teaching compassion and respect, and encouraging and guiding their children.

17 Pray that in times of uncertainty and anxiety, we will find comfort and strength in God’s steadfast love and that, from this foundation, we will confidently and courageously bear God’s peace, justice and reconciliation into the world. 

18 Amid conflict and war, pray for national leaders, diplomats and other representatives whose negotiations might bring ceasefires and lasting peace. Ask the Spirit to guide their deliberations and stir their humility, respect, compassion and mercy.

 19  Juneteenth  This day of celebration, dating back to June 19, 1865, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Give thanks and praise to God for creating humankind in all its diversity, and ask God’s forgiveness for yielding to fear, suspicion and intolerance of others. Ask God to guide and strengthen our work of including all people in the church and society.

20 World Refugee Day  On this day, we honor the courage and resilience of refugees and immigrants, and work to build empathy and support for people who have fled their home countries because of conflict, natural disaster or economic crisis. Give thanks that we can respond together through AMMPARO Migrant Ministry, ELCA World Hunger, Lutheran Disaster Response, Global Refuge and Lutheran social service organizations.

Daily Prayer Ventures

July 2025

1 Remember in prayer congregations, synods and outdoor ministries that have applied for an ELCA Disability Ministry grant. These grants support projects and programs that identify and prepare people with disabilities for leadership positions and equip members of congregations to welcome them to full participation in the life of the church.

2 Nothing is impossible for God. Our sins, fears, demons and eccentricities are no match for God’s power to forgive, heal and renew us. Give thanks to God for surrounding us with siblings in Christ who extend to us their mercy and love.

3 Our church has missionaries in 35 countries, and its Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program covers six countries/territories. Pray that God will bless these missionaries as they serve alongside companion churches in education, evangelism, administration, parish ministry, leadership development, justice and health. 

 4  Independence Day  Give thanks for the freedom we enjoy in our country. Promise to be responsible with that freedom and attentive to those marginalized by poverty, prejudice, persecution, unjust laws or malevolent ideologies.

5 “Insofar as a Christian is free, no works are necessary. Insofar as a Christian is a servant, all kinds of works are done” (Martin Luther, The Freedom of a Christian). Praise God for freeing us from sin through the redeeming love of Jesus Christ. Ask the Spirit to inspire our service, our acts of kindness and mercy, and our praise for God, the true source of absolute freedom.

6 God sends us into the world equipped to share the gospel, care for neighbors in need, inspire hope and strive for justice and healing. Give thanks for the strength and encouragement we receive from our church, our faith communities and our siblings in Christ.

7 Pray for the ELCA Domestic Mission unit and its renewal team, which help synods to equip congregations for engaging in renewal ministry and for growing as vibrant and diverse communities of faith.

8 Give thanks for community gardens that feed our neighbors, and pray for the people who tend them with love and purpose.

9 Pray for people traveling this summer, that they will be enriched by their experiences, filled with awe at creation, and inspired to share the good news of Jesus Christ everywhere they go.

10 Pray for the ELCA stewardship leaders network, which grows well-equipped mission interpreters, stewardship key leaders, ventures steward leaders and stewardship coaches to serve as resources for congregations and nurture generosity across the church.

21 Pray for voting members, church leaders and congregation observers as they prepare for the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix, Ariz. Ask the Spirit to fill them with enthusiasm for the church’s mission and guide their discernment of how we should do God’s work in a changing and challenging world.

22 Ask the Spirit to renew the energy of staff serving in summer camps and outdoor ministries. Pray that they will be enriched by their ministry experiences and inspired to pursue vocations of service in the church and society.

23 “When all our words seem frail and hollow, God heeds the prayers within our tears” (ACS 1050). Praise God for hearing and grasping the depth of our prayers and lamentations, especially when they feel clumsy, inadequate and incoherent.

24 Praise God for gathering us in a church that welcomes all, strives to be faithful to the gospel and equips us to serve in a world of complexity, tension and ambiguity.

25 Give thanks for the Spirit, who strengthens our trust in the steadfast love of God and calms our disbelief and anxiety when we question how anyone can truly love us as we are.

26 Pray for children, youth and young adults in your congregation, that their faith will be nurtured, that their gifts will be valued and used, and that they will be included in every aspect of the church’s mission.

27 Thank God for Jesus Christ, “from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with a growth that is from God” (Colossians 2:19).

28 Pray for the voting members, church leaders and volunteers gathering at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix, Ariz., for decision-making and spiritual discernment on behalf of the entire church.

29 Ask the Spirit to grant us humility and courage, that we might recognize and repent for our legacy of injustice, false history and mistreatment of Indigenous people, which persist today. Pray that our church and society will work toward truth, repentance, healing and unity — God’s work of reconciliation in the world.

 30  International Day of Friendship  Promise to build bridges between individuals, countries and cultures, stirring empathy, inspiring peace and promoting mutual understanding and respect for diversity.

31 Thank God for the ELCA’s special relationship with the Reformed Church in America, a full communion partner since 1997. Pray for the church, its members and its leaders, that together we will find strength and resources for the work of sharing the gospel and serving our neighbor.

Morning: PRAY 

Four steps for a good morning prayer can be remembered by the acronym –

PRAY: Praise, Reason, Ask, Yes

1. Paise God. Begin by thanking and praising God for keeping you through the night. Give thanks for God's great love.

2. Reason why God is giving you this day. What needs to be done by you today?

3. Ask God, for forgiveness and grace. Ask God for one gift today to help you be the best you can be.

4. Yes God! Tell God you are ready, willing, and able to accomplish the tasks for the day. Do your best and give God the rest.

Evening: GRIP

In the evening, get a grip on the day: 

GRIP: Gratitude, Recollection, Inventory, Prayers

1. Gratitude: Take a moment to thank God for giving you this day. Give thanks for God's great love for you. Where did God bless you today?

2. Recollection: Look back at the events of the day. Consider who you saw, what you did, where you went. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you courage to be truly soul-searching. Were you growing closer to God or further away?

3. Inventory: Take inventory of how the day went. Thank God for the good you have done. Ask forgiveness for any wrong you have done. Prepare to make some amendment for sins. Take a good look at your mistakes and ask for forgiveness. Accept God's forgiveness and be at peace.

4. Prayers: Give to God all those who need your prayers. Let no boundaries stand in your way as you pray for yourself, your family and friends, the Church, the country, and the world.

ﾠ1. Give Thanksﾠ

Pause and give thanks for something
in your day (even if it’s small).

Gratitude lets us see the light in our lives alongside the shadows. Acknowledging what we cherish gives us a sense of wonder and connects us to Love within us and around us. In this way, gratitude is one way we tell the truth about ourselves and our lives. It’s another way we say, “This matters to me.”

ﾠ2. Reviewﾠ

Review what happened in your day
and how you felt about it.

We don’t have to remember every detail, but a general recap of our day makes us more aware of our reality and emotions. This is especially helpful if we are on autopilot or feeling disconnected from ourselves, love, or others. Reviewing our day also helps us consider that Love speaks to us through our humanity (our thoughts, emotions, and bodies) and that we’re invited to listen to all of that.

ﾠ3. Reflectﾠ

Reflect on consolation
and desolation by asking: 

“When did I feel connected to
and disconnected from Love today?”

Holding the memories and feelings from the day, we now observe (without judgment) what sticks out and grabs our attention most. We listen to what brought us alive and made us feel most like ourselves. We call this feeling of being connected to Love and our true selves, consolation. And then we also listen, with equal attention, to what broke our heart, made us feel isolated, or ­misunderstood. We call this feeling of being disconnected from Love and our true selves, desolation. These deeper messages from our experiences and heart are often ways the Sacred invites us into deeper relationship, healing, and growth.

ﾠ4. Mendﾠ 

Listen to where you need mending
or need to make amends.

This step is about accountability and compassion. We sit in union with Love and consider where there was misunderstanding or pain in our day. We listen to where we need to make amends and commit to taking steps to do so. We also listen to where we need to speak up about our own needs or on behalf of someone else. Again, we commit to following up on these revelations when we end our practice.