A Collection of Prayers regarding the Coronavirus

A Way to Find Peace from Rev. Donna

Now that we are sheltering in place as much as possible, stress and anxiety can feel even stronger and we need God’s Peace more than ever. Using the song words from the Community of Taizé offers us one way to pray and experience the Peace of Christ that we all need in these unsettling times. For over 20 years on the first Wednesday of the month, we have been offering Taizé services that offer space in our lives for quiet prayer both sung and spoken, silence in community, beauty in candlelight, and Holy Communion. Many have told me they find it to be a mid-week pick-me-up, a time of calm and peace, and food for the soul. Taizé songs are based on scripture. When repeated, these prayers can seep deep within us. Below are the words to a couple of my favorite songs. Whether sung, spoken, or read silently, my prayer for you is that through their use and repetition, you may experience the Peace of our Lord Jesus that passes understanding…

Nothing can trouble, nothing can frighten. Those who seek God shall never go wanting.

Nothing can trouble, nothing can frighten. God alone fills us.

Within our darkest night, you kindle the fire that never dies away, never dies away.

Within our darkest night, you kindle the fire that never dies away, never dies away.

You can also experience a Taizé service or learn more about this beautiful way of worship by going to www.taize.fr (click on English at the top of the page). Daily prayer services are posted including words and music to the various prayer songs in many languages. It is also a way of being connected with our global family during this crisis. May the music bathe your soul in Christ’s Peace.

In this time of high anxiety and fear that creates great stress for us all, it is good to incorporate practices that can bring peace and calm. One of those practices is known as The Breath Prayer. Another is The Blessing Prayer. Following are some suggestions in how to pray in these ways.

The Breath Prayer is a wonderful way to pray to help us frequently pause, breathe deeply of the Holy Spirit’s Presence, and exhale concerns and worries, especially in these stressful days.

• Choose a short scripture phrase such as Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10) OR My peace I give to you, my peace I leave you (John 14:6) OR other words such as I breathe in God’s Love and breathe out my fears.
• Take a few moments to quietly center yourself so that you can be aware of deeply breathing in and out. Pay attention to the rhythm of your breathing.
• As you breathe in, focus on the first part of the phrase, and as you breathe out, focus on the second part, i.e. breathe in on Be still and know…breathe out on that I am God.

Blessing prayers are a hallmark of the Celtic Christian tradition. Such prayers enable us to look for ways that God blesses us. They help us focus on not only needs but even more important all we can be thankful for even in these turbulent times. They can be long or short, personal or communal, and related to anything from the mundane to the most pressing need. Anyone can write such a prayer and I invite you to try writing your own prayers such as the ones I wrote below. May you be BLESSED in this difficult time with the peace and calm of Christ.

Grace & Peace to you all, Donna Strieb

A Communal Blessing Prayer

Bless to us, Lord Jesus Christ, your Holy Spirit Presence in these uncertain days

Bless to us hearts and minds focused on Your ever-present Love

Bless to us your peace that passes understanding

Bless to us your calm in the midst of this storm

Bless to us the binding of fear and anxiety

Bless to us good health and safety from disease

Bless to us a witness of strong faith and praise in all things

Bless to us your assurance that in You are working in the world for good

Bless to us confidence in your never-failing Grace and the Power of Prayer

Bless to us Your strength for the living of these days. Amen.

A Personal Blessing Prayer

Bless to me, O Christ, this day eyes to see your blessings everywhere

Bless to me positive thoughts

Bless to me joy in little things

Bless to me connection with family and friends

Bless to me ways to center my life in You. Amen.

Coronavirus (Covid-19) Concerns 

Mighty God, our Refuge, our Strength, a very Present Help in times of trouble, we come to you in this time of unprecedented crisis for our world. We thank you that we can turn to you in confidence and trust, casting all our cares on you for indeed you care for us and remembering that in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us and that nothing in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And so we pray…

• Praise for your healing hand on the thousands who have the virus, are unknown carriers, and those who are recovering from it. Gratitude for the many who are well.
• Calm for us all in the midst of every aspect of this crisis, claiming God’s promises in Psalm 91…that you will deliver us from the snare of the hunter and from the deadly pestilence…because you have set your love upon us and will deliver us. And Jesus’ words in John 14…Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you, I do give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
• Thanksgiving for those working on a preventative vaccine, those willing to test it, and continued blessing and success in this endeavor.  
• Praise for all the doctors, nurses, technicians, and all workers in hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. Give them extra-ordinary stamina, strength, wisdom, and knowledge as they care for the sick and dying. Shield them from illness and harm.
• Healing for all who are sick, that their cases will be mild and they recover rapidly.
• Blessing and thanksgiving for all local, state, national, and world leaders who are working diligently to protect us all through acts of precaution and ways to stop the spread of disease. Give them continued wisdom, discernment, peace, and calm.
• Stemming of the tide of panic and fear that cause people to act in negative and harmful ways that hinder the welfare of all, create economic chaos, and lead to hoarding or scamming. We pray for the healing of all nations around the world.
• Peace for all who are being temporarily laid off, who need to work but cannot and have little or no resources for the future, who are alone, who have childcare concerns, who are separated from loved ones and unable to help as needed, and for all businesses large and small, restaurants and service organizations now affected by the results of this virus. We give thanks for employers able to continue pay employees not working.
• Safety and protection for all who are vulnerable – the elderly, those with compromised immune systems or present illness, those without medical insurance, the homeless, the refugees in camps, first responders, those on the front lines of fighting this disease.
• Our church - Pastor Holly Gotelli and clergy, staff, Weekday School, church leaders, and congregation, and indeed for all churches, to continue in ministry, to receive the financial help that is needed through the generosity and faithfulness of members, to stay connected through the many ways available, and most of all to be a faithful witness of the power and Love of Jesus Christ in our hurting world. We ask for a quick end to this crisis and a return to normal life. 
• Praise for what you are doing in our world, even though we may not fully grasp the movement of your Holy Spirit and ask that you show us how to join you in that work. Draw us ever closer to you to bring restoration and revival from this experience, new life will burst forth that blesses us all.

Blessed is the tie of love in Christ that binds us as family and community whether apart of together. And so believing that if we ask anything in the Name of Jesus Christ, he will do it so that God may be glorified in it, we offer this prayer in unity and faith. Amen.