For the last 10 days, June 25 to July 3, the 78th General Convention of the US-based Episcopal Church has been meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. The Diocese of Taiwan is one of those dioceses present, and Bishop Lai led a group from Taiwan to take part in it.

Last year during Advent, many of us took part in a highly successful social media project – like a global Advent Calendar – called Advent Word, where we posted a photo a day on an Advent theme, organized by SSJE, the Society of St. John the Evangelist.  I loved it!

SSJE were invited by the General Convention to organize another social media project for the duration of the General Convention, described here:

At the request of the General Convention Liturgy Team, the Society of Saint John the Evangelist is offering a social media initiative called  #prayersof.

#prayersof invites everyone from around the globe to add prayers in words and images to The Prayers of the People at the Episcopal Church’s 78th General Convention. Each day, a number of submitted prayers will be incorporated into the spoken liturgy of that day’s General Convention worship.

Adding a prayer is incredibly simple. By using the hashtag #prayersof on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, anyone posting a public prayer in words or images will have that prayer included in the prayer website at General Convention – prayersofthepeople.org

#prayersof is based on the seven classic forms of prayers identified in the Book of Common Prayer: thanksgiving, praise, intercession, adoration, oblation, penitence and petition. Themes of life and celebration have been added as there are nine days of General Convention Eucharists.

So this has been my humble contribution these last 9 days, all photos used were mine, taken in the last week or so, and well, minus the Instagram filters!

Day 1: Life

God of Life, may our lives be transformed into something beautiful for you.

Day 2: Thanksgiving

God of Grace, your presence sustains us in the storms of life.  Thank you that your grace is sufficient for us, for your strength is made perfect in weakness.

Day 3: Praise

God of Glory, however we honour our earthly heroes, it is you alone who is worthy of the highest praise, honour and glory.

Day 4: Adoration

God of Love, as the flowers enjoy the warmth and light of the sun, may we lift up our hearts and minds to you and enjoy the warmth and light of your presence with us.

Day 5: Penitence

God of Forgiveness, when we fail in our calling to shine as lights in the world, have mercy.

Day 6: Intercession

God of Compassion, we pray for those who travel on the journey of life with us, especially for those struggling with pain, grief, loneliness and fear.

Day 7: Petition

God of the ages, help us to be bridge-builders, reaching out to others, bringing unity where there is division.

Day 8: Oblation

God of vision, our lives are often complicated and it’s a challenge to stick together. We offer to you our challenges, relationships and lives, for the building of your kingdom.

Day 9: Celebration

We celebrated this day with a huge water fight! God of joy, may we celebrate, proclaim and share your love with those around us.

As the General Convention concludes today, we pray for all their discussions, announcements, elections, results, decisions, conversations, meetings ~ and for the ongoing ministry of the Episcopal Church, and the Presiding Bishop-elect, Michael Curry.