Prayer of Intercession: Unity of the Church

Here’s a prayer of intercession for the unity of the church.  It comes from the Church of England website.

Intercessory Prayer: the Unity of the Church
(John 14:27, 15:1-17, 17; Acts 4:32, Ephesians 4:4-6)

Jesus prayed that his followers may all be one.
In the power of the Spirit, we join our prayers with his.

O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
our only Saviour, the Prince of Peace:
give us grace seriously to lay to heart
the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions.
Take away all hatred and prejudice,
and whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord;
that, as there is but one body and one Spirit,
one hope of our calling,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of us all,
so we may henceforth be all of one heart and of one soul,
united in one holy bond of peace, of faith and charity,
and may with one mind and one mouth glorify you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

I am the vine and you are the branches.
Abide in me as I abide in you.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Abide in me as I abide in you.

No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one's life for one's friends.
Abide in me as I abide in you.

You are my friends if you do what I command you;
love one another as I have loved you.
Abide in me as I abide in you.

(Intercessions are offered for the unity of the Church.
This response may be used:

Lord of the Church,
hear your people's prayer.)

(Silence may be kept.)

Lord Jesus Christ,
who said to your apostles,
'Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you':
look not on our sins but on the faith of your Church
and grant it the peace and unity of your kingdom;
where you are alive and reign with the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

— from the website of the Church of England

For more worship resources related to Christian unity, click on Christian Unity in the list of “Labels” at the lower right side of the page, or see this Resources for Christian Unity Index.