Why We Pray for Others
If you’ve ever listened carefully to the Prayers of the People on Sunday morning, you’ve likely heard unfamiliar names: Eswatini, Brechin, Nzara, or perhaps another congregation here in Iowa. Each week, these names are lifted up alongside more familiar petitions, for those who are sick, for the needs of the world, and for our own communities. But why do we include these particular places in our prayers? What does it mean to pray for them, and what does that say about who we are as members of the Episcopal Church?
At its heart, prayer is not just a private act of devotion, it is an expression of relationship. When we pray for someone, we are participating in the life of the Body of Christ. As Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:26–27). This passage reminds us that we are spiritually bound to one another through Christ, not only in our own congregation, but across the world.
This spiritual bond is made visible in the Anglican Communion, a worldwide family of churches that share common roots in the Church of England and a commitment to worship, scripture, and prayer shaped by our shared heritage. The Episcopal Church is one member of this global communion, and our prayers each Sunday are a way of affirming and sustaining those connections.
Here in the Diocese of Iowa, we have formal relationships with three companion dioceses: the Diocese of Eswatini in Southern Africa, the Diocese of Brechin in Scotland, and the Diocese of Nzara in South Sudan. These partnerships are not just symbolic; they involve real relationships, shared ministry, and mutual support. Over the years, clergy and laypeople have visited each other, exchanged stories, built friendships, and worked together on mission projects. Even when we are not physically present with one another, we remain connected through our shared prayers.
When we pray for these dioceses on Sunday mornings, we are doing more than reading names from a list. We are placing their people and concerns before God. We are holding space for the joys and struggles of Christians in other parts of the world, some of whom worship in settings very different from our own, and many of whom face challenges such as poverty, conflict, or political instability. Our prayers are a way of standing in solidarity with them, trusting that God's love and grace are not confined by geography.
We also pray for other congregations within our own Diocese of Iowa each week. This helps remind us that we are part of a larger Diocesan family, a web of worshipping communities across cities, towns, and rural areas. Lifting up these parishes by name helps break down the sense that we are isolated. Instead, we are reminded that we walk together in faith, supporting one another in ministry, even if we have never met face to face.
Our Book of Common Prayer encourages this practice by including intercessions “for the mission of the Church,” and “for the unity of all peoples,” in the Prayers of the People. These prayers are not simply an add-on to the service, they are a core part of our identity as Episcopalians. We pray in order to align our hearts with God's heart, to participate in God’s work of reconciliation and healing in the world.
The act of praying for others, especially those we do not know, forms us spiritually. It widens our compassion, deepens our awareness of the world, and reminds us that God’s kingdom is far greater than any one church, nation, or tradition. When we include companion dioceses and other parishes in our prayers, we are saying, in effect: “You matter. You are not forgotten. We are with you in Christ.”
So the next time you hear the names Eswatini, Brechin, or Nzara in the prayers, or a parish here in Iowa, take a moment to reflect. Let their names be more than just spoken words. Let them become a quiet moment of connection, a thread of love woven through the tapestry of worship.
Consider offering your own prayers for these dioceses and congregations during the week. Visit the Diocesan website to learn more about our companions. Read about their ministries. Hold them in your heart. Your prayer, though it may seem small, becomes part of a great chorus rising to God, a chorus that echoes across continents, cultures, and languages, drawing us together in the mysterious and beautiful communion of the saints.
Kevin+
