22 February 2026 Prayer for the Pastor + Deacon + Chaplain

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Oh God, you cling to me through Jesus while I’m busying grasping at things that only deceive and hurt me. Thank you for your relentless, pervasive, continuous grabbing onto me. Sometimes I feel you as gentle as a nudge and other times I need a dramatic, wrenching sort of action in my life to get me back to you. You always seem to know the right way back to me. And here I am, at the beginning of Lent and sometimes I breathe out a great sigh of relief, “finally, a season that reflects how I already feel anyway.” And other times you catch me the full on whine of “I don’t want to do this – it’s just stupid.” And sometimes I am somewhere in between. And yet, Lent’s gonna Lent, so prepare my heart and mind and my whole being for what that will look like today. Let your promise of mercy and grace and love slip up alongside me – let those promises curl their way up me like a beanpole in summer – just brimming with possibility and goodness. Oh God, let your love ground me, remind me, re-member me. I am yours, faithful God. And you are mine. Wow.

Fill my loved ones with your love – the loveliest, lovely ones in my life. The ones I’ve been given to to love, and they’ve been given me. It is your great love wrapped up in these humans and animals. Fill me up with the love of them! Stir up our joy for one another.

Renew my colleagues and friends who are leaders in your church. I pray for ELCA leaders across southern Minnesota and especially for my colleagues in CGP.

For those in grief

Gretchen Pierskalla (Zion, Arlington) as she grieves the death of her sister Marlene.

Kristi Mitchell (Redeemer, Alden, Concordia, Pickeral Lake), as she moves through the slow and quite grief of losing her husband Bill.

Krista Strum (Hosanna, Rochester) as she grieves the death of her dad, Maurice.

For those in need of healing

Brittany Mailleue (Christ the King, Mankato), healing from surgery to remove a cancer and for a good pathology report

Christa Forsythe (Immanuel, Atwater) and her mom, Nancy, recovering from a life-threatening allergic reaction during a routine surgery.

Deborah Lyanga (Good Shepherd, Wells) healing for her father.

Dale Degner (Trinity, Benson), as the chemo schedule takes hold as well as side effects. Bring him your comfort and joy.

Nissa Peterson (Chatfield Lutheran & Root Prairie), as she and her family accompany Grandpa Roger in hospice care.

For those in the in-between in ministry

Peg Marose (On Leave From Call)

Drew Yackel (Discernment for new call)

For all the many seen and unseen things my colleagues are up to in protecting and reaching out to the neighbor in these very bonkers times. What signs of life their actions bring – what miracles!

God, your love of me has nothing to do with power. It’s the opposite of that. Help me to love you without a hidden agenda of power or with a calendar in my hand. Your love will blow my expectations right out of the water because it is for me, right now, and it is enough. Amen

Ok dear Sisters and Brothers —dear CGP-ers, dear friends – you are enough. Don’t be afraid, God is with you.

If you have a prayer request for the CGP prayers, please email Laura at: aase@gustavus.edu. It can be as specific or as vague as you request. Don’t be shy – being prayed for is so powerful. Especially by other pastors, deacons, and chaplains.