Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces abroad this night. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

O God our Father, whose Son forgave his enemies while he was suffering shame and death; Strengthen those who suffer for the sake of conscience; when they are accused, save them from speaking in hate; when they are rejected, save them from bitterness; when they are imprisoned, save them from despair; and to us your servants, give grace to respect their witness and to discern the truth, that our society may be cleansed and strengthened by their witness. This we ask for the sake of Jesus Christ, our merciful and righteous Judge. Amen