Prayer for Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Creator, you bent the earth like a bow until it was one, round, shining planet. At your word the land was drawn into mountains and deserts, forests, and plains; the waters were gathered together into rivers, lakes and seas. The circle of your creation has been broken time and again by greed and violence and many lives have been shattered. Renew the circle of the earth and turn the hearts of all your people to one another; that they and all the earth may live, and be drawn toward you and through the power of your son, Jesus Christ, who lives with you and the Holy Spirit now and always. Amen.
— From an Indigenous Peoples’ Day liturgy prepared by the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona
Men’s World Cup Prayers
If you tune into the Men’s World Cup this summer, take time before matches to consider the conditions of the nations represented: many of the national teams and supporters are coming from countries where citizens live amidst civil unrest, war, terrorism or conflict; famine or drought; infectious disease outbreaks; poverty or financial instability, or systemic persecution for religion, race, or gender identity and expression.
Pride Prayer
More than those who watch for morning,
Our souls wait, for the day when each of us,
of every gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation
knows that we are meant to be:
loved, cherished, and protected; and
that we are to be:
proud of our identities; and celebrated.
called to reflect Christ’s radiant light,
embody Christ’s radical love; and
build your beloved community,
especially when storms of fear and hatred rage around us.And so, more than those who watch for morning,
we, in our great diversity,
wait for your promised rainbow of peace,
as we work towards a world where every gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation is affirmed as beloved; and,
every soul’s spirit is able to sparkle, shine and sing your dream with pride.May it be so, Amen.—Alydia Smith, United Church of Canada
Prayer for Peace in the Middle East
Lord God, we turn to you in these trying hours when conflict is a daily reality for our sisters and brothers in Israel and Palestine. We promise you to work to our utmost for peace and reconciliation in the region. But we know we cannot do it alone. We very much need the strength of your presence in our midst if we are to overcome the obstacles before us. So our prayer at this moment is that you add your support to our efforts, that you show yourself as a tower of strength in those moments when the barriers seem impassable. Together we can become beacons of hope for just and peaceful societies in the land so very dear to the peoples of your covenant.
– Reverend John T. Pawlikowski, Xavier University, jesuitresource. org
Lord God,
We ask you to hold the people of Ukraine deep in your heart.
Protect them, we pray;
from violence,
from political gamesmanship,
from being used and abused.
Give, we pray,
the nations of the world the courage
and the wisdom
to stand up for justice
and the courage too,
to dare to care―generously.
Lord, in your mercy,
take from us all
the tendencies in us
that seek to lord it over others:
take from us those traits
that see us pursuing our own needs and wants
before those of others.
Teach us how to live in love
and dignity
and respect―following your example.
In your name and for your sake,
Amen
―Issued by Lord Wallace, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and the Very Rev. Dr. Susan Brown, convener of the Faith Impact Forum, Church of Scotland
