Praying for Peace and Justice on May 25, 2025
Let us pray… God of justice,
The memory of George Floyd still haunts our streets and sanctuaries. We remember his name and the uprising of sorrow and truth his death unleashed across the world. We confess the sin of racism—not only in systems and structures, but in the habits of our hearts and the silence of your church. Break open our hearts with compassion. Strengthen us to fight for what still remains undone.
Breathe your Spirit into your people, until all can breathe free. May it be so.
Background
Today, May 25th, marks the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. The world watched as a white police officer knelt on Mr. Floyd’s neck until his last breath left his body. The sacredness of Mr. Floyd’s life wasstolen by this hateful act of a white police officer. This was not the first time the police have murdered a black person, and it wouldn’t be the last. Systemic racism is engrained in our bodies and institutions.
This tragic murder, became the catalyst for the weekly Vigils at Seekers and helped birth the Racial and Ethnic Justice Ministry Team. (point to team holding signs)
Despite modest progress, it now seems we are going backwards. Every day we witness the dismantling of civil and human rights. We are experiencing roll backs in police reforms, removal of murals and monuments dedicated to Black Lives Matter, commitments to DEI and equal rights being stripped from our schools, jobs and cultural institutions. Today we are witnessing new ways people’s lives are being stolen – people being taken off the streets, detained and deported. The sacredness of life upended by incarceration and detention in prisons designed to dehumanize. Every day the line is being crossed in so many ways that is making it almost impossible to achieve liberty and justice for all.