Each Sunday morning, bridging our informal gathering time, during which we share from our lives, and our formal worship time, a different person, usually from Seekers, offers a prayer for peace and justice. Each person chooses what to say, with no prompting or guidance from the coordinator other than to be brief, prayerful and focused on peace and justice. On this page, we offer the text of some of those prayers.
Prayer for a Climate for Love of Creation
Praying for Peace and Justice on May 26, 2024 My heart sank when I read some news this week about the impacts of climate change wrought upon Earth. To name and face the suffering in our world is an act of courage says Buddhist Thich Nhat Hahn, an act expressed by those dedicated to the healing of the world, as we are. [Pause and take a breath.] [Pause and take a breath.] And lastly, but certainly not all there is: Indeed we are called to become artisans and caretakers. As if the Holy One, Source of Life heard my lament,…
A Prayer for Justice in Our Foster Care System
Praying for Peace and Justice on April 14, 2024 God, We pray for the foster care system in our state and country. We pray that You be with all members of the foster system, along every step of the way, and through every difficult situation. We pray for case workers and social workers, that they have wisdom and tenderness when caring for needy families. We pray for lawmakers and judges who work in foster care cases, that they have insight and mercy for families in crisis. We pray for foster homes, that they would be blessed in taking care of…
A Prayer for Greater Mental Health Awareness
Praying for Peace and Justice on April 27, 2024 Let us pray—Holy one, we ask that you help us all be more aware of the role that mental healthplays in each of our lives and that the providers, organizations, systems that are taskedto help us continue to lead and grow strong in their efforts. Amen Background May is almost here and May is Mental Health Awareness month. Most of you know that I’ve been in the children’s mental health field for most of my career either as a special education teacher, a program administrator for young children, or as a…
A Prayer for a Peaceful and Just Future for Nicaragua
Praying for Peace and Justice on April 21, 2024 Two days ago, on April 19, 2024, we marked the sixth anniversary of themassive civil protests in Nicaragua against the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega.His government responded with brutal violence, killing more than 350people, incarcerating hundreds of protesters and injuring thousands others. It’s been six years of resistance despite this brutal repression of a policestate. The country faces a massive exodus of people. Half a millionNicaraguans, roughly 10% of the population, have left the country due topolitical persecution or due the economic crisis. There are currently 100political prisoners. Civil rights are violated….
A Prayer for God’s Help in Sowing the Seeds of Peace
Praying for Peace and Justice on May 5, 2024 Let us pray: Creating Spirit, how can we create with you? We confess that we don’t seem to be doing a very good job. Our world is full of heartache and fear, of hunger and need, of violence and greed. So many thousands of us are running for our lives, unable to feed and protect even our children. Show us how we can achieve true peace, not just the absence of violence. Our means toward peace are like seeds. If we want corn, we don’t plant tomatoes, we plant corn. If we want healthy food, we don’t…