Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.
Wave of Prayer for Thursday, October 8, 2009
Thousands of Christian Zionists are visiting Jerusalem this week for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles). Christian Zionists gather every year at this time to express their support for Zionism. We pray that the people attending this year's events will be moved to recognize the need for a theology of justice rather than a theology of exclusivity.
Friends of Sabeel-United Kingdom recently partnered with community organizations, politicians from all parties, and private individuals to establish the Bristol-Gaza-Link Association. The organization will seek "to build humanitarian, cultural, educational and social links" primarily between Bristol and Gaza City. We rejoice that such initiatives are beginning to gain such widespread support and pray that other communities will be inspired to work for justice in any ways they can.
Last week, a Friends of Sabeel-North America conference was held in Washington, D.C., and another will be held this week in Cedar Falls, Iowa. In spite of the increasingly polarized nature of American discourse, we pray that these conferences will inspire more people to seek a just peace in Palestine and Israel. And may the conferences provide necessary tools for peacemakers already committed to pursuing justice.
Gracious God, heal the hearts of those who hate. In places where hate fuels vicious words and destructive actions, give us the courage to love.
This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:
Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment