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, November 12, 2009
November 9 marked the 20th anniversary since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Since that historic event, various new walls have been erected around the world, including the Separation Wall built by Israel in the West Bank. We pray that this unjust and unquestionably illegal wall will be dismantled. May we come to recognize that all walls of fear ultimately stand in the way of justice and peace.
On Friday and Saturday, Sabeel will be organizing a community program for Christians of Jerusalem and the Galilee. The two day event will center on the theme of "Reconnecting with our roots." Poetry, music and fellowship on Friday will be followed by a day of prayer and reflection on Saturday. During the Second Intifada, the Arab-Israeli communities of 'Arrabi, Dayr Hanna, and Sakhneen experienced several deaths at the hands of Israeli police and military. By visiting and hearing from the affected families, we pray that these communities will know that their pain and continued struggles have not been forgotten.
In these weeks leading up to Christmas, more and more tourists and pilgrims can be found visiting sites in Israel and Palestine. We pray that while experiencing places of historical importance, they will have their eyes opened to the current realities of the people of this land. May they have the curiosity and insight to ask difficult questions and truly see what is around them.
November 15 marks Palestinian Independence Day. Unfortunately, in the 21 years since the state was declared, true independence is still not a reality. We offer thanks for all the people and organizations working to bring about a just peace that will allow Palestine to experience actual independence. We pray for transformation and freedom in this land.
This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:
Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, São Tomé e Príncipe
http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html
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