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 26, 2009
Sunday marks the beginning of Advent. Throughout the month, Sabeel will be hosting ecumenical events for Palestinian Christians around the theme "The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world" (John 1:9b). Although we come from many Christian traditions, we pray that we can find unity in our shared commitment to live according to the message brought by Christ's birth.
On Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed two people, wounded four and leveled several buildings. The strikes were apparently in response to projectiles fired into the Negev Desert by unidentified Gazan militants. It is our prayer and our hope that justice and peace will bring an end to the cycle of violence that continues in Gaza.
Next week, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), a longtime partner of Sabeel, will mark 60 years of presence in Palestine and Israel. We thank God for MCC's valuable collaboration and partnership with Sabeel and with dozens of other local organizations working in the areas of peacebuilding, education, relief, development and advocacy.
Eid al Adha, the largest feast in the Islamic calendar, begins on Friday. As Muslims around the world celebrate Abraham's obedience to God, we pray that they will enjoy a blessed feast in the company of family and friends. We also pray that Muslims traveling to Jerusalem to pray in the coming week will be granted access to the al Aqsa Mosque.
This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:
Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger
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