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, July 29, 2010
Today, Jerusalem NGOs and Members of the Civil Society will launch The International Campaign against Revoking the Residency Rights of Palestinians from Jerusalem. We hope that this campaign will bring further awareness about the threatening conditions in Jerusalem, and they will urge global decision-makers to dare speak out and rectify the injustices committed against the Palestinians.
The Third Sabeel Local Women's Conference that will be held in Bethlehem on August 26, 27 and 28, 2010 will gather hundreds of participants from Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Galilee, who, together in this "Moment of Truth", will bravely meet the challenges facing them, and strategize to actively bring transformation and change in their communities. Let us constantly pray for the participants, speakers and organizers to find ways of bridging the spiritual, social and political gaps as they learn to live in tolerance and love.
The election of Palestinian Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan as President of the Lutheran World Federation for the coming seven years heralds positive signs of commitment for peace, at least among the 145 member churches in 79 countries around the world. We pray that Bishop Younan, with the support of all who strive for a just peace, will be able to contribute to building peace in the Middle East.
Echoing Bishop Munib Younan's prayers that " Palestinian Christians may not lose faith and leave the country", Sabeel Clergy and spouses from the Galilee and Jerusalem visited their brethren in Jenin, Birqin and other small hamlets in the West Bank in a gesture of solidarity and support. We pray that the deeply rooted "forgotten faithful", empowered by the spiritual encouragement of the visitors, will continue to witness and stand steadfast amidst the increasing difficult conditions that can dehumanize people.
This week we join in the Prayer Cycle of the World Council of Churches in praying for:
The Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago
Wave of Prayer for Thursday, July 22, 2010
40 youth from 12 countries worshipped in the church of All Nations at Gethsemane to open Sabeel's 5th International Young Adult Conference. They will meet with local people, undertake volunteer work and learn about life today in this place. We pray for their openness to learn and that they may build positive and long lasting relationships.
The summer holiday season is here. We give thanks for all who will have a chance to refresh body and soul in these weeks. We pray also for those in the West Bank and Gaza who have no chance to get away because of the imprisonment of the Palestinian people under the Israeli occupation regime.
It does not receive the publicity of Jerusalem, but the UN has noted an increase in demolitions in the Jordan valley. Earlier this week, Israel began removing over 20 farm buildings and tents in the Al-Farisiya area, aimed at expanding settlement outposts in the northern Jordan Valley. Hear our prayer, O God, for the families and communities affected by these demolitions.
The Olympia Food Co-Op in the home town of Rachel Corrie in Washington State, USA recently decided to boycott Israel products in protest against the continuing Israeli occupation. We give thanks for courageous moves by principled groups who see the moral imperative that goes beyond financial concern.
This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:
Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Sabeel Wave of Prayer
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, July 15, 2010
We give thanks for the growing movement of non-violent resistance in the West Bank and Jerusalem which is constantly challenging the Israeli occupation. It is also meeting increasingly violent tactics from the police and military forces. Last Friday in Sheikh Jarrah security forces kicked and hit protestors, including a former Israeli Attorney General. We pray for the safety and wellbeing of all who courageously challenge the occupation with non-violent tactics.
In the coming two weeks, forty young adults from Palestine and around the world will gather in Jerusalem to participate in the fifth annual Sabeel international Young Adult Conference: "From the Belly of the Whale: A Palestinian Christian Cry for Justice." May their time of pilgrimage and learning inspire them to pursue peace with justice in Palestine and Israel and in all conflicts wherever they may be in the world.
More and more churches are understanding that it is necessary to see justice applied to the situation here before we can progress to peace and reconciliation. There is substantial criticism now being made of the policies of Israel and pressure is mounting on the social and political leadership. We give thanks for these winds of change around the world and pray for energy, enthusiasm and imagination for all the movements and individuals who devote themselves to freedom for the Palestinian people.
Ahlan wa Sahlan is the traditional welcoming greeting here. And it is heartily meant to all who come and visit. In the first half of the year over 1000 people have visited Sabeel to hear about this ministry and what it means to live as a Palestinian under occupation. We give thanks for this engagement and ask for prayers as we prepare for and seek interested people to participate in the Sabeel Witness Visit in October 2010 and the eighth international conference in February 2011.
This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama
Wave of Prayer for Thursday, July 15, 2010
We give thanks for the growing movement of non-violent resistance in the West Bank and Jerusalem which is constantly challenging the Israeli occupation. It is also meeting increasingly violent tactics from the police and military forces. Last Friday in Sheikh Jarrah security forces kicked and hit protestors, including a former Israeli Attorney General. We pray for the safety and wellbeing of all who courageously challenge the occupation with non-violent tactics.
In the coming two weeks, forty young adults from Palestine and around the world will gather in Jerusalem to participate in the fifth annual Sabeel international Young Adult Conference: "From the Belly of the Whale: A Palestinian Christian Cry for Justice." May their time of pilgrimage and learning inspire them to pursue peace with justice in Palestine and Israel and in all conflicts wherever they may be in the world.
More and more churches are understanding that it is necessary to see justice applied to the situation here before we can progress to peace and reconciliation. There is substantial criticism now being made of the policies of Israel and pressure is mounting on the social and political leadership. We give thanks for these winds of change around the world and pray for energy, enthusiasm and imagination for all the movements and individuals who devote themselves to freedom for the Palestinian people.
Ahlan wa Sahlan is the traditional welcoming greeting here. And it is heartily meant to all who come and visit. In the first half of the year over 1000 people have visited Sabeel to hear about this ministry and what it means to live as a Palestinian under occupation. We give thanks for this engagement and ask for prayers as we prepare for and seek interested people to participate in the Sabeel Witness Visit in October 2010 and the eighth international conference in February 2011.
This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Sabeel Wave of Prayer
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, July 8, 2010
The New York Times reported that in the past decade the American Treasury Department has approved $200,000,000 of tax-free charitable donations to Israeli settlements. Such support funds building projects, weapons and security equipment, and makes withdrawal even more difficult. We pray that support for illegal activities such as these will be ended and all governments will uphold justice.
According to a recent report by the Israeli organization B'Tselem, 500,000 Israeli settlers currently control 42% of the West Bank. Settlements rob Palestinians of land and resources, restrict movement, choke economic development, entrench the military occupation, and make impossible the establishment of a self-determining Palestinian state. We pray for an end to imperialism. O Lord, hear us.
Around the world, people appear to be more aware than ever of the need for justice in Palestine and Israel. We are thankful for this change and pray that it will continue to grow. May we not lose hope for peace in this land.
This week, Sabeel is organizing a joint community program for people from the Galilee and Jerusalem to spend time together, strengthening ties between various communities. The group will meet with local clergy, hear about work being done to prevent domestic violence, travel to Banias Springs and visit a village on the border with Lebanon. May their time of fellowship be nourishing and fruitful.
This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:
Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela
http://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/week-28-colombia-ecuador-venezuela.html
Wave of Prayer for Thursday, July 8, 2010
The New York Times reported that in the past decade the American Treasury Department has approved $200,000,000 of tax-free charitable donations to Israeli settlements. Such support funds building projects, weapons and security equipment, and makes withdrawal even more difficult. We pray that support for illegal activities such as these will be ended and all governments will uphold justice.
According to a recent report by the Israeli organization B'Tselem, 500,000 Israeli settlers currently control 42% of the West Bank. Settlements rob Palestinians of land and resources, restrict movement, choke economic development, entrench the military occupation, and make impossible the establishment of a self-determining Palestinian state. We pray for an end to imperialism. O Lord, hear us.
Around the world, people appear to be more aware than ever of the need for justice in Palestine and Israel. We are thankful for this change and pray that it will continue to grow. May we not lose hope for peace in this land.
This week, Sabeel is organizing a joint community program for people from the Galilee and Jerusalem to spend time together, strengthening ties between various communities. The group will meet with local clergy, hear about work being done to prevent domestic violence, travel to Banias Springs and visit a village on the border with Lebanon. May their time of fellowship be nourishing and fruitful.
This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:
Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela
http://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/week-28-colombia-ecuador-venezuela.html
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Sabeel Wave of Prayer
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, July 1, 2010
Palestinian high school students are in the midst of the very demanding and lengthy 'tawjihi' examinations. The results of these exams determine university placement and are also very culturally important. We pray for the thousands of young people who are experiencing this stressful time. May they use their education to better their communities and to strengthen the society in which they live.
Ten families in the Jordan Valley region of the West Bank have received notices giving them 24 hours to evacuate their homes. In spite of documents proving their ownership of the land, the Israeli military claims that the homes of the Daraghmah and Al-Makahmreh families now sit in a "fire zone" that puts the residents "at risk." If evicted, the families would join 600 other Palestinians made homeless in the past year by house demolitions in the West Bank. Lord, have mercy.
Municipal officials have announced their intentions to approve a "master plan" for East and West Jerusalem. Through zoning, taxation, and other legal measures, the plan will further stifle Palestinian development and expand existing Israeli settlements in occupied East Jerusalem. We pray that this far-reaching action will be stopped and that Jerusalem will one day be a city that is accessible to all people.
This week, the Presbyterian Church (USA) will begin its General Assembly in Minneapolis. The assembly will consider a report that calls for Israel to be held accountable for its military occupation and settlement expansion. The report also details American complicity in these injustices. We pray that the Presbyterian Church will act boldly for justice, in spite of the growing pressure from groups that wish to silence the church.
This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:
Bolivia, Chile, Peru
http://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/week-27-bolivia-chile-peru.html
Wave of Prayer for Thursday, June 24, 2010
The brutal siege on the Gaza Strip has been slightly eased as Israel has agreed to allow more goods into the area. However, imports are limited, exports remain forbidden, fisherman are still prevented from reaching the sea, and people are not allowed to travel freely. We pray that the latest Israeli action will not divert attention from the need for true justice throughout the region. May we remain bold in our calls for true peace and justice.
Authorities in Jerusalem are proceeding with a plan to raze 22 Palestinian homes in the Silwan neighborhood adjacent to the Old City. If the plan goes into effect, many families will be displaced and Israeli hotels and restaurants will be built over demolished Palestinian homes. We pray that local and international opposition will prevent its implementation.
Israel continues to revoke the residency rights of thousands of Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. While Israeli Jerusalemites may leave the country for as long as they wish and return with full rights and citizenship, Palestinians who leave for several years to study or work abroad are finding it increasingly difficult to return to the city of their birth. This "silent expulsion" threatens to drain Jerusalem of many professionals and academics. We pray that people around the world will speak out to end this indefensible injustice.
This week, the Methodist Church of Great Britain will consider and vote on a document that proposes the boycott of settlement goods, endorsement of the Kairos Document, theological investigation of Christian Zionism, and political lobbying to end the Israeli occupation. In response, a campaign of intimidation and distortion has been launched against the church. We pray that representatives at the conference will courageously speak and vote in the interest of justice.
This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:
Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay
http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle/week-26-argentina-paraguay-uruguay.html
Wave of Prayer for Thursday, July 1, 2010
Palestinian high school students are in the midst of the very demanding and lengthy 'tawjihi' examinations. The results of these exams determine university placement and are also very culturally important. We pray for the thousands of young people who are experiencing this stressful time. May they use their education to better their communities and to strengthen the society in which they live.
Ten families in the Jordan Valley region of the West Bank have received notices giving them 24 hours to evacuate their homes. In spite of documents proving their ownership of the land, the Israeli military claims that the homes of the Daraghmah and Al-Makahmreh families now sit in a "fire zone" that puts the residents "at risk." If evicted, the families would join 600 other Palestinians made homeless in the past year by house demolitions in the West Bank. Lord, have mercy.
Municipal officials have announced their intentions to approve a "master plan" for East and West Jerusalem. Through zoning, taxation, and other legal measures, the plan will further stifle Palestinian development and expand existing Israeli settlements in occupied East Jerusalem. We pray that this far-reaching action will be stopped and that Jerusalem will one day be a city that is accessible to all people.
This week, the Presbyterian Church (USA) will begin its General Assembly in Minneapolis. The assembly will consider a report that calls for Israel to be held accountable for its military occupation and settlement expansion. The report also details American complicity in these injustices. We pray that the Presbyterian Church will act boldly for justice, in spite of the growing pressure from groups that wish to silence the church.
This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:
Bolivia, Chile, Peru
http://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/week-27-bolivia-chile-peru.html
Wave of Prayer for Thursday, June 24, 2010
The brutal siege on the Gaza Strip has been slightly eased as Israel has agreed to allow more goods into the area. However, imports are limited, exports remain forbidden, fisherman are still prevented from reaching the sea, and people are not allowed to travel freely. We pray that the latest Israeli action will not divert attention from the need for true justice throughout the region. May we remain bold in our calls for true peace and justice.
Authorities in Jerusalem are proceeding with a plan to raze 22 Palestinian homes in the Silwan neighborhood adjacent to the Old City. If the plan goes into effect, many families will be displaced and Israeli hotels and restaurants will be built over demolished Palestinian homes. We pray that local and international opposition will prevent its implementation.
Israel continues to revoke the residency rights of thousands of Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. While Israeli Jerusalemites may leave the country for as long as they wish and return with full rights and citizenship, Palestinians who leave for several years to study or work abroad are finding it increasingly difficult to return to the city of their birth. This "silent expulsion" threatens to drain Jerusalem of many professionals and academics. We pray that people around the world will speak out to end this indefensible injustice.
This week, the Methodist Church of Great Britain will consider and vote on a document that proposes the boycott of settlement goods, endorsement of the Kairos Document, theological investigation of Christian Zionism, and political lobbying to end the Israeli occupation. In response, a campaign of intimidation and distortion has been launched against the church. We pray that representatives at the conference will courageously speak and vote in the interest of justice.
This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:
Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay
http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle/week-26-argentina-paraguay-uruguay.html
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