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, August 5, 2010
The region has been experiencing a heat wave for the past ten days. Temperatures have soared as high as 39 degrees centigrade, and with water shortages in the West Bank life has become intolerable for the residents, especially for those who have been rendered homeless because of evictions and demolitions. We pray for cooler temperatures and mercy in the hearts of the occupiers.
We give thanks to God for the fruitful 5th International Young Adult Conference that brought together 27 international and a dozen local participants from 12 countries to 'come, see and act.' Let us continue to pray that those who experienced transformation during the trip will encourage more young people to understand the theological, moral and legal aspects of the conflict and stand firm for truth.
The Rev. Naim Ateek will be joining over 60 people from all over the USA at the 2010 FOSNA Leadership Retreat that will be held in Portland, Oregon next week. We pray that the participants will find new and creative ways to work for a just peace.
As the world eagerly awaits direct negotiations to be resumed between Israelis and Palestinians in the coming weeks, the facts on the ground in Jerusalem alone reveal their futility. On Monday, the evicted families of Hannoun and Ghawi in the Sheikh Jarrah area marked one full year living in the street. Home demolitions in various parts of the city have continued and settlement construction has not ceased. How long O Lord? Listen to the cry of your children.
This week we join in the Prayer Cycle of the World Council of Churches
in praying for:
Canada, USA
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