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, November 17, 2011

We pray for the Palestinian Leadership as they frame their next phase of struggle toward recognition and statehood, after the rejection of the application for full membership in the UN Security Council. We pray for their safety and clarity as they bear the weight of responsibility to care for the whole of Palestinian society. We pray too, that the world community will soon live up to its stated ideals, and respond with real action to the worsening plight of the Palestinian people and land. Lord in your mercy...
We praise God because every person is uniquely and wonderfully made. We mourn the way stress and oppression can weaken the body and damage the soul. We give thanks for the community program about 'alternative medicine' at Sabeel Jerusalem this week, an event that will feature stress management and healing techniques in the context of the occupation. We pray for God's healing touch on the lives and bodies of each participant. Lord in your mercy...
Our memories are a way of cherishing the things we love, who we are, and the things we never want to lose. Sabeel will gather the community in Nazareth this week, in a program entitled, "Nazareth in people's memories." In this cultural event, they will also celebrate 18 years of Sabeel's work in Nazareth. We pray that the community's memories of coexistence, justice, and peace will once again become reality. Lord in your mercy...
Martin Luther King Jr. once preached, "faith is taking the first step, even when you can't see the whole staircase." We give thanks for the steps of the Palestinian Freedom Riders this week. Just as young people in the southern United States boarded buses in an effort to end segregation in the 1960s, a number of Palestinians plan to board Israeli-only buses this week in an attempt to end segregation in the West Bank. We pray for their safety and determination under great pressure. Lord in your mercy...
We rejoice in God's provision of wonderful, visionary leadership for Sabeel in Palestine and its Friends around the world. We are grateful for the faithfulness of members of Sabeel's current Board and Executive Committee. We join in prayer for the elections for the new Board and Executive Committee members, in Ramallah, on Friday. We also pray for the search process taking place for Friends of Sabeel North America. We pray for wisdom and contentment for all involved. Lord in your mercy...
With the World Council of Churches we pray for:

Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Equatorial Guinea

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html


Wave of Prayer for Thursday, November 10, 2011


As the world approaches a population of 7 billion human beings, we echo the Psalmist, stating our belief that "the Earth is the Lord's and everything in it." We ask that the Spirit of God, loving and merciful, help us turn toward one another, towards life-giving activity, and away from destruction of God's full world. We pray for each family, culture, and environment in which each of the 7 billion of us exists. Many of the world's population are children; we ask God to strengthen the adults to work continually so that the young may grow up a more just and healthier world. Lord in your mercy...



The right-wing Jewish extremist group "Price Tag" continued its attacks this week. They defaced the home of a staff member and threatened to bomb the offices of the Israeli organization, "Peace Now." At such a time as this, when the Israeli government approved 60,000 new settlement units, Peace Now plays an important role because they oppose settlement building in the Occupied Territories, and they demand the protection of Palestinian human rights. We pray that the perpetrators of the "Price Tag" crimes will be held accountable for their actions, and we pray for an end to such violence. Lord in your mercy...



We pray for the local programming of Sabeel. We are grateful to offer a lecture in Arabic about the book, Fatal Embrace: Christians, Jews and the Search for Peace in the Holy Land. We hope that the discussion spurs many to action. We pray for peace in this land and every land. Lord in your mercy...



From Birmingham, Alabama in the United States to Bethlehem, West Bank in Occupied Palestine, children of God have nonviolently protested the denial of their civil and human rights. We pray for the conference talking place in Atlanta, Georgia this week, honoring the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States and examining the many dimensions of nonviolent struggle for justice and peace in Palestine/Israel. We pray for the conference organizers, speakers, and participants. Lord in your mercy...



Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, São Tomé e Príncipe

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html


Wave of Prayer for Thursday, November 3, 2011

We watch with anticipation as the world community responds to the Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations. We are glad so many nations voted in affirmation for Palestine's admission as a UNESCO member, recognizing the unique role that Palestine's history and culture have for global education and science. We are sad that the United States reacted to this vote of confidence with decision to financially starve this important UN initiative. We pray for the rest of the UN deliberations, that they may result in what is truly best for our world community. Lord in your mercy...
We pray for the thousands of Catholics and others that will gather in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (United States) for the "Call to Action 2011" conference this weekend. We are grateful for the way this conference gathers those who are willing to take on the hard questions facing the church. We pray for Naim Ateek and all of the conference presenters. We pray that this weekend will provide spiritual renewal for Christian activists, and catalyze further loving action. We honor the Ho-Chunk Nation who lived in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area before the Europeans arrived. Known as "People of the Big Voice," we pray for their communities as they continue to exist, even though suffering from displacement and prejudice. Lord in your mercy...
We mourn the recent violence in Gaza and the retaliatory rockets fired across the border into Israel. Reports note that drones, which are remote controlled military planes, carried the bombs that were dropped on Gaza. We thank God for the growing movement around the world that protests the use of drones in warfare. We pray for all families affected and frightened by the violence. We pray for a ceasefire. Lord in your mercy...
As Jesus noted, though the harvest is plentiful, the workers are few. We pray for the small staff at the Sabeel office in Nazareth. We are inspired by their energy and creativity. We pray for their upcoming programs, especially the youth meeting and the children's olive picking this week. Since 1993 Sabeel Nazareth has worked tirelessly to preserve the Palestinian Christian heritage in the Galilee. We ask God to uphold them, give them strength, and volunteers. Lord in your mercy...
With the World Council of Churches, we pray for:
Burundi, Congo, and Rwanda

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html


Wave of Prayer for Thursday, October 20, 2011


We pray for all people released in the prisoner exchange between Israel and Palestine. The one Israeli soldier exchanged returned to his home. Around 1,000 Palestinians will be released, though not all are allowed to return to their homes. We pray for the successful reintegration of former prisoners into their families and societies, and that their freedom will release a collective wave of nonviolent struggle for justice in this land. Lord in your mercy...
Christian Zionists from all over the world came to Jerusalem this week to state their belief that "Israel is a light to the nations." We are concerned that Christian Zionists, such as the 10,000 that gathered here for the Feast of the Tabernacles, are not interested in addressing the injustices Israel and nationalistic Zionism perpetrate against Palestinians and surrounding nations. We pray that their eyes will be opened and that they will have the courage to understand that the message of Jesus is love for all, not a specific ideology. Lord in your mercy...
We yearn for the day when everyone will be able to sit under their vine and fig tree, and no one will make them afraid. Yet despair creeps in as this week the Israeli government announced a plan to expand illegal settlement building across the Green Line in Palestine. Over 2,500 new units were approved this week. We pray for a freeze in settlement building, especially at this moment while the world debates Palestinian statehood at the United Nations. Lord in your mercy...

We are grateful for the pastors, priests, and ministers who participated in the clergy retreat last week. Through prayers, challenging Bible studies, and discussions, they reaffirmed the need for church leadership to take a stand for truth, justice, and peace, regardless of the cost. We ask God to bless clergy members with spiritual strength, and we rejoice that their retreat was filled with laughter and space to develop stronger ecumenical relationships.
We are glad that youth and young adults are learning about justice and Palestine. From university clubs in the United States, to #Occupy movements around the world, to the upcoming young adult retreat hosted by Sabeel Nazareth, young people are experiencing the love of God, and receiving an invitation to work for true liberation in Palestine and around the world. We pray for their spiritual growth and wellbeing. Lord in your mercy...
With the World Council of Churches, we pray for
India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html


Wave of Prayer for Thursday, October 12, 2011


In the worst sectarian violence since former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak was ousted, 24 Coptic Christians were killed in clashes with Egyptian security forces. The march was in protest of the demolition of a church built without a permit. Coptic Christians make up ten percent of Egypt's population, and have had a long history of both cooperation and difficulty with their Muslim neighbours. We pray that the messages of peace, justice and forgiveness, present in both religious traditions, will quell the provocation to violence. We pray for all Egyptians as they do the hard work of reorganizing their country, together. Lord in your mercy...



Jesus proclaimed release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. We watch with great expectation of God's mercy on over six thousand Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli jails. More than 300 incarcerated men and women joined in a hunger strike since the beginning of the month. Their demands are for their basic human rights to be respected. They wish to see an end to routine humiliation during roll-calls and transfers, the arbitrary denial of their family's rights to visit, and the inhumane use of solitary confinement. Others across Palestine, Israel, and internationally have joined the hunger strike. We pray for the release of all Palestinian prisoners of war. Lord, in your mercy...



On the Jewish Day of Atonement for sins (Yom Kippur), dozens of gravestones in Christian and Muslim cemeteries in Jaffa were desecrated by extremist settlers. Some tombs were smashed and many carried racial epithets including "Death to Arabs." We are grateful that at least a small group of both Palestinian and Jewish Israelis went together to protest the ongoing violence of this Jewish right-wing movement which was also responsible for the mosque burning in Tuba Zangria last week. We pray that the perpetrators be brought to justice. Lord in your mercy...



We give thanks for the optimism, energy, and commitment of the many women who participate in Sabeel programming, from the grassroots to the board level. This week we especially remember the women's meeting on Friday, October 14th, hosted by the Nazareth branch office of Sabeel. May the meeting be an encouragement to them, as they continue to deal with the stress of being second-class citizens in their own land. May God grant them power and prophetic vision. Lord in your mercy...



We pray for safe travels and invigorating conversations for Sabeel's founder and director Naim Ateek as he begins his United States tour with a Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) board meeting. We thank God for the ongoing work of FOSNA, and we pray for wisdom in its deliberations. We pray for sustenance and encouragement for all of Sabeel's friends around the world, as they continue to magnify the voice of the Palestinian people calling for justice, peace, and reconciliation. Lord in your mercy...



With the World Council of Churches, we pray for
Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html


Wave of Prayer for Thursday, September 22, 2011


It has been confirmed that Friday the 23rd of September, the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, will submit to the Secretary General of the United Nations the Palestinian bid for the recognition of Palestine as a member state. We pray that the member states will support that bid wholeheartedly for the sake of peace for both the Israelis and Palestinians, recalling the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "We are tied together in a single garment of destiny; we are caught in a network of mutuality. And I can never be who I ought to be until you are who you ought to be."Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayers



As the Witness Visit comes to an end, we pray for the safe travel of all the participants. May they return home refreshed by the truth, and may they be inspired to share their witness with others so that they can open their eyes and hearts to the harsh realities of the occupation. We pray for Nora Carmi who could not accompany the Witness Visit for the Contemporary Way of the Cross as she lost her husband during this past week. We offer Nora and her family our heartiest condolences.Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayers



We pray for the runners of Silwan, especially those supporters from abroad who run in order to raise awareness to the grave and violent circumstances in which the children of that neighborhood of East Jerusalem pass their childhood, as homes continue to be confiscated by Jewish settlers. We pray for a successful campaign as those runners are trying to help raise funds for the creative center built by the Silwan community for their children. Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayers.



Now that the summer holidays are over, the Sabeel staff are once again busy planning for the various community programs. We pray for the safety of the participants, women and young adults, as they hike in the depopulated town of Lifta and Ein Jiddi during this coming week end, and for the youth as they join other youth groups in Ramallah for fellowship. Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayers.


With the Prayer Cycle of the World Council of Churches, we pray for:

Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine



http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html


Wave of Prayer for Thursday, September 15, 2011

The 21st of September is the day the UN General Assembly starts its new session for 2011. Let us keep this date in our thoughts and prayers, especially that the Palestinian Leadership will be submitting its bid for the recognition of Palestine as a member state. We pray that all UN decisions will be made on the basis of Justice, and that the powerful will refrain from applying double -standards that discriminate against the weaker states.
Israeli settlers on the West-Bank have accelerated their aggression in the past two weeks. They set fire to three mosques in villages around the city of Nablus. They also painted graffiti abusive to Islam and the Prophet Mohammad on the walls of the mosques. In the West-Bank town of Bir-Zeit, settlers sprawled abusive graffiti on the walls of Bir-Zeit University and one of the mosques in town. Israeli settlers also physically attacked a Bethlehem University lecturer and a female student on their way to University. We pray that the Government of Israel will take measures to put an end to such attacks, and that the settlers would realize that they cannot continue to occupy another people's land forever.
We pray for the upcoming conference in the Netherlands starting on the 15th of September. The conference is being organized by the "Netherlands Kairos Palestine Group" to discuss, promote and spread the "Kairos Palestine- Document "A Moment of Truth". We pray for all those attending the conference -speakers and participants- that they will speak a word of truth for the glory of God, and for the sake of peace in Palestine and Israel.
The Human Rights organization, B'tselem, draws the attention to the way the Israeli army, violently, deals with peaceful demonstrations on the West-Bank, especially most recently, in the West-bank village of Nabi-Saleh near Ramallah. B'tselem fears that this is an indication of the way the Israeli army plans to deal with further peaceful demonstrations the Palestinians may hold to express the affirmation of their rights to statehood and self-determination. We pray that the Israeli government will itself recognize Palestinian rights and the right of people to demonstrate peacefully.
With the Prayer Cycle of the World Council of Churches, we pray for:

Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania


http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html