Friday, April 13, 2018

Being Bold in the Service of God and as The Beloved Community



Good Evening Beloved Communiity,

As I sit here making vigil for peace with our 2 week Porch Light Prayer Vigils For Peace I find it empowering and life giving. We are called to be bold ones for God and serve the world with Courage, Action, Love, and Mindfulness, this is the  sister of our original CALM principles (Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy). So let us boldy proclaim, boldy love, boldy practice random acts of kindness, boldy believe, boldly practice radical welcome and hospitality, boldy practice peaceful non violent action, be bold members of the Beloved Community and Family of love. Let us be bold in loving God, our neighbors and ourselves. Let us boldly go where God is calling us! Let us be bold as we serve, love, and care for all living things. Let us boldly be the change God wants us to be and see in the world in which God created and made and called it good!
 The lessons below are from yesterday and were not used due to the nature of the  news and all the troubling state of God's fragile and broken world. 

Tonight we open our time of vigil together with the "Peace be stills"

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

Peace be still.
Peace be. 
Peace. 

A Sanskrit mantra sung for calmness, harmony, and peace for all beings.

Mantra:

Om Om Om
Sarvesham Svastir Bhavatu
Sarvesham Shantir Bhavatu
Sarvesham Poornam Bhavatu
Sarvesham Mangalam Bhavatu
Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

Meaning:

May auspiciousness be unto all;
May peace be unto all;
May fullness be unto all;
May prosperity be unto all.



Light of the World Phos hilaron

Light of the world, in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.

134 Ecce nunc

1 Behold now, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, *
you that stand by night in the house of the Lord.

2 Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord; *
the Lord who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.




IN  LAK’ECH

TÚ ERES MI OTRO YO.
YOU ARE MY OTHER ME.
SI TE HAGO DAÑO A TI,
IF I DO HARM TO YOU,
ME HAGO DAÑO A MI MISMO.
I DO HARM TO MYSELF.
SI TE AMO Y RESPETO,
IF I LOVE AND RESPECT YOU,
ME AMO Y RESPETO YO.
I LOVE AND RESPECT MYSELF.
LUIS VALDEZ

 A Smudging Prayer

Creator,
our Father in heaven,
we come to you as your children.

We confess that we are weak and broken images of you.
We pray for the forgiveness and healing you give in Jesus Christ. May his Spirit clean our spirits, minds, hearts, and bodies.
We pray that your Holy Spirit will help us to worship in spirit and truth. 

We pray in the name of Jesus, so that his Spirit will carry our prayers to you. Amen. 



Earth Prayer

"Grandfather, Great Spirit, once more behold me on earth 

and lean to hear my feeble voice.

You lived first, and you are older than all need, older than all prayer.

All things belong to you -- the two-legged, the four-legged, the wings of the air, 

and all green things that live.

"You have set the powers of the four quarters of the earth to cross each other.

You have made me cross the good road and road of difficulties, 

and where they cross, the place is holy.

Day in, day out, forevermore, you are the life of things."

Hey! Lean to hear my feeble voice.

At the center of the sacred hoop

You have said that I should make the tree to bloom.

With tears running, O Great Spirit, my Grandfather,

With running eyes I must say

The tree has never bloomed

Here I stand, and the tree is withered.

Again, I recall the great vision you gave me.

It may be that some little root of the sacred tree still lives.

Nourish it then

That it may leaf

And bloom

And fill with singing birds!

Hear me, that the people may once again

Find the good road

And the shielding tree.


The Sunset

Then I was standing on the highest mountain of them all, and round about beneath me was the whole hoop of the world. And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell and I understood more than I saw; for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being.

And I say the sacred hoop of my people was one of the many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all the children of one mother and one father. And I saw that it was holy...

But anywhere is the center of the world.


Prayer to The Four Directions by Chief Seattle

 

Great Spirit of Light, come to me out of the East (red) with the power of the rising sun. Let there be light in my words, let there be light on my path that I walk. Let me remember always that you give the gift of a new day. And never let me be burdened with sorrow by not starting over again.

 

Great Spirit of Love, come to me with the power of the North (white). Make me courageous when the cold wind falls upon me. Give me strength and endurance for everything that is harsh, everything that hurts, everything that makes me squint. Let me move through life ready to take what comes from the north.

 

Great Life-Giving Spirit, I face the West (black), the direction of sundown. Let me remember every day that the moment will come when my sun will go down. Never let me forget that I must fade into you. Give me a beautiful color, give me a great sky for setting, so that when it is my time to meet you, I can come with glory.

 

Great Spirit of Creation, send me the warm and soothing winds from the South (yellow). Comfort me and caress me when I am tired and cold. Unfold me like the gentle breezes that unfold the leaves on the trees. As you give to all the earth your warm, moving wind, give to me, so that I may grow close to you in warmth. Man did not create the web of life, he is but a strand in it. Whatever man does to the web, he does to himself.



Christ our Passover     Pascha nostrum
1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Romans 6:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22

Alleluia. 
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; * 
    therefore let us keep the feast, 
Not with old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, * 
    but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.

Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; * 
    death no longer has dominion over him. 
The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; * 
    but the life he lives, he lives to God. 
So also consider yourselves dead to sin, * 
    and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.

Christ has been raised from the dead, * 
    the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 
For since by a man came death, * 
    by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 
For as in Adam all die, * 
    so in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.


135 Laudate nomen

1 Hallelujah!
Praise the Name of the Lord; *
give praise, you servants of the Lord.

2 You who stand in the house of the Lord, *
in the courts of the house of our God.

3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; *
sing praises to his Name, for it is lovely.

4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself *
and Israel for his own possession.

5 For I know that the Lord is great, *
and that our Lord is above all gods.

6 The Lord does whatever pleases him, in heaven and on earth, *
in the seas and all the deeps.

7 He brings up rain clouds from the ends of the earth; *
he sends out lightning with the rain,
and brings the winds out of his storehouse.

8 It was he who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, *
the firstborn both of man and beast.

9 He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt, *
against Pharaoh and all his servants.

10 He overthrew many nations *
and put mighty kings to death:

11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, the king of Bashan, *
and all the kingdoms of Canaan.

12 He gave their land to be an inheritance, *
an inheritance for Israel his people.

13 O Lord, your Name is everlasting; *
your renown, O Lord, endures from age to age.

14 For the Lord gives his people justice *
and shows compassion to his servants.

15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, *
the work of human hands.

16 They have mouths, but they cannot speak; *
eyes have they, but they cannot see.

17 They have ears, but they cannot hear; *
neither is there any breath in their mouth.

18 Those who make them are like them, *
and so are all who put their trust in them.

19 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel; *
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord.

20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi; *
you who fear the Lord, bless the Lord.

21 Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, *
who dwells in Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!



John 3:31-36

31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. 33Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified* this, that God is true. 34He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath.


A Song of Faith
1 Peter 1:3-4,18-21
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *
by divine mercy we have a new birth into a living hope;
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, *
we have an inheritance that is imperishable in heaven.
The ransom that was paid to free us *
was not paid in silver or gold,
But in the precious blood of Christ, *
the Lamb without spot or stain.
God raised Jesus from the dead and gave him glory *
so that we might have faith and hope in God.



John 6:1-15

Feeding the Five Thousand

6After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.*  2A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 5When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ 6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages* would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ 10Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they* sat down, about five thousand in all.11Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ 13So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’

15 When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.


The Song of Mary Magnificat

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Savior, *

for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: *

you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,

and holy is your name.
You have mercy on those who fear you *

from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm * and scattered the proud in their conceit,

Casting down the mighty from their thrones * and lifting up the lowly.

You have filled the hungry with good things * and sent the rich away empty.

You have come to the help of your servant Israel, * for you have remembered your promise of mercy,

The promise made to our forebears, * to Abraham and his children for ever. 


John 16:1-15

16‘I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. 2They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. 3And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. 4But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.

‘I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, “Where are you going?” 6But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate* will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about* sin and righteousness and judgement: 9about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11about judgement, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

12 ‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

A Song of Pilgrimage Priusquam errarem Ecclesiasticus 51:13-16,20b-22

Before I ventured forth,
even while I was very young, *

I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.
In the forecourts of the temple I asked for her, *

and I will seek her to the end. From first blossom to early fruit, *

she has been the delight of my heart. My foot has kept firmly to the true path, *

diligently from my youth have I pursued her. I inclined my ear a little and received her; *

I found for myself much wisdom and became adept in her. 

 To the one who gives me wisdom will I give glory, * for I have resolved to live according to her way.

From the beginning I gained courage from her, * therefore I will not be forsaken.

In my inmost being I have been stirred to seek her, * therefore have I gained a good possession.

As my reward the Almighty has given me the gift of language,* and with it will I offer praise to God. 



Acts 5:34-42

34But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. 35Then he said to them, ‘Fellow-Israelites,*consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. 36For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared. 37After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; 39but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!’

They were convinced by him, 40and when they had called in the apostles, they had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonour for the sake of the name. 42And every day in the temple and at home* they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.* 


Matthew 5:3-16

3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

8 ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10 ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely* on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 ‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

14 ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden.15No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Acts 6:1-7

Seven Chosen to Serve

Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait at tables.Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.’ What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

 The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.


Siyahamba ( We are walking in the light of God) Traditional
(Text in brackets as a rhythmic echo for punctuation/response as in the African tradition) 
1.
We are walking in the light of God, we are walking in the light of God, 
we are walking in the light of God, we are walking in the light of God. (The light of God) 
Chorus 
We are walking, (Walking)
we are walking (oh )
we are walking in the light of God. We are walking, (Walking)
we are walking (oh,) 
we are walking in the light of God. 
2.
We are learning in the love of God, we are learning in the love of God, we are learning in the love of God, we are learning in the love of God. (The love of God) 
Chorus 
We are learning, (learning)
we are learning (oh )
we are learning in the light of God. We are learning, (learning)
we are learning,(oh,) 
we are learning in the light of God. 
3.
We are loving in the power of God, we are loving in the power of God, we are loving in the power of God, we are loving in the power of God. (The power of God) 
Chorus 
We are loving , (loving)
we are loving (oh )
we are loving in the light of God. We are loving , (loving )
we are loving (oh,) 
we are loving in the light of God. 
We are singing in the light of God, we are singing in the light of God, we are singing in the light of God, we are singing in the light of God. (The light of God) 
Chorus 
We are singing, (singing)
we are singing (oh )
we are singing in the light of God We are singing , (singing )
we are singing (oh,) 
we are singing in the light of God. 
5.
Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos', Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos', Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos', Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwen-, (Khanyen' kwenkhos',) 
Chorus 
Siyahamba, (hamba,)
Siyahamba, (hamba,)
Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos'. Siyahamba,( hamba),
Siyahamba,( hamba),
Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos'. 
Repeat verses and chorus as directed 
Ending to repeat chorus in English and Zulu as directed 
We are singing, (singing) we are singing (oh) we are singing in the light of God.
We are singing, (singing) we are singing (oh) we are singing in the light of God. 
Siyahamba, (hamba),
Siyahamba,( hamba),
Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos'. Siyahamba, (hamba),
Siyahamba, (hamba),
Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos'. 


1 Peter 3:13-4:6

13 Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear,* and do not be intimidated, 15but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; 16yet do it with gentleness and reverence.* Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. 18For Christ also suffered* for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you* to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, 19in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water. 21And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for* a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

Good Stewards of God’s Grace

4Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh,* arm yourselves also with the same intention (for whoever has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin), 2so as to live for the rest of your earthly life* no longer by human desires but by the will of God. 3You have already spent enough time in doing what the Gentiles like to do, living in licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing, and lawless idolatry. 4They are surprised that you no longer join them in the same excesses of dissipation, and so they blaspheme.* 5But they will have to give an account to him who stands ready to judge the living and the dead. 6For this is the reason the gospel was proclaimed even to the dead, so that, though they had been judged in the flesh as everyone is judged, they might live in the spirit as God does.

Settings of the Lord's Prayer from A New Zealand Prayer Book
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.    Amen.
or the alternative form.
Eternal Spirit, 
Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, 
Source of all that is and that shall be, 
Father and Mother of us all, 
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! 
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples
of the world! 
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! 
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom 
sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us. 
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. 
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. 
From trials too great to endure, spare us. 
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, 
now and for ever. Amen.




Peace prayer by Maya Angelou

Father, Mother, God,
Thank you for your presence
during the hard and mean days.
For then we have you to lean upon.
Thank you for your presence
during the bright and sunny days,
for then we can share that which we have
with those who have less.
And thank you for your presence
during the Holy Days, for then we are able
to celebrate you and our families
and our friends.
For those who have no voice,
we ask you to speak.
For those who feel unworthy,
we ask you to pour your love out
in waterfalls of tenderness.
For those who live in pain,
we ask you to bathe them
in the river of your healing.
For those who are lonely, we ask
you to keep them company.
For those who are depressed,
we ask you to shower upon them
the light of hope.
Dear Creator, You, the borderless
sea of substance, we ask you to give to all the
world that which we need most—Peace.


A prayer Attributed to St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.



Prayer for World Peace - Sister Joan Chittister, OSB
Great God, who has told us
"Vengeance is mine,"
save us from ourselves,
save us from the vengeance in our hearts
and the acid in our souls.


Save us from our desire to hurt as we have been hurt,
to punish as we have been punished,
to terrorize as we have been terrorized.


Give us the strength it takes
to listen rather than to judge,
to trust rather than to fear,
to try again and again
to make peace even when peace eludes us.

We ask, O God, for the grace
to be our best selves.
We ask for the vision
to be builders of the human community
rather than its destroyers.
We ask for the humility as a people
to understand the fears and hopes of other peoples.

We ask for the love it takes
to bequeath to the children of the world to come
more than the failures of our own making.
We ask for the heart it takes
to care for all the peoples
of Afghanistan and Iraq, of Palestine and Israel
as well as for ourselves.

Give us the depth of soul, O God,
to constrain our might,
to resist the temptations of power
to refuse to attack the attackable,
to understand
that vengeance begets violence,
and to bring peace--not war--wherever we go.

For You, O God, have been merciful to us.
For You, O God, have been patient with us.
For You, O God, have been gracious to us.

And so may we be merciful
and patient
and gracious
and trusting
with these others whom you also love.

This we ask through Jesus,
the one without vengeance in his heart.
This we ask forever and ever. Amen

For the Human Family
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.

For Peace
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn
but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the
strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that
all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of
Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and
glory, now and for ever. Amen


For Peace Among the Nations
Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the
world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among
them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they
may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.

. For our Enemies
O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love
our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth;
deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in
your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For those who suffer for the sake of Conscience
O God our Father, whose Son forgave his enemies while he
was suffering shame and death: Strengthen those who suffer
for the sake of conscience; when they are accused, save them
from speaking in hate; when they are rejected, save them
from bitterness; when they are imprisoned, save them from
despair; and to us your servants, give grace to respect their
witness and to discern the truth, that our society may be
cleansed and strengthened. This we ask for the sake of Jesus
Christ, our merciful and righteous Judge. Amen

For Social Justice

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 In Times of Conflict
O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us,
in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront
one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work
together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.



Let us pray in the Key of Jesus and Ring the Bells of El Camino Real for those who fought for  justice, peace, and equality.

     We pray this in the Key of Jesus! Ring out the Bells of Justice for all of our family members now.
Jesus we pray and give thanks for Martin Luther King Jr. and his witness to all of our family members who were longing for justice in this their distant home and land that we take for granted.
     We pray this in the Key of Jesus! Ring out the Bells of Justice for all of our family members now.

Jesus we pray and give thanks for Mahatma Gandhi who taught us how to protest non-violently Help us to follow Your and His Model  and use our words  to make peace and cry out for the voiceless.
We pray this in the Key of Jesus! Ring out the Bells of Justice for all of our family members now.

Jesus we pray  and give thanks for all who gave their lives in the Stonewall riots to help pave the way for LGBTQ rights and the rights of those who are afraid to live authentically. May we see God in each of us who are in the LGBTQ community, who are family, allies, and friends , be enfolded into the mainstream community with out fear and labeling.
     We pray this in the Key of Jesus! Ring out the Bells of Justice for all of our family members now.

Jesus we pray and give thanks for Elizabeth Cady Stanton and all of our sisters who fought for the rights of women so that they would no longer be property but full and perfect members of  society and examples of citizenry to their sons and daughters. We pray that all of our sisters may have full protection and rights securely given them.
     We pray this in the Key of Jesus! Ring out the Bells of Justice for all of our family members now.

Jesus we pray and give thanks for all of our family members who were interned in the Japanese internment camps at Manzanar and Santa Anita. We pray for their contributions to our society and ask for their forgiveness for the wrongs we may have done out of fear and mistrust.

 We pray this in the Key of Jesus! Ring out the Bells of Justice for all of our family members now.

Jesus we pray and give thanks for the witness of all our Native and Indigenous Martyrs who were here in their homelands of origin in this country We pray for forgiveness for the wrongs we have done to them and remember the trail of tears that took them away from places they call home and became refugees in strange and distant lands. We remember this night all of our family members who are refugees. We pray that they may one day return home as You , Mary, and Joseph left Egypt for Nazareth.
We pray this in the Key of Jesus! Ring out the Bells of Justice for all of our family members now.

Jesus we pray and give thanks for Malala and all children who speak truth to power. We pray for all our children that they may be protected from harm. May all of our youth look to Malala for hope and a role model of what one child can do. We pray this in the Key of Jesus!

Ring out the Bells of Justice for all of our family members now.

Jesus we pray and give thanks for Cesar Chavez and all those who fought for the farm worker and for the rights and protection of those who put food on our tables.
We pray this in the Key of Jesus! Ring out the Bells of Justice for all of our family members now.

Jesus we pray and give thanks for those who have died in the struggle for justice, equality, inclusion, and universal human rights.

We pray this in the Key of Jesus! Ring out the Bells of Justice for all of our family members now.

Jesus we pray and give thanks for all the many witnesses that we have not named but you know them all may we remember them now_____________________________

We pray this in the Key of Jesus! Ring out the Bells of Justice for all of our family members now.

Jesus we pray and give thanks for this night especially for ________________________

We pray this in the Key of Jesus! Ring out the Bells of Justice for all of our family members now.

We pray this in the Key of Jesus! Ring out the Bells of Forgiveness,Justice, Peace, Human kindness, and most especially love,  for all of our family members now. We pray this in the name of Jesus who came to unite us in love, forgiveness, and serve to and speak  for  the least of these. Amen.





The Song of Simeon Nunc dimittis
Luke 2:29-32

Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

The Wisdom of God the Love of God and the Grace of God strengthen us to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.(source: Celtic)



The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and
the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore.
Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in
believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Romans 15:13

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely
more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from
generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus
for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20, 21

Heleluyan (Alleluia)


Bonus prayers

Litany Prayer -Chief Seattle



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