We stand
Against injustice
And hope for a better world
Where everyone is housed
And fed
A world of abundance
Bless us on that journey
Song “I watch the sunrise”
You entrusted the earth to us
And we have destroyed it
The forests are burning
Animals are dying
Our world is sick
Forgive us
Restore our vision and help us to act bravely to save this precious world
We say the Lord’s Prayer in our own language
Reading Psalm 10
Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor—
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
3 For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart,
those greedy for gain curse and renounce the Lord.
4 In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, “God will not seek it out”;
all their thoughts are, “There is no God.”
5 Their ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of their sight;
as for their foes, they scoff at them.
6 They think in their heart, “We shall not be moved;
throughout all generations we shall not meet adversity.”
7 Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.
8 They sit in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places they murder the innocent.
Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
9 they lurk in secret like a lion in its covert;
they lurk that they may seize the poor;
they seize the poor and drag them off in their net.
Our prayers
We pray tonight for the Iranian family who drowned, for those in lockdown, for children and teaching staff, for doctors and health workers, for people who are isolated and exhausted, for wise decisions by government, for the people of Bolivia, Belarus, Syria, Yemen, Armenia, Thailand, Nigeria and Hong Kong, for the unrest in the US and the chaos in the UK and for those countries we never hear about, and those we know who need our help and prayers and who we carry in our hearts tonight.
Send you Spirit to heal bodies, minds and spirits and help people to turn away from what harms them. Let your angels be beside them and us at this time and protect us. In Jesus Name we pray.
Closing Responses
In the depth of silence
No words are needed
We are just called to listen
And in the midst of confusion
To hear your voice.
Amen.
©Iona Community and Janet Morley adapted