Daily Prayer for Peace
1:00 p.m.
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Costa Rica
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Visit
Lonely
Planet. |
Gathering in Silence
Call to Prayer
Lighting of CandleInvitation |
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Welcome today to this sacred
place. Each day in this Temple dedicated to the pursuit of peace, we
pray to God for peace in our world. In addition, each day we pray for a
different country.
Today we will hold up the people of Costa Rica in our prayers. Costa
Rica is located in Central America, between Nicaragua and Panama. Costa
Rica has the unique sobriquet of “the only country which doesn’t have an
army;” its army was dismantled in the constitution of 1949, which also
gave women and blacks the vote. This constitution was the result of
civil war during the 1940s. During recent years, Costa Rica has
experienced other upheavals: Hurricane César in 1996 and Hurricane Mitch
in 1998, murmurings of government corruption, disagreements as to how
the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) will impact the
country’s farmers and affect efforts to alleviate the country’s poverty.
The current president, Oscar Arias, received the Nobel Peace Prize in
1987 for his attempts to spread Costa Rica’s example of peace to the
rest of Central America.
As we light the Candle of Peace, let us reflect on the absence of peace
and its effect on our world. (silence) Now let us worship together as we
seek new ways to pursue peace and dedicate ourselves to ongoing peace. |
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| Scripture Reading: Psalm 85:8, 10-13 IP |
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I will listen to what you have to say,
Adonai—a voice that speaks of peace,
Love and faithfulness have met; justice and peace have embraced.
Fidelity will sprout from the earth and justice will lean down from
heaven.
Our God will give us what is good, and our land will yield its harvest.
Justice will march before you, Adonai, and peace will prepare the way
for your steps. |
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Prayer for Peace by Ms. Jimmie L. Radliff,
Texas |
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Our Creator God,
As we bow before thee, we seek to learn many steps for achieving peace.
Help us to be good students who teach others by example instead of
weapons.
We ask Thee to fill our minds with peace so that its white light will
illumine all the rainbow hues of Thy promises.
Fill our eyes with peace, to see each path that we must follow according
to Thy plan. May our faces reflect Thy love to all who walk with us.
Fill our hands with peace, for we would be instruments working for
kingdom-building enterprises.
Fill our tongues with peace, so that we may speak softly to turn away
angry rhetoric.
Fill our ears with peace, that we may echo the strains of good will to
all in the music of everyday life.
Fill our hearts with peace. May they be strengthened to bear the pain of
the world's ever-present ills, and be filled with Thy love and blessing
to be shared as healing balm for the wounded.
We pray in the name of the Prince of Peace. Amen. |
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Hymn - Community of Christ - By
Request #14 |
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Prayers of the People
Please join us now, praying the Prayers of the People. During the
moments of silence, you are invited to pray silently or meditate. |
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Great God of all nations, races, and creeds, we praise
you. You are our refuge in times of trial and our joy in times of
celebration. We thank you and praise you. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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You are the fount of intelligence by which we earn our bread and seek to
serve you. We praise you. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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We acknowledge those times when we have been less than you created us to
be. Heal our brokenness, and lead us into paths of peace as we praise
you. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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This day we especially pray for your blessings on the people and the
nation of Costa Rica. May they know peace. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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We would also remember those who hunger and thirst for food, knowledge,
friends, shelter, or clothing. Open our hearts so we will be part of the
solution, not the cause of hurt in our world. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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Please use this space to pray for any
current concern or event in our community, city, state, nation or world
that you feel needs to be held up to God for prayerful consideration.
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| The People Pray in Silence |
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O God of Peace, may your truth radiate from this place as we seek to be
your people of peace in the world. Amen. |
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| Sending Forth |
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We conclude our service today with Ministry of Music. We
invite you to remain in the quiet of this place to pray or meditate for
as long as you may wish.
Let us go from this house and be the people of peace we are called to
be. We are one after all, you and I; together we exist or together we
shall perish. May the God of all people help us to keep our good
resolves this day. Go in peace. |
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| Ministry of Music |
