Daily Prayer for Peace
1:00 p.m.
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Guatemala
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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 remember the people of Guatemala in our prayers. Located
in Central America, Guatemala offers Central America in concentrated
form: its volcanoes are the highest and most active, its Mayan ruins the
most impressive, its earthquakes the most devastating, and its history
decidedly intense. In 1999, Guatemala held its first peacetime elections
in nearly forty years. In 2004, the government instituted major cuts to
the army and admitted its guilt in some high-profile human rights
violation cases. In 2006, Guatemala ratified the Central America Free
Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States, aimed at creating a
free-trade zone and reducing tariffs.
We come from the cares of the world to pray for peace, therefore let us
truly be with each other. We come to pray for light, therefore let us
truly remember the ways of the righteous. Guide us, Lord Jesus, into
that perfect light of true discipleship |
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| Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:31-5:2 NRSV |
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Let no evil talk come out of your mouths,
but only what is useful for building up, as there is need; so that your
words may give grace to those who hear. |
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Prayer for Peace by Linda Schaal, Bath,
Michigan |
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Lord, teach me to forgive myself and free my mind to
hear your voice. Move me to ask for forgiveness when I have offended
someone. Open my eyes to the forgiveness I must give to those who have
offended me.
Give me the courage to reach out to those in need of a friend. Make me a
good listener to strangers who may need just an encouraging word, or an
arm around their shoulder for comfort. Allow me to shake the hand of a
person who may be different from me without fear and say, "Welcome."
Help me to listen to the small cries of children who are hungry or
thirsty. Grant me hearing from my heart rather than my ears. Stir me to
ask, "What can I do to help that child?" when I hear on the news about
starving children. Give me the understanding to know that the problem is
not too big, one child at a time. Let me be the one to enthusiastically
sell others on their ability to help one child, so together we can make
a difference for a whole community.
I know, Lord, that peace is not possible without You as the overseer.
Nor is peace possible if the basic needs of people remain unfulfilled.
Thank You, Lord, for giving us the vision of peace. With the help of
your Holy Spirit may we have the commitment needed for that peace.
In Jesus' most holy name, Amen. |
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Hymn - God, the Source of Light and
Beauty - Hymns of the Saints #406 |
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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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O God, the people are hungry for your Word. Fill us with
grace to make your Word alive this day. Help us to live by that grace,
we pray, as we humbly confess our sins and ask forgiveness. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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O God, your people are hungry for food. Help us to become better
stewards, so that all may benefit from the abundance you have provided.
Give us the will to share with those who do not have enough. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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O God, your people are hungry for healing. You created us to be whole
persons, but many of us are broken. Your people are sick, lonely, in
jail, oppressed. Fill us with the power to heal each other and to be
healed. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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O God, your people are hungry for justice. Help those in authority, in
all countries and all institutions, to govern wisely for the benefit of
all. With others across the world, we especially ask this on behalf of
our brothers and sisters in Guatemala on this day. Fill all leaders with
compassion, we pray. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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O God, your people are hungry for peace. Teach all persons that there is
more to bind nations together than to drive them apart, and that there
is no place in your realm for war and intolerance. Fill us with
understanding we humbly ask. |
| 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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Oh Great God, to you be the praise and the honor and the glory. These
things we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. |
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| Sending Forth |
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We conclude our service today with ministry of music.
You are invited to remain to pray or meditate in the quiet of this place
for as long as you may wish.
As we answer the call to be peacemakers and peacekeepers in our world,
the Prince of Peace, even Jesus our Lord, will be with us. Go in peace
and be peacemakers, for all our sakes. Amen. |
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| Ministry of Music |
