Diversity and Inclusion Prayers

We pray…

With what shall we come before our God?

                                                God has already told us what is good.

Shall we come with gifts and offerings?

                                                God wants us to do justice.

What does the Lord require of us?

                                                God wants us to love kindness.

What does the Lord require of us?

                                                God wants us to walk humbly with Him.

Come then, let us worship God. 

Amen.

Hear us, Holy One,

You created all human beings in your image and likeness. 

You have stamped each human person with a unique specialness, 

and all persons bear your image.

Through that image you call on us to reflect your goodness, 

justice, and love to all the world. 

Remind us that when we speak out for justice, 

mercy, and compassion we are displaying the attributes we find in you.

As we come to offer to you what we believe you are worth, 

show us how to display you in everything we do. 

Show us how to respect your image in all human beings. 

Help us to defend your image that is found in all human beings.  

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Let Us Remember…

Let us remember those who have been enslaved, recalling that for over 400 years, more than 15 million people were the victims of the tragic transatlantic slave trade. During this time human beings made in the image of God were bought and sold, treated as property, and considered to be less than human.

Have mercy on us, O God, to regard all persons as made in your image. 

Let us remember the families that were broken by enslavement, parents who never saw their children, family ties that were broken because of forced separation, tears that were shed, bitterness caused, and the hurts that continue.

Help us O God, to regard others with love and kindness. 

Let us remember the ways we continue in our world to treat others based on the financial profit we can derive from them: the persons who work in poor conditions, who are underpaid, the children who are forced to work and receive less than minimum wage, and the migrant workers who are exploited.

Help us, O God, to live in right relations with others. 

Slavery still exists today. We remember the women who have been sold into slavery, human trafficking, and the children who are sold into slavery as forced labour. We remember persons who are enslaved because of their addictions.

Forgive us, O God, when we forget that we are each other’s neighbours. 

We ask all of this through Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

Loving God,

In a world where we have, in the past, enslaved and dehumanized others,

help us as we go, to treat each person with dignity and respect.

In a world where profit is valued more than human life,

inspire us as we go, to proclaim the priceless worth of each person.

In a world where the ugliness of racism and discrimination is found,

guide us as we go, to show that love conquers all social ills.

May we go forth into the world in peace;

be of good courage;

hold fast that which is good;

render to no one, evil for evil;

strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak;

help the afflicted; honour everyone;

love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit;

and the blessing of God Almighty, 

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

We pray that the Spirit will reorient us: 

challenging us to live by grace rather than entitlement; 

expecting us to be a blessing to the earth. 

We pray that by acknowledging our brokenness,

 we will be closer to becoming a church where the good news is lived out: 

faith nurtured and hearts comforted,

gifts shared for the good of all,

resistance to the forces that exploit and marginalize,

fierce love in the face of violence,

human dignity defended,

members of a community held and inspired by God.

Through our tears and silent confessions, may we witness to your love and grace knowing that God is our refuge and home. God is our strength and center.

God has always been and always will be our very present help.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

Eternal One, 

we hear the cries of our neighbours near and far, 

and our hearts reach out to them. 

We are thankful for your promise of hope, 

and we are thankful for Jesus’ love, which he demonstrated on the cross. 

Through this love, we get not only a glimpse of you, 

but we also receive the good news. 

Strengthen our faith; help us to see each other through your eyes,  

so that we will be able to experience you in more ways. 

As we worship you this day, 

may we be open and sensitive to each other’s needs and presence, 

recognizing that we are all your children.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

A PRAYER OF THANKS 

God, you show us that we are worthy of your love by

Jesus’ reaching out to the Samaritan woman. 

We are like the Samaritan woman who calls out injustices against us.

By pointing out the injustice, she declared her worthiness,

and Jesus gave her Living Water. 

No matter our gender, culture, socio-economic status, ethnicity, 

or religion, you give us the truth: 

that we are one human race and we are loved. 

We ask for your blessing on the gifts we are sharing 

from the abundance you have given us. 

May they bring glory and honour to your name. 

We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

Loving God

In a world where we have, in the past, 

enslaved and dehumanized others, help us as we go, 

to treat each person with dignity and respect.

In a world where profit is valued more than human life,

inspire us as we go, 

to proclaim the priceless worth of each person.

In a world where the ugliness of racism and discrimination is found,

guide us as we go,  to show that love conquers all social ills.

May we go forth into the world in peace;

be of good courage; hold fast to that which is good;

render to no one, evil for evil;

strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak;

help the afflicted; honour everyone; to love and serve the Lord, 

rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit;

and the blessing of God Almighty, 

We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

God of all peoples, 

you are our compass and our GPS.

We are grateful for the gifts of our lands and waters 

and all the resources they produce,

for the sciences and arts, for our ongoing discoveries and creations.

Help us to treat the bounty of this earth with responsibility and compassion.

Help us to ensure that your endless gifts to us are shared equally, 

to the benefit of all.

Teach us the holiness of giving, and the entrapments of selfishness and fear.

Give us eyes to experience the world as you do, 

and the will to transform this earth into your dream.

We ask these things in humility and trust, through Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

God Of All

God of the nations, 

you bless us in creation with endless diversity. 

May we participate in this ongoing creation 

by enabling life in ongoing variety and expression. 

Help us to see what is acceptable.

God of the political, 

you give us free will to govern and manage our community living. 

May we choose our leaders wisely by changing patterns 

and voices in leadership, so that all needs are being addressed.

God of anger, 

you rage at the choices we make on earth even as we claim to do your will. 

May we learn to see ourselves with clarity, and learn to feel the rage you feel when we treat people, the earth and its creatures with contempt and disrespect.

God of the intimate, 

you speak to us in whispers and shouts, and it is up to us to pay attention. 

May we turn our attention to you, especially when it is painful, 

because we know love means having to make sacrifices.

We ask all of this through Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

Holy God, 

we know how easy it is for us to forget who you are. 

It is easy for us to claim ignorance of your power and your love. 

It is so easy for us point fingers at others 

and forget our own roles in contributing to an unfair and unjust world. 

It is easy for us to block the images of oppression 

on television and on social media. 

Forgive our disregard, O God. 

Open all the closed corners of our minds 

that they may be opened to the reality of injustice all around us. 

Resensitize us unto our human selves 

so that we can be appropriately appalled and pained at violence and oppression. Reconcile us to each other as one. 

We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

Loving God, 

we thank you for calling us to you,

from all corners of the world, to come home to belong.

We appreciate your love that embraces all of us.

We thank you that we are all one in you.

We thank you for your faithfulness and justice.

When we were aliens and foreigners you welcomed us.

We thank you for calling us to your ministry,

to live and do your work with the mind of Christ.

Remind us that we are here to fulfill your calling to serve.

Help all we do be done for love.

During this year’s Black History Month, we want to draw closer to you 

as we make a commitment to go into the world as agents 

of your justice, peace, and reconciliation. 

Gracious God, we need your help to do your work 

and fulfill this task you have given us.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

God of love, peace, and unity,

we thank you for welcoming us all just as we are;

for making us equal as your children 

from all corners of the earth; 

and for giving us your blessings as your children; 

and for making us belong.

We pray that you help us realize that we are

all made in your image, and we need to bring peace

to all your creation as one people who belong to you.

We ask all this through Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

Faithful God, 

we thank you that we are known by you.

And you have called us to go into the world to do you work. 

You called us to love and be loved as we do justice in your field.

We come in humility asking that you will give us courage and wisdom

to become ambassadors of your peace and reconciliation. 

You made us like you and called us to be unique. 

As you look at us, you see the same people you created in your image.

Help us Lord, that we may be able to stand up against any injustice.

We pray all this through Jesus Christ, our Saviour. 

Amen.