Sabeel Wave of Prayer: Week of Nov. 6, 2017

Sabeel Wave of Prayer: Week of Nov. 6, 2017

Sabeel_logo_small.pngA new report by Israeli rights groups B’Tselem and HaMoked, accuses Israel of “systematic abuse” of young Palestinians arrested after attending protests in occupied East Jerusalem, ignoring laws to protect teenagers rights, detaining those accused of throwing stones at soldiers in the middle of the night and questioning without a lawyer present.

For boys and girls whose childhood has been stolen in the cause of war and occupation, Lord bring restoration, healing, family, love. We ask Lord that such abuse must stop. Lord in your mercy…

Due to American intervention Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is delaying bringing the “Greater Jerusalem Bill” for a vote during his cabinet meeting. The bill would annex a number of the illegal Israeli Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank to the city of Jerusalem in order to make the Jewish population greater than the Arab population, strengthening the Jewish hold on the city.

Lord God lead humanity, from falsehood to truth, from despair to hope, from fear to trust, from hate to love, from occupation and war to peace. Lord bring Justice and let peace fill our hearts, our land, our world, our universe.
Peace, peace, peace. Lord in your mercy….

A group of British activists, organized by our friends in Amos Trust, walked for 174 days from the UK to Jerusalem as a symbolic act of penance to apologize for the injustice of the “Balfour Declaration” which marks its 100th anniversary this November. The activists concluded their visit with a worship service at St. George’s cathedral in Jerusalem.

Lord God we thank you for our friends who can see our suffering and oppression and respond boldly standing against those who oppress us. We thank you for their sacrifices that they might be instruments of your peace. We are grateful for their speaking truth, giving us hope and raising awareness to the impact of the occupation. Lord in your mercy…

The Lutheran Church last week celebrated their 500 year anniversary of the Reformation. Congregation members from the English-speaking church, the German-speaking church, the Arabic-speaking church, the Danish-speaking church, and the Swedish-speaking church filled the sanctuary of The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. We give thanks for the work and witness of the Lutheran Church in this Land we call Holy. Lord in your mercy…

Sabeel is holding its annual Ecumenical Clergy Retreat this week Monday 6th to Wednesday 8th of November. The retreat will take place at the Carmelite Convent of Stella Maris on Mt. Carmel in Haifa, and will also include the spouses of married clergy. A number of distinguished clergy and lay people will lead the sessions, including Rev. Ateek, the chairman of the Sabeel Board.

We pray dear Lord for your blessing on this Retreat and for the ecumenical spirit that prevails in the Sabeel programs. Guide the speakers and the participants to be nourished by this fellowship, and help them disseminate the right attitude in their parishes so that the “Other” will be a Blessing. Lord in your mercy…

Seven Palestinians were killed, and 12 others were wounded after Israeli forces blew up an underground tunnel between the southern Gaza Strip and Israel last week.

God of justice and mercy, we pray fervently that more bloodshed will be prevented. We remember the people in Gaza and especially the little children. We pray for the end of the ten-year-old blockade of Gaza and the end of the evil military occupation. Lord in your mercy…

We join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries Oceania: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia (Maohi Nui), Kanaky, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu. Lord in your mercy…