Pray with Lebanon, September 21, 2025

Lectionary Selection: Luke 16:1-13

Prayers for Lebanon

FDCD workshop for young social actors on Human Rights in Politics.

Strong and loving God, You who share in the sufferings of your people,
hear us in Lebanon as we pray for the people of Lebanon and Syria, those who hunger, those who flee, and those who grieve. Have mercy, God, on the homeless, the widowed, the grieving, and the sick. Shine your light upon them in the midst of their pain, and grant them comfort.

God of the hope of humanity and the safe harbor who grants peace,
bestow love and unity upon this troubled world, drowning in a sea of hostility, injustice, and lust for power. Let wars be silenced and the power of enmity be broken, so that peace may dwell among us, and the nations of the earth may acknowledge your generosity, abundance, and mercy. Teach us to remove from our hearts all anger, bitterness, and misunderstanding. Draw us nearer to You so that we may live always in fellowship with one another.

In your name we pray, Amen.

Mission Moment from Lebanon

Distribution of humanitarian aid during the war.

During the war in Lebanon, fear gripped entire communities. People fled from their homes and villages as they came under bombardment. Fields burned. Families ran to protect their lives and the lives of their children, clinging to dignity and trying to shield their young ones from the horrors of war.

The Forum for Development, Culture, and Dialogue (FDCD) has witnessed firsthand how thousands upon thousands of people are suddenly displaced, in desperate need of shelter, support, and the most basic necessities for survival. FDCD staff went to the temporary shelters in schools and camps where displaced people had gathered. We brought food so they would not go hungry, but we also brought something equally important: the assurance that God had not abandoned them.

It was during this time that we met a young displaced boy. He was eating a banana, but only half of it. When asked why, he said, “I will only eat half. The other half is for my brother.” This simple act of love moved us deeply. It reminded us to search for the children, women, and elderly—especially those who were forgotten, living in places where no one else was offering assistance. Our mission was, and still is, to lift people up, just as Jesus lifted people up: to walk in their shoes, stand with them in their struggles, and support them as fellow human beings. FDCD’s mission, especially in partnership with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ through Global Ministries, has always been to serve all humankind. We want them to know they are children of God, never abandoned, always welcomed. Like Jesus, his ministry was not confined to closed doors; it was open to all, extending freedom, healing, and blessing to everyone without distinction.

Written by: Rev. Riad Jarjour President of FDCD, Margaret Kofron GMI & FDCD Staff

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