Praying for Change: Daily Prayers for Anti-Racism (2024)

While the headlines may have receded, the sin of racism continues to be seen and felt on both individual and systemic levels. Dismantling racism is not a short-term task but a lifelong moving forward to perfection in love—to use founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley’s words. Therefore, Discipleship Ministries and other agencies and bodies of The United Methodist Church will continue to provide resources and guidance on how to become anti-racist individuals and churches. Please seek out the help you need to maintain your efforts to transform your community into an anti-racist fellowship.

The Worship Team of Discipleship Ministries believes, however, that such a change will not happen unless the whole process is bathed in prayer every step along the way. To that end, we will continue to provide daily prayers to help keep us all centered on the ongoing journey of transformation. From Monday through Friday, a new prayer will be posted here for your use as personal devotion, to share in your small group, or for use in corporate worship.

If you wish to receive these prayers each day in your email, the process for signing up is outlined below. If you would like to submit a prayer for anti-racism, click here to contact us. Join with us in this season of prayer and change in our denomination and beyond.

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June 14, 2024

Healing God, we bring to you our prayers for all people who have left their homelands. For refugees and stateless people; for migrants who want to restart their life in a new land; and for people who have been dispossessed of their homelands that were part of their heritage. We pray for all people who yearn to return to their former homelands, but are prevented from that by hostile or indifferent powers or changed circ*mstances. We pray for people whose traditions, religious and social cultures have been, or are being, destroyed by thoughtless authorities. We pray for people who have no understanding or the necessary language of their new surroundings; for asylum seekers who know that they are not always welcome in their new situation, and who receive little encouragement. Welcoming God, we pray that you will be a new home - an eternal home - for all these troubled people that offers them hospitality and comfort; and teach us your own welcoming ways, so that we can all sing the songs of the Lord with sensitivity and heartfelt thanks. Amen.

Joan Stott, Prayers and Meditations, http://www.thetimelesspsalms.net/w_resources/pentecost20[27]c_2013.htm.

June 13, 2024

Leader: Father of the Heavenly Lights, you brought us to life by your Word of truth,

People: We were made in your image, sons and daughters of all colors.

L: The cancerous wickedness of racism has caused your children to suffer. Prejudice, discrimination, and hatred have led to brokenness, violence, and even death.

P: We confess that we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have allowed the sin of racism to divide us in what we have done and what we have not done; what we have said and what we have not said.

L: Purify our hearts and tame our tongues, we pray;

P: Give us courage to repent, to fight for righteousness, and to love and embrace one another…

L: In the name of Jesus, Our Lord…

All: Amen

Litany of Confession, Rev. Rhea Summit, Pastor, New Alexandria UMC, cited in “Anti-Racism Resources,” Western Pennsylvania Conference, https://www.wpaumc.org/antiracismworshipresources.

June 12, 2024

Confessions are empty promises without meaningful actions—actions that are grounded in prayer, education, and soul-searching repentance. The sin of racism separates us from one another. Though we trust that we are reconciled to God through Christ’s death and resurrection, we seek such life-giving reconciliation with one another. As we repent, let us not turn back to ideologies that promote white supremacy. We trust that God can make all things new. Amen.

Worship Resources for the Day of Racial Healing, ELCA, page 2, https://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Worship_Resources_for_Day_of_Racial_Healing.pdf.

June 11, 2024

God,
You are the source of human dignity, and it is in your image that we are created.

Pour out on us the spirit of love and compassion.

Enable us to reverence each person, to reach out to anyone in need,
to value and appreciate those who differ from us,
to share the resources of our nation,
to receive the gifts offered to us
by people from other cultures.

Grant that we may always promote
the justice and acceptance
that ensures lasting peace and racial harmony.

Help us to remember that we are one world and one family.

Amen.

Australian Catholic Social Justice Council cited in “Meeting Prayers on Racism,” Catholic Health Association of the United States, https://www.chausa.org/prayers/cha-prayer-library/prayer/meeting-prayers-on-racism.

June 10, 2024

Open my eyes that I may see
glimpses of truth thou hast for me.

Open My Eyes, words and music by Clara Scott, United Methodist Hymnal 454, v.1

“I just don’t see it.” A friend said that to me, All-seeing God. When we were speaking of the racism that persists in our culture and in our world, the response was, “I just don’t see it.” Instead, the argument continued, “I see people of color in many positions of power and influence; I see great wealth and great honor given to many people of color.”

Can both be true, God of possibilities and transformation? Are there signs of overcoming that rise above others who are pressed down? Can I see both? Am I brave enough to look high and low, seeking those glimpses of truth that reveal what some deny exists? Or does one success story outweigh all the systems and acts of racism? Open all of our eyes, Lord, that we may see, and then change the way the world works for all. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Derek C Weber, May 2024

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