Mennonite Conversation on Peace Phone-in Prayers

These prayers were presented during the March 10,2003 call-in phone conversation.

Opening prayer

Creator, redeemer, and sustainer of all peoples on this earth,
We humbly gather before you during this human crisis.
May the miles that separate us be but strands of a web,
Drawing us together as we join ourselves to you, our center,
And to each other to learn how to be your citizens while we live in the United States.
May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts, be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, our rock and our redeemer.
Amen Prayer for members of the armed forces

We pray for the members of the armed forces who have been wrenched away from their families and friends. Keep them safe, O Lord. Do not let them kill. Preserve their minds and their integrity, and bring them home to those they love.

Closing prayer

Lord God, we praise you
Because you created and love this universe and declare it good day after day,
Because your patience with humans outlasts all our foolish greed and territorial nonsense, Because you have never allowed humanity to destroy itself,
But instead have sent prophets to bring us your words of justice, and Jesus to save us.
For the miracle of your everlasting love, we thank you.

We pray for violence to cease, first in our own hearts.
Give us the freedom from fear that comes only from true faith in you.
Confront us when we put our trust in anything but your power.
Soften our words to others with whom we disagree so that we invite communication
rather than solidify confrontation.
May our enemies never be faceless. May we see in them the faces of God's children.
Teach us to risk our good names in our communities, our financial security, our orderly lives, knowing that the faithful who dare to risk at your call will not fail in your sight.
Give us wisdom that far surpasses our fragile human understanding
And courage to do that which we think we can't.
Let us tremble before your truth.
Surround each of us with a community that supports your call to peacemaking
And nurtures our children and youth in your ways.
Give us words for prayers of peace and energy for acts of peace.

We pray for violence to cease in the hearts of others.
We beg you to settle deeply into the hearts and consciences of President Bush and
President Hussein, that they may be convicted of your grace and mercy. Let them learn to speak your truth and resist the temptations of power.
We pray for the Iraqi people, who have suffered grievously from twelve years of sanctions,
Yet freely open their homes to American visitors and join us in praying for peace between our countries. Grant them the comfort only you can give.
We pray for the members of the armed forces who have been wrenched away from their families and friends. Keep them safe, O Lord. Do not let them kill. Preserve their minds and their integrity, and bring them home to those they love.

And we pray again for ourselves.
Teach us the language of your love and how to live your invitational peace and grace.
Slow our anxiety, increase our hopefulness, and sustain our faith in you.
Help us believe in the power of your Spirit.

Amen.

Now to GOD who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to GOD be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever.
Amen. (Ephesians 3:20

Go now in peace.

Susan Mark Landis, peace advocate,
Mennonite Church USA
Executive Board Directors Office