One: Gracious God, Omnipotent God, we live in a broken and fearful world,

Many: A world that permits our brothers and sisters to live in the constant fear of arrest,

One: A world where persecution and maltreatment have come to seem like business as usual.

Many: Those who abuse others may not be sadists but may believe they act for a noble cause, or they are following orders, or they forget it is wrong because everyone is doing it.

One: And so we pray for those who are tortured and those who torture and for ourselves.

Many: The knowledge of the existence of such pain tears us spiritually limb from limb!

One: Living God, through your Holy Spirit, give us courage to witness among all people to Christ as Lord and Savior.

Many: Help us to unmask idolatries in church and culture.

One: Let us hear the voices of peoples long silenced.

Many: Let us work with others for justice, freedom and peace.

One: And in gratitude to you for the gift of life itself, let us strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for your new heaven and earth praying,

Many: “Come, Lord Jesus!” Amen.

(By Deborah Bowsher, based on A Brief Statement of Faith; Book of Confessions: 10.465-10.476 .)