Home Worship Planning Preaching Resources Praying for Change: Daily Prayers for Anti-Racism

Praying for Change: Daily Prayers for Anti-Racism

By Derek Weber

Three people holding hands in prayer

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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March 28, 2024

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

John 13:34 NRSV

A new commandment is just what we need, God of law and grace. Something to stir the blood and to get your people to move, to march, to shout from the rooftops, this new directive we have been given. This will allow us to know who is in and who is out, who is really faithful and who is simply pretending. Give us this new commandment, shake up the status quo, renew us, your people, God who calls.

“Love one another, as I have loved you.” This isn’t new. This isn’t transformative; this isn’t revolutionary. We’ve heard this; we’ve said this; we know this. Where is the new?

Maybe in the doing. Maybe in the living. It is, we humbly admit, a new commandment because we have yet to try this loving thing. It is new, not because you haven’t commanded it before, but because we haven’t been willing to follow. We’d rather draw lines; we’d rather be divided; we’d rather fear the other. And not love one another. Forgive us.

As we gather on this Maundy Thursday, instill in us a passion to observe this new command with commitment and with will. May your will be done in us, through us, by us, even now, even here. Amen.

Derek C Weber, March 2024

March 27, 2024

God of justice, all people are made in your image and all people have equal dignity and worth. Show me the ways I have been blind to my own prejudices and help me be part of the healing rather than part of the problem. May I have the humility to learn and the courage to call others forth to a world of greater equality. Amen.

Shannon K. Evans, “Pray,” Active Anti-Racism (August 23, 2021), https://www.franciscanmedia.org/pausepray/active-anti-racism/.

March 26, 2024

Jesus, one of your final prayers was for unity among your people (John 17:21). I pray for the coming together of people of all colors, socioeconomic, political, and religious backgrounds within the church to seek you in united prayers of repentance to receive forgiveness for the sins of racism and empowerment to move toward reconciliation. Enable church leaders to pave the way in pursuing racial healing with faith and love. Strengthen congregations leading multi-racial Bible study groups to be catalysts of change. Empower church leaders as they minister your Word with boldness, leading to healing in communities across this nation. May the church turn to God’s Word and let it speak to the issues of justice and healing for which our nation cries out.

American Bible Society, Prayers That Destroy the Spirit of Racism, https://news.americanbible.org/uploads/publication/2020-07_Prayer-Racial-Healing-Prayer-Guide-Edit+Design-Request_346712_v1_ck_(1).pdf, p.4.

March 25, 2024

O Lord our God, in your mercy and kindness, no thought of ours is left unnoticed, no desire or concern ignored. You have proven that blessings abound when we fall on our knees in prayer, and so we turn to you in our hour of need.

Surrounded by violence and cries for justice, we hear your voice telling us what is required, “Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Mi 6:8). Fill us with your mercy so that we, in turn, may be merciful to others.

Strip away pride, suspicion, and racism so that we may seek peace and justice in our communities. Strengthen our hearts so that they beat only to the rhythm of your holy will. Flood our path with your light as we walk humbly toward a future filled with encounter and unity.

Be with us, O Lord, in our efforts, for only by the prompting of your grace can we progress toward virtue. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

“Prayer to End Racism,” Prayers for Racial Justice and Reconciliation, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-for-racial-justice-and-reconciliation#:~:text=Good%20and%20gracious%20God%2C%20you,This%20we%20pray.

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Rev. Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, served churches in Indiana and Arkansas and the British Methodist Church. His PhD is from University of Edinburgh in preaching and media. He has taught preaching in seminary and conference settings for more than 20 years.

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