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 19, 2024

Vernal Equinox, 2024

Equality, God of times and seasons, it seems a rare thing in our created world. Yet here it is. A day of equality. Equal light and equal dark. We’re always looking for signs and meanings. And maybe there isn’t anything here. It is just an accident, a celestial pattern that doesn’t influence who or what we are. It is just the way things are; let it be.

And yet, we are too often satisfied with the way things are. We are too inclined to let be that which is not equal, not balanced, not leaning toward justice. Forgive us for our complacency. So, maybe we need a reorientation on this equinox day. Maybe we need the inspiration of the movement of the sun across our horizon to work for new hope and new possibility once again. Let us move off the center and away from the way things are and create a new day of justice and equality. May we launch into spring with a resolve to tear down the barriers and live into a new expression of beloved community. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Derek C Weber, March 2024

March 18, 2024

O Lord, how long will your church be divided along racial lines? How long will the lingering effects of animosity, injustice, and pride mark your blessed bride? How long, O Lord, will my white brothers and sisters not understand the pain in those whose experience is different than ours? How long, O Lord, will my minority brothers and sisters struggle with distrust and feel ostracized?

God, grant us the heart to weep with those who weep. Give us empathy and understanding. Create trust where there is pain. Make your church the united bride you want her to be.

These divisions of mistrust and historical bias run deep, O God. Without you, nothing will ever change. In our pain and our weariness, we express our hope that Jesus can change our hearts and unite the church. We believe the gospel is greater than our divisions. And we long for the day when the world will take note of how we love each other. So, help us to meet each other in this prayerful journey. We come to learn to lament. Hear us as we weep together, that we might walk together.

In the name of Jesus, our King. Amen.

Mark Vroegop, “A Prayer for Racial Reconciliation,” (June 5, 2020), Crossway, https://www.crossway.org/articles/a-prayer-for-racial-reconciliation/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw17qvBhBrEiwA1rU9w9sT5N3OaB-McR98XLrjgGRpwJSApE7OQiH8yB8s9nv5thZC_bimgBoCvy8QAvD_BwE.

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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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