Call to Worship and Prayer for Unity and Reconciliation

Call to Worship
(Based on Psalm 133, CEV, TNIV, NRSV)

Speaker 1: It is truly wonderful when relatives live together in peace.

People: It is like the dew falling on mountains, where the LORD has promised to bless his people with life forevermore.

Speaker 2: How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!

People: It is as if the dew were falling on God's mountain.

Speaker 3: For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

People: How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!

All: It is like the dew of which falls on the mountains, for there the LORD ordained his blessing, life forevermore.

Prayer

Gracious God,
We are a people who strive with one another, but we remember.

We remember Joseph whose brothers threw him away, but he forgave them and became their salvation.

We remember Jacob and Esau who fought in their mother's womb, but they became reconciled on the battlefield.

We remember your people, who suffered in exile, and Queen Esther who took a stand 'for such a time as this' to end the strife.

And still we strive against one another.
Our brothers strive against sisters,
Mothers and fathers strive against daughters and sons

(Offer silent prayer for families)

We strive among races, among nations, among classes
We strive across the miles and across the ages
We strive in the Christian family, in the human family

(Invite the prayers of the people for these concerns)

But Jesus prayed for our unity.

Almighty God, You reconciled us to yourself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
You created one humanity out of the two.
You have broken down the dividing wall of hostility.
You say there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free . . .

You say, "How good it is for us to dwell in unity."
You say "There's plenty good room."
You say, "Git on board, there's room for many more."
You say, "Lay down your sword and shield down by the riverside and study war no more."
Amen.

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From the Africana Worship Book for Year A. Copyright Discipleship Resources. Used with permission.

Tony Peterson is an Associate Acquisitions Editor for Thomas Nelson publishers in Nashville and a former staff member of the Discipleship Ministries.