English 5 March - 2020

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

 5^th of March 2020

This week’s Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of the Israeli Coalition of Women for Peace, (CWP), which was founded in 2000. The CWP is now a leading voice in the Israeli peace movement. It has called for an end to the blockade of Gaza, as well as an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. In 2007, the CWP founded a research project to discover which corporations’ profit from the occupation. [https://kuminow.com/cwp]

·         Dear Lord, we pray for the peace work of the CWP and that their information will bring pressure to bear on corporations profiting from the occupation. We pray for an end to the violations against the human rights of Palestinians under the Israeli occupation. Lord, in your mercy…help us act.

The Very Reverend Dr Hosam Naoum, Dean of St George’s Cathedral was elected the new Coadjutor Bishop in Jerusalem on Thursday, the 30th of January. Dean Hosam will be consecrated as Bishop Coadjutor later in the year. When Archbishop Suheil retires in 2021, Dean Hosam will be installed as the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem and he will oversee a diocese extending over five countries.

·         Lord, we pray for Dean Hosam, his wife Rafa and their three children Wadie, Laurice and Christa. We pray for him as he takes over his new role at St George’s Cathedral, that he will know your guidance and your peace. Lord, in your mercy...hear our prayer.

At this time of year Christians here in Palestine and around the world keep a forty-day period of fasting and prayer for Lent, leading up to Holy Week and Easter.

·         Father You give us this yearly gift of Lent so that we may reflect and grow in your love. Teach us to truly repent through our words and our actions and bless our Lenten journey. (Sabeel-Karios UK Lenten Reflections). Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Women’s World Day of Prayer is a worldwide movement of Christian women from 170 different countries who observe a common day of prayer on the first Friday in March each year. Let us join in with a prayer written especially for this day in Nottingham, UK :

·         ‘God our Creator, you have built up your Church through the love and devotion of women everywhere; inspire us to follow their great example that we may, with them, share in the vision of your glory through Jesus Christ your Son.’ Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel held a clergy meeting in Ramallah on Friday 21^st February. The meeting was attended by 40 clergy or parish representatives and explored the challenges faced by health services in local parishes.

·         Lord, we pray for the clergy of Palestine as they come together with Sabeel and experts in the field of healthcare and health insurance to explore solutions to the challenges faced by health services. We pray that this meeting will be the first of many. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Israel held its elections on Monday 2^nd March, as this Wave of Prayer was written we do not know the result.

·         Lord, we pray that the elections pass without interference from political parties or outside influences. We pray that a government will be elected which will serve all the people of Israel and seek justice and peace with the Palestinians. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

·         We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Ireland, the United Kingdom, including England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.