May
24 was Pentecost day according to the Western Calendar. Pentecost is
the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, empowering
them to speak in many languages and boldly proclaim the message of
Jesus. It marks the birth of the Church. For Pentecost, FOSNA National
Organizer Reverend Addie Domske reflected on the message of Pentecost as
one of steadfast hope rooted in radical imagination for a liberated
world. Services are hosted online every Thursday at 6PM Palestine by the
father of Palestinian liberation theology and Sabeel co-founder
Naim Ateek and the link can be found here. (tinyurl.com/sabeelworship)
Holy
God, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit which fills our souls
with courage to be public witnesses of your love in this world. Remind
us that you transform places of death into places of life, that you call
on us to leave our locked rooms of fear and speak courageously for the
oppressed. Teach us what it means to be a Pentecostal church that we may
do your will on earth.
Lord in your mercy...hear our prayer
Last
week, the Global Sumud Flotilla of 50 boats was intercepted in
international waters, and hundreds of activists were transferred onto
military boats and detained. While in detainment, activists reported
even worse conditions than previous flotilla missions, experiencing
beatings, sexual violence, and torture. Flotilla activists have used
their detainment to demand world attention on Gaza, where Israel has
since expanded controlled territory in Gaza from 53% to 65%, while
Israeli forces are expanding into Eastern Gaza's primary agricultural
zone, cutting off the main source of food and livelihood. Humanitarian
access remains severely constrained with only a 4% increase in overall
aid volume in April.
Holy
God, we lift up all peace activists who risk their lives to put
attention on the suffering of people. We pray that the testimonies of
the activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla illuminate to the world the
conditions that prisoners go through daily in Israeli prisons. Lord,
bring an end to the illegal siege on Gaza and may justice be granted for
the Palestinian people.
Lord in your mercy...hear our prayer
Last
week, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, New Zealand,
Norway, and the Netherlands, in a joint statement condemned the violence
by Israeli settlers in the West Bank that has reached its highest
levels, declared the settlements illegal, and reaffirmed their
commitment to a two-state solution. European countries,
the Netherlands and Germany in particular, have some of the highest
investments into the Israeli economy to the tune of billions of
dollars each year.
God
of the oppressed, we pray for an end to colonial violence in the West
Bank and for families who are living under occupation, settler violence,
and displacement. Help countries move beyond words and into action to
pursue a just peace for all in the land.
Lord in your mercy...hear our prayer
FOSNA's Friends
of Palestinian Detainees project is still ongoing. “Friends of
Palestinian Detainees” is a faith-led project which seeks to be in
solidarity with the Palestinian people by building a relationship
between faith groups and Palestinians who are in or have been released
from an Israeli prison. The project has a current campaign for the
Release of Female Palestinians in Israeli Prison. Visit FOSNA’s website
for more information on how to get involved and take action.
God
of hope, we thank you for the creative solidarity of our friends who
remind us that in the face of injustice, we must be like the persistent
widow who never ceases to demand justice and accountability. We pray for
those involved in this project, and for the freedom of the over 10,000
Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons, including hundreds
of children.
Lord in your mercy...hear our prayer
We
join the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the people of
Indian Ocean Islands: Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius,
Seychelles.
Lord in your mercy...hear our prayers
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