On Sunday, August 13, Steven L. Williams lead the congregation in a prayer for Charlottesville.
A Prayer for Charlottesville
God who plants us by the water of life and justice,
who stands unmoved with us in the face of violence and evil;
God who hears the cries of the anguished
and cries with us in our grief,
HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For our siblings in Charlottesville –
HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For our sister Heather Heyer, her family and friends,
and all who love justice and mourn her senseless death –
HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For James Fields, Jr., the terrorist who killed her –
may he come to grieve her as we do,
and turn his sword of hate
to a plowshare of mercy –
HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For the 19 others he injured
while they stood planted against the poison of white supremacy –
HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For those who drink that poison, believing it to be medicine –
may their hearts break open
to receive the true medicine of solidarity and compassion –
HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For those among us who speak words of righteousness,
but fear to take action to make them true,
may you grant us courage
and guide our feet on the path of justice –
HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For those among us who wonder daily
if the beast of white supremacy will end our life,
may you grant us respite in our homes and in this church –
HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For all who strive for a better world,
may we do so for ALL who share it with us –
HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Spirit of life and love,
may we always seek justice,
love mercy,
and walk humbly, but boldly, with you.
HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Amen.
~
Steven is the Pastoral Care Chaplain at All Souls and continues to fight for justice and against white supremacy. After the police killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, Steven shared why he unequivocally stands with the value that Black Lives Matter and is no longer willing to sacrifice his humanity to a white supremacist system. Read his story, The Humanity of Difference.