June 17th [will mark] the seventh anniversary of the fatal shooting of nine African Americans while
they attended Bible study at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C.
We pray:
O God of unconditional love,
you who show no partiality in respect to people of nations,
we have heard your good news, and in hearing, believe.
We know that your sanctuary is a house of worship for all people,
with no regard for the color of our skin.
As we worship you, knit us into a people,
in a seamless garment of many colors.
May we celebrate our unity, made whole in our diversity.
Forgive us for our inability to let our “old selves” die to the world.
We acknowledge that we participate in structures that are inherently racist,
and yet we do nothing to remedy it.
Show us when we fail, when we judge others according to the color of their flesh.
Amen.
Adapted from the United Church of Christ’s “Prayers for Racial Justice Sunday” and from the
United Church of Canada
This post is part of the ELCA’s “60-Day Journey Toward Justice in a Culture of Gun Violence.”