wfn.org | Holy Week Prayer - Bishop Munib Younan, Jerusalem

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

The Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCJ)
P.O. Box 14076, Old City Jerusalem 91140, via Israel
www.holyland-lutherans.org
ga_elcj@netvision.net

The ELCJ is serving in Palestine, Jordan and Israel.

Evangelical Lutheran Church  (ELCJ)

BISHOP DR. MUNIB A. YOUNAN

April 8, 2003

Salaam and grace to you from Jerusalem, the city of Christ's death and 
resurrection.

At this time of difficulty and hopelessness throughout the world, we in the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCJ) invite you to join us in Palestine, 
Jordan and Israel as we bring  the following petitions	to our Lord in our 
prayers during Holy Week 2003.

Gracious God,

We pray for those who have lost hope and live in hopelessness, that their 
faith and hope may be restored.

We pray for those who believe in the culture of coercion, that God may 
change their hearts so they may believe in a culture of negotiation and 
dialogue.

We pray that the war in Iraq will be halted so that the blood shed may end.

We pray for the Palestinian people - the children, young people, women and 
men - people who live under military occupation, that they may see the 
promise of God in the liberation of Christ's death on the cross.

We pray for the liberation of Israeli people from their fear and insecurity 
so they may understand that by ending the military occupation they liberate 
themselves as well as the Palestinians.

We pray for the Christian Church that has been witnessing to Christ's 
salvific act on the cross and his resurrection from the dead, that the 
Church may continue to witness for the Risen Lord and advance God's Kingdom 
of love, forgiveness, just peace and reconciliation.

We pray for all those who have lost their dear ones, or are injured, or are 
handicapped, or are imprisoned, or are bitter, or are living in hatred, 
that God may grant to them healing and the peace of the cross.

We pray for Palestinian Christians and the unity of the Church, that they 
may be	living witnesses in their suffering.

We pray for world leaders, that they will not burn the bridges of peace and 
dialogue, and that they may not trust power and force but rather trust in 
the good will of human beings and in the self-determination of every nation.

We pray for the partner churches of the ELCJ whose voices in the world and 
the Middle East have composed a symphony of justice and reconciliation, 
even though their voices have been and continue to be disturbing to others, 
that they may continue to be voices in the wilderness of ignorance, 
misunderstanding and war.

We pray that Palestinians may have their own state within the 1967 borders, 
living side by side with Israel in justice, peace, equality and
reconciliation.

We pray for the people of living conscience from various religions that are 
working together to change our world with mutuality, tolerance, respect for 
the aspirations of others and a culture of peace.

We pray for the ELCJ bishop, pastors, congregations, schools, diaconal 
work, reconciliation work, dialogue work and ecumenism, that they may 
continue with the other Palestinian Christian churches to be salt in their 
societies and continue to be witnesses of Christ's Resurrection.

Together we bring all our prayers to the foot of the cross of our Lord, 
Jesus Christ.	Amen.