Litany and Responsive Reading
Feel free to use the following litany and responsive reading in your women's group, congregation, conference or cluster, and at synod events. Please include the copyright information on every copy you provide in any setting.
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Open our eyes, God,
so that we may see the value of all God's children and so we may together plan for their safety and protection.
Open our ears, God,
so that we may hear the cries of youth suffering from hunger and malnutrition and so that we may together plan for their feeding and sustenance.
Open our hearts, God,
so that we may feel the powerlessness of teens struggling to succeed in homes plagued with apathy, division, anger, and hopelessness, and so that we may help provide words of comfort, paths of power, and courage for their successful journey to adulthood.
Open our lips, God,
so that we may boldly confront racism and sexism and may together bring about the unity in diversity necessary for our babies' growth and wholeness.
Open our minds, God,
and purge away individualism, negative pride, and superior attitudes, and help us to understand that each and every child of God is given bountiful gifts regardless of color, gender, or race.
Open our arms, God,
so that we may welcome children whose parents are incarcerated, absent from the home, or struggling with addiction. And help us, together, to provide them with the love, strength and stability needed to run this race of life.
Open us, God, so that we may feel the breath of your spirit;
Open us, God, so that we may feel the power of your majesty;
Open us, God, so that together we may be strengthened to bring about human liberation and wholeness for our children.
Copyright © Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Litany by the Rev. Maxine Washington, Metropolitan Chicago Synod, ELCA. All rights reserved. May be reproduced by Women of the ELCA units and synodical women's organizations, and other entities of the ELCA, provided each copy carries this copyright notice.
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preferably a young person): Today we remember that children are not safe. They face violence in our streets, in our schools, in our homes, and in our world.
Women: "When, O God, when will you take action and rescue those who cry out or live in need?" (Psalm 34:17, paraphrased)
Men: "As a father has compassion for his children, so God Almighty has compassion for those who fear and love God." (Psalm 103:13, paraphrased)
All: Establish your justice, O God.
Leader: Most compassionate God, who heard Rachel weeping for her lost and hurting children, we pray for all violence to end.
All: Merciful God, who loves all children, hear us now.
Leader: Our Comforter, we remember all children affected by violence, all who live in fear, and all who need your justice. Grant us hope for the future, power to forgive, release, and redeem our pasts, and boldness to act in the present on behalf of your little ones.
All: Amen! Bring us to a new beginning.
Leader: Establish your laws of peace over this community, and throughout the world.
All: Amen! Bring us to a new beginning.
Women: Help us all to resist the myths of glory in conflict.
Men: Help us all to raise our children with the teachings of peace.
All: Help us all to respect life, peace, and justice. Amen! Bring us to a new beginning. Copyright © Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. All rights reserved. May be reproduced by Women of the ELCA units and synodical women’s organizations, and other entities of the ELCA, provided each copy carries this copyright notice.