Christian aid week 2020
Who are they? What do they do?
"We are a partnership of people, churches and local organisations committed to ending poverty worldwide"
"For over 70 years, we’ve been standing with the poorest of our neighbours. We work in 37 countries, with people of all faiths and none, to stand up for dignity, equality and justice"
"Together we can create a world where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty."
"Our voices and actions are stronger together. And with your help, we can make an even bigger difference"
"Together with our supporters and partners, we aim:
• to expose poverty throughout the world
• to help in practical ways to end it
• to highlight, challenge and change the structures and systems that favour the rich and powerful over the poor and marginalised"
To find out more about Christian aid week and its work please watch the short video clip below or head over to their website www.christianaid.org.uk
Please scroll down to see lots of Christian aid prayers and YACC material that covers this week.
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A prayer for a global pandemic
‘Love…bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.’ (1 Corinthians 13:7-8)
Loving God, strengthen our innermost being with your love that bears all things, even the weight of this global pandemic, even the endurance of watching for symptoms, of patiently waiting for this to pass, watching while we pray, keeping our gaze fixed on you, and looking out for our neighbours near and far.
Instil in our shaken souls the belief and hope that all things are possible with your creative love for strangers to become friends for science to source solutions for resources to be generously shared so everyone, everywhere, may have what they need. May your perfect love that knows no borders cast out any fear and selfishness that divides.
May your love that never ends be our comfort, strength and guide for the wellbeing of all and the glory of God.
Amen
A prayer for times of isolation
‘For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come… will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Romans 8:38-39)
God of heaven and earth, in these times of isolation, apart from loved ones distant from friends away from neighbours thank you that there is nothing in all of creation, not even coronavirus, that is able to separate us from your love.
And may your love that never fails continue to be shared through the kindness of strangers looking out for each other, for neighbours near and far all recognising our shared vulnerability, each of us grateful for every breath, and willing everyone to know the gift of a full and healthy life. Keep us all in your care.
Amen.
A prayer for the Church
May your love that never fails strengthen the weak encourage the fearful calm the anxious heal the sick through your church – your washed hands and feet on earth – distant but still present virtual but still connected apart but still helping. God in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Amen.
.A prayer for medical workers everywhere
Restoring and healing God, thank you for medical workers everywhere, embodying sacrificial love in these challenging times putting the welfare of others before their own staying away from their family and loved ones comforting the concerned and bereaved reassuring the anxious and vulnerable working to heal and restore people who are ill. Be their guide, strength, wisdom and hope.
We pray for those in authority to do right by them for proper protective equipment to be provided and for their dedication to be met with much gratitude when they return home, exhausted.
We pray for medical workers around the world, where resources and protective equipment are always in short supply, not only now but always. May these extraordinary times lead to deep and necessary changes in how our world works, resulting in a genuine effort to address the profound injustice of life expectancy being determined by geography, to awaken us all to the reality of how connected we all are and to work together to create the community and world we all want to be part of. So help us, God,
Amen..