Sabeel Wave of Prayer 30.4.20

This week’s Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of the Palestinian Center for  Development and Freedoms, MADA (www.madacenter.org). It was established as a nonprofit organisation in 2006, with its headquarters in Ramallah. It works to support and protect journalists in the Palestinian Territories. They are currently facing greater restrictions and suffer frequent assaults from the Israeli authorities as they try to go about their work.

• Lord, we thank you for the work of the MADA centre as they seek to help journalists to continue their witness. We thank you too for the courage of journalists as they shed light on the darker aspects of the occupation of Palestine, even at the cost of their own liberty. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The drastic cut in US aid under the Trump Administration has left hospitals in East Jerusalem seriously under-equipped and ill-prepared to deal with the COVID-19 virus. The Israeli government has been slow to respond to requests for help, and, until recent weeks, had not registered the number of cases in East Jerusalem or majority Arab cities within Israel. As Israel begins to lift restrictions, identifying and treating those with the virus is becoming more and more important.

• Lord, we cry out to you as we think of those living in cramped and impoverished places like East Jerusalem. We pray that this virus may not run like wildfire through such places. We pray too that the Israeli government will start to share their resources more equitably to limit the spread of the virus throughout the land. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown there has been a spike in the number of attacks by Jewish settlers, supported by the Israeli army, on Palestinians. There have already been twenty three settler attacks in April according to B’Tselem, despite the movement restrictions ordered countrywide.

• Lord, we pray for an end to these violent settler attacks and for the Israeli government’s tacit support for such actions by providing military support. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Monday the 20th of April virtual vandals disrupted the Holocaust Remembrance Zoom event organised by the Israeli Embassy in Germany. They posted anti-Semitic videos and images during the time they were logged in. The event, which hosted the Holocaust survivor Zvi Herschel, was suspended and reconvened shortly afterwards by invitation only. This incident was referred to as ‘Zoombombing’ and security measures are now being strengthened to protect such meetings.

• Lord, we are deeply saddened by such incidents of slander and hate. We pray for an end to these outbursts of abuse online and in person. We must remember to, ‘keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit’, (Psalm 34:13). Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Benjamin Netanyahu has secured his tenure as Israel’s longest serving prime minister. He has come to an agreement with his main opponent Benny Gantz. The initial plan was to set up an emergency government for six months to deal with the Covid 19 virus, however, the agreement signed was for a full term government with Netanyahu serving as prime minister for one and a half years and then Benny Gantz taking over. The annexation of large swathes of Palestinian land in the West Bank will be brought to a vote in the cabinet and the Knesset, as early as the 1st of July.

• Lord, we pray that international lawmakers and foreign governments around the world will speak out against the illegal land grab supported by Israel and the US. We pray that the Palestinian land will not be stolen while the world is distracted by the outbreak of the virus. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The level of water in the Sea of Galilee has reached a sixteen year record high after an unusually wet winter. The level of the freshwater lake is just five inches below its capacity.

If it reaches its peak, predicted in early May, the Degania Dam, which regulates water flow to the Jordan River, will be opened.

• Lord, we look at the beautiful photographs of the Sea of Galilee this springtime in full flood with  trees appearing to grow out of the water. And yet the scenes are strangely empty and we remember the lockdown due to the virus and think of those confined to home and those suffering from lack of food and water. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia,Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Lectionary Prayer

John 10:1-10

Patient and loving God, we stand at the gates of lockdown and peer through.

We keep creating our own ways,

believing that we know what is in our own best interest,

and we ignore the voice of the one Shepherd who will guide us to peace and hope.

We wander aimlessly and then wonder why we get so lost.

Help us stop and listen to the Shepherd’s voice.

Let us place our trust in the Shepherd who has never failed us,

who loves and guides our lives.

Forgive us our stubbornness and stupidity.

For we ask this in Christ’s Name.

AMEN.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer 23.4.20

This week’s Kumi Now initiative looks at the work of the Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees, (DSPR). It is an ecumenical group run by the Middle East Council of Churches which was originally set up in 1948 as a result of the Nakba. The DSPR focuses on the chronic level of unemployment suffered by young Palestinians, especially those from refugee camps, due to discrimination and economic deprivation. They offer vocational training and start-up loans to empower young people and to enable them to earn an income.

• Dear Lord, we seek to serve you through the work of our hands and yet so many young people born in poverty are deprived of the dignity of work. Thank you for the work of the DSPR as they seek to support young people through vocational training and support. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Many Israeli Arabs are working on  the  frontline of the fight against Covid-19 in Israel. They make up a fifth of the population in Israel, but have a high level of representation in the medical community with half of the country’s pharmacists, a quarter of its nurses and just under a fifth of its doctors. Israel is dependent on their care at this critical time, particularly to treat the outbreak of the virus among the country’s Jewish ultra-orthodox communities.

• Dear Lord, we thank you for the selfless professionalism of the medical staff who put their own lives at risk to help treat all those suffering from the Covid-19 virus, no matter their race or religion. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Tuesday, the 14th of April, the Israeli police raided a Covid-19 clinic which had been set up by Palestinians in Silwan, East Jerusalem. Israeli government rules mean that the Palestinian Authority are prevented from doing anything to support communities in occupied East Jerusalem. The  overcrowded living conditions in this area make it particularly susceptible to the rapid spread of the virus.

• Oh Lord, we pray that the Israeli government would work with the Palestinian Authority to help Palestinians test those in need of treatment and to help them access hospitals equipped to treat those suffering with the deadly virus. Lord, in your mercy..,hear our prayer.

The occupied and besieged populations of Palestine and Gaza are seen as extremely vulnerable by the World Health Organisation of a serious outbreak of the Covid-19 virus, as well as from the effects of the economic fallout. The NGO Who Profits? have released a new report which is monitoring and analysing the Covid-19 crisis in occupied Palestine, (whoprofits.org). Palestinians are experiencing a lack of testing kits, protective clothing and availability of intensive care beds. There are also serious concerns about the authorisation of heightened surveillance and the introduction of further repressive measures under the guise of ‘a state of emergency’.

• Lord, we pray for those who are  trying to survive under the occupation and we pray for those ‘writers who keep writing oppression’( Is10:1), that they would turn again and stop their harsh treatment of those in need. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Wednesday, the 15th of April, Jewish settlers assaulted Palestinian shepherds as they grazed their sheep, east of Yatta, near Hebron. Under heavy military protection from the Israeli army, the settlers seriously injured one of the shepherds. Across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank there are between 500,000 and 600,000 Israeli settlers in illegal settlements, in violation of international law.

•  Dear Lord, we pray for those Palestinians living in the West Bank who have had to endure frequent violent attacks, damage to their land and property, including the uprooting of many olive trees. We pray for a cessation of these hate crimes and for the risk of spreading the contagious virus through the attacks. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On the evening of Thursday, the 23rd of April, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins and ends on a month later with Eid al-Fitr. During this month Muslims will be fasting during daylight hours from dawn to sunset. This year will be especially difficult with restrictions preventing prayer in Mosques and no groups allowed to gather in homes for the evening iftar meal.

• We pray for our Muslim brothers and sisters in Palestine as they start fasting for Ramadan. Many of them will be experiencing worry over lack of work, income and food, as well as concerns and grief over those close to them who are affected by the virus. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Lectionary Prayer

Third Sunday of Easter (Year A)

Luke 24:13-35

Meet us, Lord, on the Emmaus road.

Guide us on the path toward our destination,

and renew our strength as we continue to walk with you.

Open our eyes, so we see the signs of your presence around us

despite occupation and fear;

Open our hearts, so we may receive your peace and love;

and empower us to pass on to others

the grace you have shared with us so freely.

Amen.

Sabeel Ministry of the Word

Thursday 16^th April 2020

This week’s Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association. Addameer is a Palestinian institution which works to support Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli and Palestinian prisons. It has also launched a global campaign to stop administrative detention. This procedure allows the Israeli military to hold prisoners indefinitely on secret information, without charging them or allowing them to stand trial.

• Lord, we thank you for the work of Addameer which seeks to support prisoners, especially those who have no right to plead their case.  At Easter time we remember how our Lord Jesus was arrested, and suffered mocking and beatings while in prison, abandoned by even his closest friends. Help us to remember those who suffer in prison. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The world continues to suffer from the COVID-19 Coronavirus, almost 2 million people have contracted the virus and over 110,000 people have died worldwide. People around the world continue to live their daily lives under strict restrictions and lockdown conditions.

• Jesus, during Your ministry on Earth You showed Your power and caring by healing people of all ages and stations of life from physical, mental, and spiritual ailments. Be present now to people who need Your loving touch because of COVID-19. May they feel Your power of healing through the care of doctors and nurses. Take away the fear, anxiety, and feelings of isolation from people receiving treatment or under quarantine. Give them a sense of purpose in pursuing health and protecting others from exposure to the disease. Protect their families and friends and bring peace to all who love them. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Sunday, 12^th April, illegal Israeli settlers began to create a new illegal outpost in the Tel Rumeida area of Hebron. The settlers, protected by Israeli occupation forces, erected a large tent and harassed Palestinians as they peacefully protested this attempt to establish a new illegal settlement. Settlers also continue to destroy Olive trees near Bethlehem with over 500 destroyed in the past week.

• O Lord, illegal Israeli settlers continue to steal land and uproot the Palestinian people with no mercy. We pray that the international community will act courageously to enforce international law and put an end to the Israeli government’s greed and arrogance which allows this to happen. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The No Way to Treat a Child campaign has begun a petition calling for Israel to release the children held in prisons and detention centres throughout Israel and the West Bank. The campaign recognises the increased risk to everyone held in detention during the current pandemic and states that “There is no way Israeli prison authorities can ensure the health and well-being of Palestinian child detainees as long as they continue to be in a custodial detention setting.”

• Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’(Luke18:16). We pray that children in detention may be restored to their families at this challenging time for all around the world. We pray that the hearts of our children may be full of hope and free from fear. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Over the past week, those who follow the Gregorian calendar have been celebrating Easter in new ways – online or in empty churches. This week marks Holy Week and Easter in the Orthodox calendar. Under the Coronavirus restrictions, celebrations will be extremely limited and held behind closed doors.

• Lord God, we are filled with hope at the announcement of your Son’s resurrection at Easter. The celebrations of this day remind us that the victory has already been won, and that good will always and ultimately triumph over evil. However, for Palestinians living here, sometimes it is hard to see the light of the resurrection when every day they are surrounded by the darkness of the grave. Instil hope in their hearts, God, and grant them the perseverance to continue on. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Belarus, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Lectionary Prayer

Second Sunday of Easter (Year A)

John 20:19-31

Lord,

We find ourselves in the locked doors of occupation and Coronavirus

just as the disciples were behind closed doors.

We too are afraid, perhaps for different reasons than theirs.

But we too need the breath of the Holy Spirit to take away our fears

so that we can come out from behind these locked doors.

Lord, we are like Thomas with our questions and our doubts.

We sometimes need to see in order to believe,

we need you in order to have faith.

Lord, we too need the peace you bring

because our world is fraught with violence, and unrest.

Lord, just as Thomas confessed you are his Lord and his God,

we boldly claim for our lives.

Lord we thank you for the blessing you have given us,

the ones who believe without seeing.

Lord, may our doors be open to all

and that doubters be welcomed here.

Amen

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Thursday, 9^th April 2020

This week marks the re-launch of the Kumi Now initiative. Active members of the initiative may find it helpful to plan ahead for future activities, while new members may want to familiarise themselves with the calendar of activities in the Launch Manual or on the website.

• Lord, we pray for all those called to engage in peaceful activism to bring about change to the oppressive conditions endured by so many living in Palestine. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

As COVID-19 Coronavirus continues to ravage the world, medical staff continue to put themselves and their families at risk to care for those most in need. Staff in supermarkets, pharmacies, and other businesses considered essential continue to work in order to serve our needs.

• Lord of healing, we pray for those working in medicine and other essential services. Cast your net of protection, healing, and strength over them as they continue to work at this extremely challenging time. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Palestinian people continue to live in fear and under occupation and oppression. Workers returning to their homes in the West Bank from work in Israel and illegal settlements are testing positive for the Coronavirus and Israeli occupation forces continue with night raids and demolitions in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Gaza continues to suffer under blockade and medical staff fear that if there is an outbreak, they will not be able to cope.

• O God, at this time of increased fear and isolation we pray that the international community will respond actively to those calling for the end of occupation and blockade. Be with all those in fear both from the virus and of occupation and oppression. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

In response to the challenge of a critical lack of ventilators in hospitals throughout Palestine, Al-Quds University have succeeded in producing a fully computerized ventilator from materials readily available in the local area. The ventilator has passed preliminary thorough medical testing and it is hoped that final approval will be given this week.

• Lord, we give thanks for all of those working to find solutions to the shortage of medical equipment around the world. We especially give thanks for those in Palestine who, with limited resources, are able to creatively think and create lifesaving machines. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) are inviting everyone to “(Virtually) spend Easter in Jerusalem with Sabeel.” On Saturday 11^th April at 9am PST everyone is invited to “join our Sabeel elders from Jerusalem as they share lessons of liberation and spiritual survival in the midst of continued dispossession, health crises, and international chaos.” (http://fosna.nationbuilder.com/easter_20)

• Lord, we pray that this simulcast of prayers, readings, and hymns will bring people together during this Easter time in isolation. Grant that those who join will be enlightened by information and strengthened by worship. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

At this time of Easter and Passover it is harder than ever to be separated from our communities and those we love.

• Lord God, Jesus cried out to you on the cross, “Why have you forsaken me?” You seemed so far from his cry and from his distress. Around the world, we are all now in a time of great distress, grant us your peace and strength that we may take the resurrecting and freeing message of the Passion and look forward to a time when we are again free to meet one another. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the Word Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Lectionary Prayer

Easter Sunday (Year A)

John 20:1-18

O God,

bless us this morning with resurrection rampage—

a rampage that summons us to shout yes

to the birth of new creation in our midst.

May we experience the birth of new life

in our lives and in a world free from occupation.

The Son is up!

And we are up with the Son,

despite all those things

that seek to pull us down to despair.

We are your Easter people.

Amen

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Thursday, 2^nd April 2020

The Kumi Now initiative focuses this week on the work of the MA’AN Development Centre.

The Centre documents violations by Israel of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child including child arrests, exploitation, torture, denial of the right to play and access to education.

• Lord we pray for the work of the MA’AN Development Centre as they work to protect children, who are so vulnerable and defenceless in an occupied land. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The COVID-19 Coronavirus continues to spread around the world, affecting many hundreds of thousands of people. There are now very few countries where no infections have been reported.

• Lord, as the Coronavirus pandemic continues to spread around the world, we pray that you give strength and reassurance to all people as they continue to live under strict restrictions and social distancing. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The number of people with Coronavirus in Palestine has risen over 100, with the vast majority in the West Bank and 9 in besieged Gaza. Due to the lack of testing kits in Gaza, the actual number of people affected is unknown.

• Lord of those in need, we pray for those in Palestine affected by the Coronavirus. We pray that the Israeli authorities take this time of global unity to lift permanently the blockade of Gaza, allowing medical supplies and aid to enter freely. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Healthcare workers around the world are putting their lives, and those of their families, at risk to treat those most badly affected by the Coronavirus.

• God of healing, grace those who spend their days healing the sick with your protective and strengthening presence. Grant them peace as they sit with those who are dying, and reassurance that they are making a difference. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The death of Father Hans Putman S.J. was announced on Sunday, 29^th March. Father Hans gave his life to helping those in need— in Sudan, in Syria, and in Bethlehem. He was known for his beautiful retreats and led a number of Sabeel clergy retreats and other activities.

• Lord, we thank you for the life and service of Father Hans and especially for his dedication to those in need. Grant peace and comfort to his family at this difficult time Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Sunday, 29^th March, the 44th anniversary of Land Day in Palestine, the Arab League called on the relevant international bodies and organizations to expose Israel’s racist policies, condemning the Israeli practices and violations against the basic Palestinian rights and addressing these Israeli practices, in accordance with the rules of international law and what international conventions and laws established.

• O God, we pray that the international community will heed the calls form the Arab League and from all Palestinians that the international community must act on the unjust and illegal policies of consecutive Israeli administrations. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of The Balkans – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Lectionary Prayer

Palm Sunday (Sixth Sunday in Lent)

Matthew 26:14-27:66

Lord, you set your face towards Jerusalem, walking alongside those who suffer.

Be our vision that we too may walk in the way of the cross and extend a hand to those we meet.

You healed the sick, cured the lame, and gave sight to the blind.

Be our vision that we too may give time to others and respond to their needs.

Lord, you said, “The first shall be last and the last first.”

Be our vision that we too may work towards your kingdom when the exalted will be brought low and the lowly exalted.

Lord, you ate with tax collectors and sinners and heard their stories.

Be our vision that we too may listen to the despised and rejected and value their lives.

Lord, you took time to pray and time to be silent.

Be our vision that through our prayers, fasting and almsgiving we too may draw closer to you and find your way.

Lord, you entered Jerusalem with peace in your heart.


Enter this broken place and be our vision that we too may desire peace where others desire war and may work for justice where injustice reigns.

Amen

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Thursday 26^th March 2020

This week’s Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of Aid Watch Palestine (AWP). This is an independent Palestinian organisation which seeks to stimulate and channel international aid effectively. It has recently helped farmers in Gaza to access aid after 29% of agricultural land in Gaza was destroyed by the 2014 Israeli bombardment.

• Lord, we pray for the work of organisations like AWP, which seek to help those in need and to make good use of precious resources. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The COVID-19 Coronavirus continues to spread around the world. There are now more than 250,000 confirmed cases with over 11,000 deaths worldwide. Life worldwide is becoming more and more restricted as governments attempt to slow the spread of the virus and allow medical staff time to respond to the unprecedented levels of people needing treatment.

• Lord of healing, we pray that you strengthen everyone around the world as they attempt to find a new way to live in the face of the current pandemic. Grant your restoring grace to all those medical workers who are putting their own health and the health of their families at risk to treat those sickest among us. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Palestinians from the West Bank who work in Israel are being made to find accommodation for up to two months or are forced to give up their jobs and remain in the West Bank. During the current pandemic these workers are being forced to live between different and complicated Israeli and Palestinian regulations put in place to combat the virus.

• O God, at this time of uncertainty and challenge, be with all those workers who are forced to follow two different sets of rules in order to earn money for their families. Be with those who must live away from their families to earn money and cast your protective and assuring presence over their families at this difficult time. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Despite the restrictions on movement and gathering enforced against both Israelis and Palestinians, Israeli occupation forces continue to demolish homes, conduct night raids to arrest children and young men, and harass communities (especially the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Issawiya where the Israeli NGO B’Tselem notes that forces “invade the neighbourhood daily, even at night, and more so on weekends, for no apparent reason.” At the same time, illegal Israeli settlers uproot Olive trees and create new illegal outposts in the Jordan Valley.

• God of the oppressed and the vulnerable, be with all those who are threatened not only by the ongoing pandemic but also by the harassment and unjust actions of the Israeli occupation forces and illegal settlers. Grant the courage and conviction to the international community so that they may stand up and take action against this ongoing injustice. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Palestinian prisoners serving sentences in Israeli jails for security-related offences are threatening to go on a hunger strike to protest measures enforced by the Israel Prison Service, seeking to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The prisoners object to searches conducted in their cells by prison guards without any protective gloves or face masks, as well as a ban on leaving cells and meeting their attorneys and family members, who the prison service fears might infect prisoners or guards with the virus if allowed into prisons.

• Lord of all, be with all prisoners at this time as they worry about the high risk of contracting the Coronavirus from each other or prison guards. Be with all those who are unjustly held without trial or reason, may they gain solace from your continuing presence. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Lectionary prayer

John 11:1-45

Holy God, Creator of Life,

you call us out of our dark places under occupation and pandemic,

offering us the grace of new life.

When we see nothing but hopelessness,

you surprise us with the breath of your spirit.

Call us out of our complacency and routines,

set us free from our self-imposed bonds,

and fill us with your spirit of life, compassion, and peace,

In the name of Jesus, your anointed one, we pray.

 Amen.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

Thursday 19^th March 2020

Week 22 of the Kumi Now initiative is now online (https://kuminow.com/al-haq). This Kumi week, we are focusing on natural resource exploitation in the occupied Palestinian territory. This means we want to take the time to read about Al-Haq, their work, and Na’imah Mohammed Dabak’s story before taking part in the Kumi Action for this week to raise awareness of this exploitation.

• Gracious Lord, we pray that Israel stops the theft of Palestinian resources, the resources you have given to our land. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The closure due to COVID-19 continues in Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, and Beit Jala. In other areas Israel is putting in place stricter and stronger restrictions as the number of cases continues to rise. At present there are no known cases in Gaza, where any cases would put a huge strain on an already over-stretched healthcare system.

• Lord, your son Jesus Christ, travelled through the towns and villages of this land “curing every disease and illness.” At your command, the sick were made well. Grant your grace in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love. Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Wednesday 11^th March, Palestinian teenager, Mohammed Hamayel, 15, was killed after being hit in the face by live ammunition fired by Israeli occupation forces during clashes in the village of Beita, south of the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank.

• O Lord be with the family of Mohammed as they mourn their loss. Grant them grace and peace to grieve and remember this young man whose life was so cruelly cut short. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Palestine Olympic Committee (POC) President General Jibril Rajoub has praised the contribution of the organisation’s female staff. He gathered with the women who work at the POC to pay tribute to the impact that they make, saying “we honour the Palestinian women who have been able to impose their presence with their hard determination to serve their country and their cause…women are mothers and sisters that we cherish, and their pride and effort has made a prominent contribution to the sports system.”

• Dear God, we thank you for women everywhere, and pray for their continued strength and determination. Lay your hand upon them and guide them in their constant struggle towards peace and justice, for themselves, their families, and their countries. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Thursday 12^th March, Israeli occupation forces demolished a Palestinian-owned house in Freidis village, in the occupied West Bank, east of the city of Bethlehem, according to a local source. Forces raided the area and proceeded to demolish the one floor, 130-square-metre house, which belonged to Hazem Abu Muhaimid, under the pretext it was built without Israeli permission which isn’t required in the West Bank under Palestinian control.

• Lord, we pray for all those who are forced to demolish their own homes or to have the Israeli government to demolish them in Palestine. We pray that this inhumane, unjust, and illegal policy will cease, and that Palestinians will be granted the right to build homes for their families. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Malki strongly criticized the labelling of Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem as “non-Israeli” and “Arab residents” in a US State Department report. The minister accused the United States of adopting the terms used by the right-wing government in Israel.

• Lord, we pray that international law will triumph over those who seek to remove all rights and recognition of the Palestinian people, their culture, and history. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Lectionary Prayer

Fourth Sunday in Lent – John 9:1-41

Lord Jesus Christ – you are the light of the world. We are poor, miserable, wretched and blind. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Come and speak order into chaos, and light into darkness of occupation in Palestine. Heal us that we may see. And seeing — may we see you Jesus, the Son of Man, and believe in you. And believing, may we worship you — honouring you as the one who restores the sight of the blind that our eyes may see the salvation of God.

Amen.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

 12^th of March 2020

This week’s Kumi Now looks at the work of the YMCA/YWCA, Joint Advocacy Initiative (JAI). This initiative helps to introduce international partners to life under occupation in Palestine through exchange programs and advocacy tours. It also organizes the Olive Tree Campaign which distributes olive saplings, sponsored by people around the world, to Palestinian farmers.

• Lord, we thank you for the work of the JAI and especially for their work to restore precious olive trees to Palestinian farmers. We continue to trust in your protection and mercy Lord, ‘like a green olive tree in the house of God’ (Psalm52:8). Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Palestinian Authority called a 30-day state of emergency throughout the West Bank after twenty COVID-19 cases were confirmed in a Bethlehem hotel. Alongside this, Israeli authorities as part of their public health restrictions, in agreement with the Palestinian Authority, have closed checkpoints only allowing people to leave if they have to travel directly to the airport or have special permission.

• Lord we pray for those in the frontline of treating this new virus. We pray for those who have been diagnosed with the virus. We also pray for those whose livelihoods have been affected by ongoing and constantly changing public health restrictions. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

As part of infection control measures in Palestine and Israel, many church services, gatherings, and events have been cancelled. On Sunday 8^th March, to allow those in areas where churches are closed, a number of Palestinian clergy live-streamed their services on social media.

• Lord, thank you for the ability of clergy to continue to reach out to their congregations despite the difficult conditions. We pray for all those involved in organizing events and gatherings as they make decisions about their event and do their best to meet the ever-changing conditions. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

At the Israeli election on Monday, the 2nd of March, Prime Minister Netanyahu did not secure a parliamentary majority to form the next government. His party and their allies secured 58 of the 120 seats in the Knesset. For Palestinians a government led by Netanyahu, or by his rival Benny Gantz, would still mean a continuation of the occupation.

• Lord, we pray that the international community will speak out strongly over the Israeli occupation of Palestine and Israeli plans to annex, even more Palestinian territory. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Peace Now human rights group has disclosed that Amazon has been offering free deliveries to Israeli settlements in the West Bank, while charging neighboring Palestinian communities for its services, unless they select their address as being in Israel. Amazon has now confirmed that it will expand free deliveries to Palestinian addresses.

• Lord, we thank you for the work of human rights’ groups such as Peace Now which draw attention to the way corporations legitimize illegal Israeli settlements and discriminate against Palestinians. Lord , in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Internationals in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are facing verbal and physical abuse stemming from fear caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. On Sunday, the 1st of March, a Palestinian woman assaulted a Japanese aid worker in Ramallah. The Palestinian woman was arrested after she was filmed pushing the Japanese woman and shouting ‘Corona, corona’ at her. Dr Nimer, the spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of the Interior denounced the attack, saying ‘it does not represent the morals and traditions of the Palestinian people and culture’.

• Lord, you are compassionate and merciful, help us to learn from you and to be kind and tender-hearted towards others, and not allow fear to overwhelm us. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Wednesday, the 4th of March, the Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem demolished part of a Palestinian owned home in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabal al-Mokabber . The Israeli bulldozers demolished the home of Iyad Fatafta, a Palestinian citizen, claiming it had been built without an Israeli permit.

• Dear Lord, we pray for Mr Fatafta’s family, who are now homeless. We pray for all those Palestinians faced with the dilemma of needing to provide shelter for their families and yet being denied the permits to allow them to build. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer

A gas explosion on Thursday, 5^th March in Nusseirat refugee camp, Gaza, has killed 12 people and injured at least 56 others including women and children. The explosion, in a bakery, caused severe damage to shops, homes, and stalls as well as putting pressure on an already over stretched healthcare system.

• Lord, we pray for the families of those killed in the explosion and resulting fire. We pray that those injured will have a quick and full recovery from their injuries. Be with all those affected by this tragic event and give them the strength to cope and rebuild. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Prayer for 3^rd Sunday of Lent

Dear Lord, we are all guilty of judging others. This keeps us from connecting with others in loving, healthy ways. We see threat from may angles, from others within our community, from those of different religions and from internationals. Help remove this tendency from our hearts. Help us to see our brothers and sisters the way you see them and to see the person rather than being led by fear.

Amen.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer 5.3.20

This week’s Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of the Israeli Coalition of Women for Peace, (CWP), which was founded in 2000. The CWP is now a leading voice in the Israeli peace movement. It has called for an end to the blockade of Gaza, as well as an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. In 2007, the CWP founded a research project to discover which corporations’ profit from the occupation. [https://kuminow.com/cwp]

• Dear Lord, we pray for the peace work of the CWP and that their information will bring pressure to bear on corporations profiting from the occupation. We pray for an end to the violations against the human rights of Palestinians under the Israeli occupation. Lord, in your mercy…help us act.

The Very Reverend Dr Hosam Naoum, Dean of St George’s Cathedral was elected the new Coadjutor Bishop in Jerusalem on Thursday, the 30th of January. Dean Hosam will be consecrated as Bishop Coadjutor later in the year. When Archbishop Suheil retires in 2021, Dean Hosam will be installed as the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem and he will oversee a diocese extending over five countries.

• Lord, we pray for Dean Hosam, his wife Rafa and their three children Wadie, Laurice and Christa. We pray for him as he takes over his new role at St George’s Cathedral, that he will know your guidance and your peace. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

At this time of year Christians here in Palestine and around the world keep a forty-day period of fasting and prayer for Lent, leading up to Holy Week and Easter.

• Father You give us this yearly gift of Lent so that we may reflect and grow in your love. Teach us to truly repent through our words and our actions and bless our Lenten journey. (Sabeel-Karios UK Lenten Reflections). Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

The Women’s World Day of Prayer is a worldwide movement of Christian women from 170 different countries who observe a common day of prayer on the first Friday in March each year. Let us join in with a prayer written especially for this day in Nottingham, UK :

• ‘God our Creator, you have built up your Church through the love and devotion of women everywhere; inspire us to follow their great example that we may, with them, share in the vision of your glory through Jesus Christ your Son.’ Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel held a clergy meeting in Ramallah on Friday 21^st February. The meeting was attended by 40 clergy or parish representatives and explored the challenges faced by health services in local parishes.

• Lord, we pray for the clergy of Palestine as they come together with Sabeel and experts in the field of healthcare and health insurance to explore solutions to the challenges faced by health services. We pray that this meeting will be the first of many. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Israel held its elections on Monday 2^nd March, as this Wave of Prayer was written we do not know the result.

• Lord, we pray that the elections pass without interference from political parties or outside influences. We pray that a government will be elected which will serve all the people of Israel and seek justice and peace with the Palestinians. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Ireland, the United Kingdom, including England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer
27^th February – 2020

This week’s Kumi Now initiative focuses on the work of the Youth Against Settlements, (YAS), which is a Hebron based non-violent, direct action group. The group is based in a centre which has been reclaimed for Palestinian use after a legal battle with Israeli settlers.

YAS encourages the Palestinian people living in Hebron to remain in the city despite the hardships and violence they face from the Israeli settlers and the Israeli military occupation.

• Lord, we thank you for all those who support those suffering oppressions in the city of Hebron. We pray that international bodies will bring pressure to bear on the Israeli government to apply the Geneva Convention to all those living in Hebron and the rest of the occupied territories. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

A Palestinian, Muhammad Ali Anam, 27, was killed by an Israeli sniper on Sunday 23^rd February, after allegedly attempting to plant a bomb near the Israeli fence. Following his death, Muhammad’s body was dragged from the scene by an Israeli bulldozer after defence minister Naftali Bennett stated that Israel would collect and store the bodies until the bodies of two soldiers killed in 2014 are returned to Israel by Hamas.

• Lord, we pray for the family of Muhammad as they mourn their loss. Grant that those involved would see the inhumanity of their actions and that your justice will cover these lands. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Saeb Erekat, the Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation denounced Israel’s recent decision to construct thousands of new settler units on occupied Palestinian land across the West Bank. Nine thousand illegal units are to be constructed on the former Qalandia airport to the north of Jerusalem, while more than five thousand units are planned in established settlements to the south of Jerusalem.

• Dear Lord, your ‘righteousness looks down from the sky’, (Psalm 85). We pray that international organisations, which respect law and order, will speak out to deter Israel and the US from the forcible annexation of Palestinian land to build more Israeli settlements. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel continues to organise local Bible study groups in the community to help Christians to come together and reflect on what it means to follow Christ today, living under the oppressive constraints in the land of Palestine and Israel.

• Lord, your words are life and light. We give thanks to all the lay leaders who help organise the Bible Study groups and prepare the material. Accept our prayers as incense offered to you, and our upraised hands as an evening offering (Psalm 141). Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Sabeel Jerusalem held its General Assembly on Friday, the 21st of February.

• Gracious God, we ask your blessing on Sabeel’s upcoming programs, especially as our staff members meet with community leaders to set dates for this year’s events, and the decisions made at Sabeel General Assembly as it met last Friday in Ramallah. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

A group of thirty-one US Democratic Senators have called on the US administration to bring an end to the thirteen-year-old blockade of Gaza and to restore funding and aid to the enclave. In a letter addressed to the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, they stated:

‘the continued deterioration of water and electrical infrastructure, medical systems and other basic economic and social services bring Gaza closer to complete collapse’.

• Lord, please soften the hearts of those in authority in the US and open their ears to the voices warning of imminent disaster in Gaza. We pray that the lifeline of funds for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency working in Gaza will be restored at the earliest opportunity. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

On Friday, the 14th of February thousands of Palestinians gathered in the Victory Square in Nablus to attend Fajr (dawn) prayers at the Al Nasim Mosque. Across the West Bank Palestinians are turning up for the dawn prayers on Fridays as the only safe way they can express their protest against the Israeli-biased Middle East Plan. They fear arrest by protesting openly in the streets at other times of the day.

• Dear Lord, we pray for honest brokers to come forward to propose peace talks to represent the interests of the Palestinian people, not just the interests of the Israelis. We pray that the Palestinians and the Israelis can find a way to live respectfully and peaceably in their shared land. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

• We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayers for the countries of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.